Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1915-06-09
b ACK jim"
II iE CONVICT
BY M QUAD
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1914, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

Il ( !
They sent him up to WO0na Wally
after his first two years of imprison-
ment, and he fell into the hands Of
George Stebbins. In those days an
Australian convict was bid off-that Is,
a settler in want of help would bid a
price for SO many men, and they We're
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 wished He could starSe
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 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 mem
Der of the mounted police knew that
Stebbins was hard man to get along
with. He had been a tavern keeper
and a 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 We're
up at police headquarters for the night.
post them as to their new master and
what would be expected of them. In
our district we always gave a 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 if lie went straight we
would see that he had fair usage.
was interested in Black Jim at once
The law had made a convict of him.,
but it 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
i Things came about as I feared. AS
Stebbins inspected his gang ha picked
Black Jim out for special attention.
He had little to say to the others be
yond making bloodcurdling threats of
what would happen il 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 Gomez to the
wrong shop. Look. now. I'm goin
to keep an eye on you! You think
yourself head and shoulders above the
crowd, but TIL take the conceit out of
4 YOU
Not one convict in thousand would
haze 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 b0asting that he had a gentle
! man convict and that he was bound
to break him, and he spent good
4 share Of his time worrying the man.
! One day. as l was returning with the
! troop after hunting down I; false alarm
Of bushrangers, my horse SHE'D and
] threw me almost in front Of Stebbins'
house. and as struck on a stone and
had several ribs broken was carried
in. He was not glad to see me. but
under the circumstances was obliged
to give me a 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 Indignation:
You won't dance. eli? Too much
OF 4 gentleman to give us hOrnpipe!
Mebbe this company isn't swagge1
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
insubordinate, and up you go by the
thumbs. After hangin' till daylight
you'll probably be a little more hum
Bile"
The man had been hanging ten min
utes and the agony had almost
brought Inconsistencies when the
door was kicked open and bushrangers
crowded in. 1t was a complete sur
prise. The women screamed out an(
began to cry. but the men, wi th The
exception OF Stebbins. took it rather
Ecoolly The bully and coward Wen
white as death and fell into a chair
and it was almost pitifnl to hear hin
! beg for his life
I The next instant Stebbins toppled on
! Of his chair with a bullet in his head
mud the leader said:
Sorry we have interrupted the fes
tivities. but it was our calling night
! We were after Stebbins alone, and til,
I rest of you need not fear. Come. Jim
I we want YOU
\ Two of them helped the forger-con
! vict out of the house and upon horse
I and that was the making of the mos
! notorious bushranger in all Australia