Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-19


name was q household word throughout
Australia undoubtedly had blue blood In his
veins, and 1t Is sal dthere are several per-
sons living who could tell, II they chose.
from what fine old Irish stock he got his
pluck. wit, endurance and polished man
ners. But they are guarding the secret
well.
He was a cosmopolitan from the first, for
he was born In Mexico in 1887, and his
mother was Spanish and HIS father was
Irish. Furthermore, the boy was educated
in Rome. He seems to have begun sowing
his wild oats in London. There are hints
of an early love affair and a fitting that
led the youth to give full rein to the devil
may-care spirit that was born in him. He
got into trouble of some sort in England
!id turned up in Australia in the early SIX
ties. He was known there as Frank Pear
son, and soon had reputation as one of
the most reckless riders and one of the
finest shots in that colony of splendid
horsemen and marksmen.
His weakness was horsefiesh and a taste
for acquiring the stock of other owners,
whose brands he oblitera ted with wonder
full ingenuity. His influence over men was
remarkable. and one of the chief reasons
seems TO have been a pair of gray eyes 50
keen thar they could disarm a foe or break
the Will of a rebellious follower. Someti
they danced with fun and sometimes they
flashed out with signals that meant swift
bIoodshed.
Enter Captain Starlight"
OF course, such leader would have
liesenen in plenty, and by 1864 Pearson
was the head of an organized band of out
laws and began to become famous as
Capt. Starlight
The bandit at that time was rather
handsome man, with none of the outward
aspects of a swashbuckler. He was only
a little over medium height and looked
rather slight and frail. But any one who
YQiStOOk a tpn6apfDpf IN,
due season that his muscles were like steel
springs, and that behind his easy, indoent
grace there was a tremendous strength of
will. His hands were delicate his face was
pale underneath its tan and his features
were finely nodded. He was choice of
speech, model of courtesy to women and
man of his word among men. His voice
was soft and pleasant, and the woman
who could meet him without falling in love
with him was scarce article in western
Australia.
Capt. Starlight's manner of dealing with
his victims was up to all the best trad-
tons of gentlemanly burglary.
The Captain in Society.
On one occasion the captain and his band
rounded up more than thousand head of
valuable live stock and drove them 400
miles into Adelaide. Within few days
drive of Adelaide the leader left his party
and hurried on ahead. When the stock ar
the place, dressed in the height of fashion
and already on intimate terms with the
choicest circle of society In the town. He
was rather bored when his stock arrived
business was such a beastly bother, you
know-but he brought himself to mention
his stock to one of the leading agents there
and the lot was sold off a public auction
for S2o.Ot0 some Of the city officials who
had been honored by the captains ac-
quaintance being among the heaviest bid
ders. So affable and popular was the new
conner that no question was raised about
the extraordinary variety of brands on his
stock. The captain and his men were well
out of reach before it was discovered that
every head of the stock had been stolen.
Later they raided several banks and held
up at least one government convoy OF gold
after a sharp fight with the escort. The
police throughout Australia We're the
watch for them, and heavy rewards were
offered for their capture.
How He Got Even.
The captain was as swift to avenge
treachery as he was quick to succor the
helpless He and his lieutenant were sur
rounded by the police one night in a saloon
with whose proprietor they had deposited
some of their wealth. They escaped almost
miraculously, however, but not before Star
light was shot through the shoulder. Later
on he sent his accompice back to get the
money they had left behind. When the as
sistant bandit reached the inn the place was
crowded with prOsperous-loOking customers.
and the proprietor suggested that it would
be good plan to hold them up. The out
law fell in with the idea, but when he had
the crowd at bay with their hands up the
willy publican jumped out on him from be-
hind and caught him by the throat In the
struggle that followed the bandit was killed.
AS soon as Starlight heard of the story
forgot his wound and set forth single
handed to mete out punishment. He set
fire 10 the tavern on a dark night and wait
ell at the only exit, revolver in hand, for
his man. But the screams of the saloon
keepers wife and children altered the stu
alton Starlight dashed into the building
and saved them and then disappeared.
His Greatest Exploit.
Perhaps his most remarkable exploit came
at time when the police were particularly
active in looking for him. A race meeting
was to be held in a town a hundred miles
from his mountain hiding place. and girl
who had befriended him was to be married
at the same time The redoubtable captain
had a beautiful high-bred horse that was
almost as famous as its owner. The bandit
disguised the animals markings and sent
it to friend In town to be entered for the
races. On the day of the meeting and the
wedding the police got word from some
mysterious source that Captain Starlight
and his band were In the neighborhood and
could be taken by surprise The chief and
hi; best men started off hot foot on the
scent at about the time Starlight in dis
guise appeared in the town. seated on
trap with two titled Engishmen to whom
he had managed to do some service on the
way and who We're delighted with the
strangers wit and courtesy. This popular
strangers horse won the race and a pot of
money, and the owner of the horse attend
ed the wedding and was the most brilliant
and honored guest He and his horse dis
appeared just the police, weary and dis
gusted, returned to town.
Captain Starlight was captured at last