The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-10-24

| they Ieached Mr.. Vincent DOwling's
Iautabulla station. on the Cuttaburra
river Here they were mortified to
| find the bushrangers had again been
too quick for them, had run the sta
| ton horses into the yard, helped them
selves to fresh ones, and were away
with some hours clear start. 1t was
/ then decided to abandon the pursuit.
There were ( t that time few stations
| further west, and sooner or later star
vation would compel the runaways to
return tOinhabitatei parts. The troop
erS were left to watch and endeavor to
pick up further inform alton. while Nc
Nall and Zouch had reluctantly to re
! turn and look to their station duties.
At the time when bushranging was
rife IN Australia there were parts of
the country where, among a certain
class of small farmers and publicans,
sympathy was shown for bushrangers
and what the police had to encounter
before they ultimately succeeded in
extirpating the evil was the great
difficulty IN getting reliable informa
ton OF these marauder5, who on the
other hand were themselves kept post
ed IN the movements of their purSuers
and the office being given, were
harbOred or assisted to secret allies,
VINO seemed above suspicion. In the
far interior, where we lost sight Of
Pearson and Rutherford, this was
fortunately not the case; here they
would find no cover either from the
nature of the country or the disposi
ton Of the inhabitants. They could
not hold out long outside the occupied
country, and when forced TO return,
the population was SO scattered and
sympathizer5 none, that hopes of
escape were slight, Added to this,
the excellent police force of the col
ony was on the alert. and border
patrols active and vigilant. Not
withstanding, for upward of month
there was no sign; till one day Pearson
was sighted on foot IN range of hills
near Fort Bourke He was easily
captured, and when brought before
the bench, was haggared and worn
out with fatigue.
This unfortunate man was OF com
paratively gentle birth, had been
medical student in England, and
being sent out to the colony to seek
his fortune, had, as is too often the
case where a young fellow is shipped
off without friends, interest or capital,
lost caste, got among dissolute com
panions, until, attracted by what
weak minded boys would think dash
ing life, had come by rapid steps TO
this terrible depth of crime.
Th5 case was simple-hi5 only care
seemed to be to clear himself of the
actual murder of McCabe. The law
however, could take no cognizance of
this whether he fired the shot or not
he was equally guilty Of the murder
He was committed, tried, and sen
fenced to be hanged. Subsequently
his sentence was committed to I'M
prisonment for life. and when l last
heard Of him he was still an inmate
Of Darlinghurst jail.
An extraordinary statement of his
was that on leaving the public honsp.
he had to be helped on to his horse in
an almost fainting condition, and yet
held up through that exhausting es
cape; that day later. by his direct
ions, his mate extracted the ball from
his shoulder with his knife; aud yet
when taken, though weak and i'll, no
trace of wounds save the scars re
mained. He had parted from Ruther-
ford, as his enfeebled state was
danger to both, and he had not had
the hardihood to attempt to make his
way through the Gordon formed by
the vigilant guardians Of the peace.
But to his companion he was true
as steel. and would give no clue to the
direction Rutherford had taken.
The latter, who was a much more
experienced bushman. and in stronger
health. was successful in evading his
fate for some time longer. As was
afterward ascertained, he had con
trived to elude the police, and made
his way to the McQuarle river, some
than the scene of his late terrible out
rage. He was a smart young fellow,
native Australian, though of Eng
lish parentage. and of good address.
Arriving in a district where he was
unknown, he had no difficulty in
getting employment. and was for
some time engaged liz breaking in
horses on cattle station, duty he
was we'll able to perform.
Had he been contented to remain
at honest work he might have long
escaped detection; but it was not to
be- He was soon at his old work,
and one day walked into the Pine
Ridge hotel. near Cononba, kept by
trenchman named Beauvais, and I'M
cerimoniously announced: Il am
Rutherford. Bail up" The process
was without excitement, orderly and
businesslike. and Beauvais knew there
was no alternative bat to submit
He pleaded that he was not rich
publican, and begged moderate terms.
offering any refreshment he demand
ed. Rutherford wanted money and
nothing else-''that or your life"
With hIs revolver at the head of the
unhappy Frenchman he marched him
into the private room where the cash
box was kept, and stood by while his
victim reluctantly and slowly opened
It, However, he stood little to close.
and Beauvais. as he described it TO
me, thought: Il viii not part with my
money without a struggle" There
was no time fox 5andying words or