The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-01-08
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

the government simply accepted hi
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 mem
her Of the mounted police l knew that
Stebbins was a 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 were
up at police headquarters for the night.
1t fell to us to take their pedigrees and
post them as to their new master and
what would be expected Of them. In
our district we always gave a convict
q 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 IL he went straight we
would see that he had fair usage. ]
was interested in Black Jim ut onc
~ u" AdO A1NuC a WV y Va ulAl1
but it hadn't degraded him.
L had an idea that Stebbins would
be down on him from the first because
of his superior looks. and l went pref
ty thoroughly into details. When I
had finished the prisoner said:
II thank you, sir. and shall do my
best to please"
Tkinnc, o0n,0 0h0,1k 90 foORo6 Al
Stebbins inspected his gang he 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:
so they have sem me a gentle
man. have they? They thought I need
ed somebody to teach me 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! You think
yourself head and shoulders above the
crowd. but I'll take the c0nceit out of
you"
i Not one convict in u thousand would
have stood the insults and degradation
put upon Black Jim the next year.
l know he. tried his best. but there
was no pleasing Stebbins. He was
always boasting that he had Il gentle
man convic and that fr was bound
to 'break" him. and he spent a good
share Of his time worrying the u
One day. n l was returning with the
troop after hunting down a false alarm
of bushrangers, my horse SHE'D and
threw me almost in front of Stebblns'
house. and as struck on q stone and
had several ribs broken l 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 all 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. eh: Too much
of a gentleman to give us 81 hornpipe!
Mebbe this company isn't swaggcr
enough for the likes of Il blOomin'
murderer"
'"The charge against me was forgery.
SIR" quietly replied the man.
II don't care what it was. You are
insubordin*te. and up you go by the
thumbs. After hangin' till daylight
you'll probably be q little more hum
ble."
The man had been hanging ten min
utes and the agony had almost
brought unc0nsciousness when the
door was kicked open and ~bushrangers
crowded in. 1t was a complete sur
prise. The women screamed out and
began to cry. but the men. with the
/, exception Of Stebbins. took 1t rather
coclly. The bully and coward went
white rs. death and fell into a chair.
and it was almost pitiful to hear him
beg for his life.
The next instant Stebbins toppled out
of; his chair with a bullet In his head.
and the leader said:
.''Sorry we have interrupted the fes.
t~fvities. but 1t was calling. night.
+. We were after Stebbins alone. and the
rest Of you need not fear: Come. Jim !,
we, want you"
T r,s;t+ Of them helped the forger-con.
vict out Of the house and upon a horse,
and that was the making Of the most
notorious bushranger in all Australia,
He had q career Of five years and then
died from u bullet. and It was two
years after his death beforeht became
publicly known that he had let the
law make a convict of him in order tt
shield a brother. ! had always be
lieved him innocent Of the crime, and
} knowing how he had been prosecuted
and abused by Stebbins. l almost re-
|. toiced when the bushrangers carried
him of to make q leader Of him.
tr"Hs. .4" n. +H4 A-IrH