St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-04-30


hood. All were escaped convicts, and
all men of the most desperate sort.
They came riding up to the hut soon
fter sunrise one morning and ordered
me TO kill sheep and prepare break
fast.
You have nothing to fear from us,
young man. You are the herder who
took care of Big George and it was
not your fault that he was captured.
Play US as fair as you did him, and
there will be no trouble between u.s."
Each and every man had good
word for me, but | was glad enough
when the gang departed. They were
continually cursing and quarreling,
and the deeds they boasted Of kept me
in flutter of fear. Two days later
one of the men left me tobacco, bacon
ard coffee as he rode past my hut, and
every day or two l caught sight of
sore of them. Their headquarters were
in the hills, only about mile away,
and on two or three occasions, late at
night, I heard them singing and
shouting. In the ten weeks they were
in the neighborhood they robbed a
score of travellers on the road, held up
farm houses, and defeated the police
| in two battles, and not one Of them
/ was even wounded. Three different
times the officers came to me for in
| formation, being sure that must know
something of the gang. On the last
| occasion, about four o'clock one after
noon, they provoked me to angry re-
torts, and as they were an Independent
and arbitrary force in those times,
dealing out law to suit themselves, they
threw a rope over my neck and pulled
me up to limb to teach me a lesson
in humility. When they rode away
they left me half dead and fierce for re-
venge, and from that hour all the
money in Australia could not have
tempted me to betray bushranger.
Unknown to any of us, an outlaw had
been concealed in the ravine during
The performance" and when the police
disappeared he came out and had a
few kind words to say and assisted me
to round up my scattered flock. Next
day 'Black Bill" appeared in person
and handed me a handsome gold watch
and e so in gold. To have refused his
gifts would have been to insult him.
The money / retained and made use of,
but year later restored the watch
to a lawyer from whom it had been
taken. The end of the gang came about
through its betrayal by one of its
members. He led the police into camp
al midnight, and the sounds of the bat
tie which followed awoke me from
sleep. Three policemen were killed
and two wounded, and two BUSH
hangers were killed and all the rest
captured and duly executed.
The ''Red Knight" was the cavalier
of all bushrangers. His name was
George Mcknight, and he was the son
of an English gentleman and a gentle
man himself. He had been transported
for embezzlemcnt and assault, bit after
serving for three years had escaped
and taken to the bush. He had with
him at that time five men, none of
whom were of the ruffianly type,
though full of courage and ready to
take desperate chances. The locality
had been clear of outlaws for weeks |
when this gang arrived, and they not
only made headquarters in the ravine |
before l got on to the fact. One MORN
ing the neigh of a horse and the sight |
of smoke aroused my suspicious, bu. |
made no investigation. At about |
MONDAY the "Red Knight" came walk |
ing up to me as sat in the shade of a |
tree. He was dapper little fellow,
dressed in clothes which might almost
be called fashionable, and on his curly |
bead was jaunty hat with dropping
red plume. He had frank, open face,
a merry blue eye, and was the last man
you would have suspected of being a
robber and worse.
'Well, old man, what's the price of
wool to-day?" he laughingly quericd,
as he came up and offered me a cigar
and sat down beside me.
With that we began conversation
which lasted for an hour. He did not
ask for information concerning the
police, knowing that l was bound to
cne side as much as the other. We
talked Of the other bands and the fate
which had overtaken them-of score
,ther things, and prepared a noon
lay meal and he shared it with ne.
After that was finished he looked at
me for a moment with serious face and
hen said:
81 am sure ! can trust you. Tonight
shall bring you the plunder I have
been saving for months, and you will
bury it in your hut. If call for it you
Mil give it up; if I am killed or cap
ured it will be yours"
I made a vigorous protest, feeling
hat would be giving "aid and as
distance" but in the end agreed to do
IS he wished. That might he brought
ne gold and notes to the amount of
1000 and dug a hole in the center ,
II the earthen floor and carefully COW
red in the treasure. From the ravine
he band made forays in every direc-
ion, sometimes striking a point 100
niles away and being absent for
hree or four days. After awhile the
,olice set a trap for them and Two were
Tiled. Later on a third received
'ullet in the head while making raid ,
N the highway, and after that
he hunt became SO hot that the rest of I
he band were somewhat intimidated. ,
IN two occasions was visited by the .
'olice as they were out in pursuit, and :
n both OF those occasions the out
avs were "at home" and a wink from
ne would have resulted in their cap
are. The end came one night when
hey stopped stage coach. 1t was i
nli of police. with others on horse
ack behind, and the RED Knight"
ad scarcely cried halt when a voliey 3
viped the gang off the face Of the
arth- He had never called for his a
honey, and it was mine. Perhaps the +,
onest way was to turn il over to the b
but did not do it. III
imply used it 10 buy sheep and ret
p station of my own, and / can't
ny that my conscience has ever v
ricked me enough to keep me awake
nights =