Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-05-05
BLACK jim, CONVICT.
Copyright, 1900, by c. B. Lewis.
BY M. QUAD.

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
ciousness 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 a price for so 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 one 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 a member
of the mounted police l knew that
Stebbins was hard man to get along
with. He had been tavern keeper
and a 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 PEG
Pile 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 |
compelled to report him for excessive |
punishment, 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
locked up at police headquarters for
the night. 1t fell to me to take their
pedigrees and post them as to their
new master and what would be expect
ed of them. In our district we always
gave a convict a fair start. He was
told what would be required Of him,
advised to do his best to please his
master and given to understand that if
be went straight we would see that he
had fair usage I was interested in
Black Jim at once. The law had made
4 convict of him, but it hadn't degrad-
ed him. He had kept an honest face,
/ clear eye and frank voice, and
hadn't filed out his blank when was
wondering how he could have been
found guilty of crime detained him
'or minute to ask for his story.
81 haven't any, SIR" he quietly an
'wered
l saw that he did not mean to give
ne any particulars and therefore press
d him no further. had more frank
ak Will ulu ABOUT SLeUDIuS ludus
With any of the others, however. l had
n idea that Stebbins would be down
n him from the first because of his
uperior plane. and went pretty thor
ughly into details. When | had fin
she'd, the prisoner said:
Il 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.
lie had little to say to the others be-
ond making blood curdling threats of I
that would happen if they didn't toe
le mark, but to jim he said:
so they have sent me gentleman,
ave. they? They thought | needed