The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-15
BLACK jim, CONVICT.
BY N. QUAD.
Copyright, 1900, by c. B. Lewis.

The man known as BLACK Jim" had
been sent out to the penal colony Of
Australia for forgery. How they came
to call him thus l could never learn.
He was not dark faced man. On the
contrary, he was light and fair haired,
and you didn't have to talk with him
five minutes to realize that he had been
born Of gentle people and had no VI
cfousness In his nature. They sent him
up to Woona Wally after his first two
years Of imprisonment, and he fell into
the hands Of George Stebbins. In
those days an Australian convict was
bid off-that is, settler in want Of
help would bid price for 30 many
men, and they were turned over to him
for a certain length OF time. He was
responsible for their feed and care, and
his word was law. He could work
them as hard and as long as he wish
ed. He could starve and beat them,
and there was no enc to come be-
tween. In case Of characterization he
could shoot them down, and the gov.
eminent simply accepted his statement
of the affair. All convicts were glad
enough to get away from prison and
out upon the ranches, and in most
cases they found good masters and
were decently treated. AS member
of the mounted police knew that
Stebbins was a hard man to get along
with. He had been a tavern keeper
and bully In England, and his wife
had committed suicide and his two
sons been taken away from him by the
law on account of his tyrannical and
brutal nature. AS the owner of a big
sheep ranch at Woona Wally the man
had a sort of standing and a few
friends, but there were plenty of peo-
pie who kept clear of him. A part of
the duty Of the police was to keep an
eye on the hired convicts In certain
district, and we thus came to know
that Stebbins had less care for the
men he hired than for his dogs. On
two or three occasions we had been
to report him for excessive
and the feeling between
him and the police was not altogether
friendly.
Black Jim came up to Woona Wally
with six other men, and the gang were
ocked up at police headquarters for
he night. 1t fell to me to take their
,edigrees and post them as to their
lew master and what would he expect |
d Of them. In our district we always
ave a convict a fair start He was
old what would be required Of him,
dvised to do his best to please his
master and given to understand that il
lie went straight we would see that he
lad fair usage. I was interested in
Black Jim at once. The law had made |
convict of him, but 1t hadn't degrad-
d him. He had kept an honest face.
clear eye and a frank voice, and
admit filled out his blank when was |
how he could have been
ound guilty Of crime. l detained him
Or minute to ask for his story.
II haven't any, sir" he quietly an
wered.
l saw that he did not mean to give
lie any particulars and therefore press
d him no further. had more frank
ak with him about Stebbins than
18th any Of the others, however. had
n idea that Stebbins would be down
n him from the first because of his
lperior plane, and | went pretty thor
ughly into details. When | had fin
he'd, the prisoner said:
II thank you, sir, and shall do my
est to please"
Things came about as feared. As
tebbins inspected his gang he picked
lack Jim out for special attention.
.e had little to say to the others be-
ond making blood curdling threats Of
hat would happen il they didn't toe
lie mark, but to Jim he said:
80 they have sent me gentleman,
i've they? They thought l needed
to teach me manners per-
bps. Mebbe the idea was for you to
on the verapda and give me daily
ssons. Well, you've come to the
rong shop. Look, now, I'm going to
,ep an eye on you. You think your.
If head and shoulders above the
owd, but I'll take the conceit out of
III. Just give me the slightest excuse,
I'd I'll break you in to beat the bandw
The men were set to work clearing
nd. At the prison Black Jim had
zen detailed as "trusty" and had
It come In contact with hard work.
e took his place with the gang just
e same and was one Of the most in.
lstrious workers among them. He
lew that Stebbins was watching him
ID hoping for an opening, and he was
termined to disappolnt him. 1t was
20 weeks before anything happened.
len Black Jim had the misfortune to
eak the handle Of the ak with which
was working. Stebbins at once
lied upon the incident as pretext
r punishment. We should not have
own anything about 1t at the police
alton, six miles away, but for q
ick boy, who reported that Stebbins
d one Of his men hung up by the
umbs. I was sent over to investi-
te. Black Jim had been hanging
the thumbs for two hours when
ached the place and had been un-
nscious for at least half of that time.
soon had him down and being cared