Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-04-02


: Play us us fair as You did him, and
| there will be no trouble between u.s."
, Each and every man had a good
word for me, but | was glad enough
: when the gang departed. They were
continually cursing and guarreling,
aud the deeds they boasted of kept me
in a tlutter Of fear. Two days later
one of the men left me tobacco, bacon
and coffee as he rode past my hut, and
every day or two ! caught sight of
some of them. Their headquarters were
in the hills, only about a mile away,
and on two or three occasions, late at
night, | 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 4 limb to teach me a lesson
IN humility. When they rode away
they left me half dead and fierce for re-
Nenge, and from that hour all the
money in Australia could not have
tempted me to betray a 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 kim words to say and assisted me
to round up my scattered flock. Next
day Black Bill" appeared in person
II handed me a handsome gold watch
and $50 in gold. To have refused his
gifts would have been to insult him.
The money retained and made Use of,
out a 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
mt midnight, and the sounds of the bat
tie which followed awoke me from
sleep. Three policemen were killed
and two wounded, and two BUSH
rangers 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 enlightenment and assault, bat 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 10
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
spoken of, but had been there two DAYS
before | got on to the fact. One morn
ing the neigh of a horse and the sight
OF smoke aroused my suspicious, but
| made no investigation. At about
MONDAY the 'Red Knight" came walk.
ing up to me as | sat in the shade of II
tree. He was a dapper little fellow,
dressed in clothes which might almost
be called fashionable, and on his curly
head was Il idunty hat with a dropping
red plume. He had a frank. open face.
a merry blue eye, and was the last man
you would have suspected of being n
robher and worse,
well, old man, what's the price of
wool to-day" he l%aughingly queried.
as he came up and offered me a cigar
and sat down beside me.
With that we began a conversation
which lasted for an hour. lie did not
ask for information concerning the
police, knowing that | was bound TO
enc side as much as the other. We
talked of the other bands and the fate
which had overtaken them-of n score
other things, and | prepared a noon
day meal and he shared it with me.
After that was finished he looked at
me for n moment with serious face and
then said:
81 am sure I can trust you. Tonight
| shall bring you the plumber | have
been saving for months, and you will
bury it in your hut. If I call for it YOU
will give it up; if | am killed or cap
tured it will be yours"
made a vigorous protest, feeling
that would be giving laid and MS
sistance,' but in the end agreed to do
as he wished. That night he brought
me gold and notes to the amount of
$4,000 and | dug n hole in the center
OF the earthen floor and carefully COW
cred in the treasure. From the rayine
the band made forays in every direc-
ton, sometimes striking a point 100 ,
miles away and being absent for
three or four days. After awhile the :
police set a trap for them and two were '
killed. Later on a third received a
bullet in the head while making a raid
the highway, and after that g.,
lnc hunt became so hot that the rest of :
band were somewhat inundated !
On two occasions | was visited bv tho
pollce as they were out in pursuit, and
both of those occasions the inf l
aVs were "at home" and n wink from
me would have resulted in their cam '
lure. The end came one night when :,
they stopped a stage coach. It was !
lnll OF police. with others on horse >
back behind, and the "Red KNIGHT" .
had scarcely cried halt when n yollev {
wiped the gang off the face of the
earth. He had never called for his
money, and it was mine. Perhaps the .
honest way was to turn il over to the !;
government, but I did not do It. 7 a
simply used it TO buy sheep and set
up a station of my own, and I cant II
say that my conscience has ever
pricked me enough to keep me awake =
y nights. u
He Had Tried Them. h
Benny Dictus-I tell you, my bow
here is nothing like married life.
Ned Singleton-Whati is there aboutit
20 attractive? "
Benny Observation-Disclosures ties p
nd all that sort of thing.