The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-09-24
BLACK JIM
THE CONVICT
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

lHty sent ullD up W WYNN w atiJ
after bis first two years OF inprison
; ment. and he fell Into the hands OF
George Stebbins. In those days an
Australian convict wes 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 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 wished He could starve
and beat them and there was no one to
come between. In case of insubordina-
ton he could shoot them down, and
the government simply accepted his
statement OF the affair. All convlcts
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 men,
Der OF the mounted police l 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 had been taken away from him by
the law on account of his cruelty.
Black Jim came up to Woona Wally
with six other men, and the gang were
up at police headquarters for the night.
! 1t fell to us to take their pedlgrees and
post them as to their new master and
what would be expected Of them. In
our district we always gave q convict
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 II he went straight we
would see that he had fair usage. ]
was Interested In Black Jim at once,
Tho law had made a convict of him,
but 1t hadn't degraded him.
had an idea that Stebbins would
be down on him from the first because
OF his superior looks, and went pref
ty thoroughly into details. When
had finished the prisoner said:
II thank you, sir, and shall do my
best to please"
Things came about as | feared, AS
Stebbins inspected his gang ho picked
Black Jim out for special attention.
He had little TO say to the others be-
yond making bloodcurdling threats Of
what would happen If they didn't toe
the mark, but TO Jim he said:
$50 they have sent me a gentle
man. have they? They thought need
ed somebody TO teach me manners per-
haps Mebbe the idea was for you to
sit on the veranda and give me daily |
lessons Well, you've come to the |
wrong shop. Look. now, I'm goin'
to keep an eye on you'll You think |
yourself head and shoulders above the
crowd. but I'll take the conceit out of |
you"
Not one convict in q thousand would |
have stood the insults and degradation |
put upon Black Jim the next year
! know he tried his best but there
was no pleasing Stebbins. He was
always boasting that he had a gentle
man convict and that he was bound |
to "break" him. and he spent a good
share of his time worrying the man.
One day. as | was returning with the
troop after hunting down false alarm
of bushrangers, my horse SHE'D and
threw me almost In front Of Stebbins'
|
had several ribs broken | was carried
in. He was not glad to see me, but
under the circumstances was obliged
to give me bed On the fourth night
Of my accident four men and three
women arrived for an evening visit.
When dinner had been finished and
the drink had gone around Stebbins
sent for Black Jim and ordered him to
dance for the amusement of the com
pany. The convict respectfully but
firmly refused. and his master cried
out In lndignation:
"You won't dance, eh2 Too much
OF a gentleman to give us a hornpipe!
Mebbe this company isn't swagger
enough for the likes of bloomin
murderer
"The charge against me was forgery,
SIR" quietly replied the man.
II don't care what it was. You are
and up you go by the
thumbs! After hangin' till daylight
you1l probably be a little more hum
BILE"
The man had been hanging ten min
ntes and the agony had almost
brought Inconsistencies when the
ioor was kicked open and bushrangers
in Ii was complete sur
Prise The women screamed out and
began to cry, but the men. with the
exception of Stebhins. took 1t rather
roolly The bully and coward went
white as death and fell into chair,
md It was almost pitiful to hear him
beg for his life
The next Instant Stebblns toppled out
" his chair with bullet in his head,
md the leader said:
Sorry we have interrupted the fes-
.ivitles but il was our calling alght.
We were after Stebbins alone. and the
'eSt OF you need not fear Come. Jim,
We want Yen "
Two Of Them helped the forger-con-
Tict ont Of the house and upon horse.
md that was the making OF the most
notorious bushranger in all Australia
&c had a career Of i've years and then
lied from bullet. and ii was two
years after his death before it became
publicly known that he had let the
NV make convict of him in order TO