The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-15
ScUMGmu,lac,n

tended that the man had been In.
subordinate and even threatened his
life, and some Of the convicts backed
him up In hopes Of making things
easier for themselves, but knew that
1t was false charge. 1t wouldn't do
to say too much to Stebbins, however.
Low and contemplate as he was, he
had a ''pulr' with the government and
did not hesitate to threaten revenge
or me for interfering with his dlscl-
pline. Neither one of us sent in a re.
port, but we We're open enemies after
that.
Not one convict in a thousand would
have stood the insults and degradation
put upon Black Jim during the next
year. l know he tried his best, hut
there was no pleasing Stebbins. He
was always Boosting that he had gen
tleman convict and that he was bound
to break" him, and he spent a good
share Of his time worrying the man. 1t
was an almost daily thing for Black
Jim to be logged, and four-fifths of his
days were spent under lock and key
and on diet Of bread and water. My
interest In him saved him somewhat,
but as the weeks went by l knew what
the end would be. He would either
rise up In his desperation and kill Steb-
bins or he would bolt for the bush and
Join a gang of rangers. There were
times when felt vexed with him that
he didn't do one or the other and show
proper spirit, although 1t would have
been my duty to hunt him down in
either case. One day, as was return
Ing with the troop after hunting down
false alarm Of bushrangers, my horse
SHE'D and threw me almost In front of
Stebbins' house., and as struck on a
stone and had several ribs broken |
was carried in. He was not glad to
see me, but under the circumstances
was obliged to give me bed. Having
got settled, the police surgeon would
not allow me to be removed. The
brute Stebbins wanted to show his in
dependence of the police and prosecute
Black Jim at the same time, and the
insults he heaped on that convict. for
three or four days made me itch to
shoot him. On the fourth night of my
accident four men and three women
arrived for an evening visit. They
were about the only friends Stebbins
had In social way, and he made them
very welcome. My being In the house
was not permitted to Interfere with the
festivities. When dinner had been fin
lshed and the drink had gone around,
Stebbins sent for Black Jim and Or
dered him to dance for the amusement |
Of the company. The convict respect
fully but firmly refused, and his master
cried out In indlgnatlon:
"You won't dance, eh2 Too much Of |
q gentleman to give us a hornpipe!
Mebbe this company isn't swagger
enough for the likes of bloomin MUIR
dererw
I protested, but Stebbns went ahead.
The men gave him their assistance and
the women encouraged him. He had
had ropes and pulleys fastened to the
ceiling long before, and 1t wasn't five
minutes before the convict was fasten-
ed up. saw desperation In his face
as they laid hands on him, but he did
not resist. His arms were drawn up
till his feet were clear of the floor, and
had l been able to reach a pistol I
know l should have killed some one.
The man had been hanging ten min
ntes, and the agony had almost
brought uncOnciousness, when the door
was kicked open and four bashrangers
crowded in. 1t was a complete sur
prise. The women screamed out and
began to cry, but the men, with the
exception Of Stebbins, took 1t rather
'ool. The bully and coward went white
IS death and fell into chair, and 1t
vas almost pitiful to hear him beg for
lis life. He knew those bushrangers
we're escaped cOnvicts, and he also
new that stories Of his brutality had
zone to them. While three of the
angers covered the people with their
'istOls, the fourth cut Black Jim down.
Then he stepped over and took look
It me and said he had heard Of my &C.
ident and was sorry for 1t. When
Slack Jim had recovered sufficiently to
tand on his feet, the leader of the out
avs put a pistol In his hand, and,
ointing to Stebbins, said
Shoot him dead In his chair. He
deserves mercy from no man."
Jim returned the pistol and shook his
cad. Next instant Stebbins toppled
ut Of his chair with bullet in his
cad, and the leader said:
Sorry to have interrupted the fes.
(vities, but 1t was our calling night.
We were after Stebbins alone, and the
est of you need not fear. Come, Jim;
re want you."
Two of them helped the forger con- I
let out of the house and upon horse,
nd that was the making of the most
glorious bushranger In all Australia. {
lie had a career of five years and then