The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-28
WAS FAMOUS
BUSHRANGER.
Big Sensation Was Caused BY
Death Of Major PsIIy.
WAS TERROR OF AUSTRALIA.
After Release From Prison He Became,
Under Assumed Name, a Most Prominent
Government lficIaL
WAS TERROR OF AUSTRALIA.

An enormous sensation has Just been
created in Perth. West Australia, byt tho
discovery that Major" Peliy, who died
some time before from a dose OF poison.
accidentally self-adminlstered. and who.
up to the time OF his deceass was a mem
ber of the civil service of West Australia.
and acted as secretary 10 the government
geologist, was the notorious bushranger
Gordon. the original OF Captain STAR
Under Arms"
In Perth 1t was recognized that the
Major" was man of no mean attain
ments, and particularly eloquent extem-
pore speaker. Generally. he was very
reserved. and only on rare occasions was
he known to speak OF himself.
All the information that he ever volun-
teered was that he had seen active SER
vice, and In proof Of this he displayed
numerous bullet wounds.
From the large quantities of papera
found In his apartments after his death,
It is clear that "Pelly" was highly edu-
Gated and OF extraordinary abilities.
KEWARD FOR Ills ARREST.
The police decline to disclose the con-
tents of all the documents and the full
results of their inquiries, on account of
the pain publicity would give to certain
distinguished families In England and
Ireland, but IL has been CLEANED that the
real name OF "Pely" was Frank Pear
son. and that he received a great part OF
his education at Rome.
After wild life I'm London he emigra-
ted TO Australia, where. in 1864, he joined
gang OF bushrangers, of which he
speedily became the recognized leader.
In spite of his associations. Pearson.
alias Frank Gordon. or. as he was gem
orally called. Captain Starlight" did not
display the coarser or more brutal in
stincts of the other outlaws; and finally
there was a split In the gang. owing to
the leaders opposition to useless blood
shed.
Henceforth the gentleman knight OF the
road was associated with a young fellow
named Rutherford and the pair carried
out a number of skilfully planned and
daring robberies OF banks, and OF gold
while I'm transit from the diggings into
| the large towns.
There was reward OF $1,000 offered for
| Pearson and ES00 for his comradc. when
! on a Sunday evening they were surroYid-
| ed by the police while drinking In fub-
| light was shot through the shoulder.
The Captain" having reached his hid
ing place In the mountains. sent Ruthcr-
ford to a Frenchman. a publican. TO OBJ
tain money deposited with him, in or
der that the two bushrangers might de-
camp from a district which had become
unpleasantly warm.
IL was late when Rutherford reached
the Frenchman's place, and he found him
dispensing drinks to customers.
SIXTEEN YEARS IN PRISON.
Having apprised the landlord of the OBJ
ject OF his visit, that worthy whispered
20 him to stick up" the men I'm the bar.
The young outlaw turned to do SO. when
the Frenchman, actuated. no'doubt. by
greed, throttled him from behind. In the
struggle Rutherford's pistol went of and
he was shot through the brain.
starlight" vowed vengeance, and be-
fore dawn one morning set fire to the
Frenchman's house and stayed In front
OF the only outlet with loaded revolver.
waiting for his victim.
But the screams of a woman and her
two children inside changed his purpose
and Pearson rushed into the flames and
rescued the three at the peril of his life.
In the confusion the Frenchman escaped
Soon afterward the Captain was sur
rounded by mounted police. and after
fierce struggle. In which he shot one OF
the constables dead and was himself des-
perately wounded he was captured.
He was sentenced to death, but this was
commuted to penal servitude for lifc.
After serving sixteen years and four
months he was released in 1884
No one In the West Australian civil SER
vice had the remotest idea of the ma.
| ior's' real antecedents.