In December 1860, convict Peisley gained his Ticket of Leave at Scone, conditional upon him remaining in the Hunter River Valley. On 23 March 1861, fifty miles north-east of Bathurst, between Louisa Creek and Tambaroora, with fellow Cockatoo Hand named McKenzie, he robbed travelling bank officer Richard Cox Shaw carrying £565 in notes, also some gold and silver coins. Earlier bushrangers were mostly transported convicts; colony-born Peisley became the first true "Wild Colonial Boy". The robbers split and Peisley absconded to the Abercrombie Ranges he knew well. In May, at Fish River in Fogg’s ironbark slab humpy, six miles from Bigga, Peisley and Frank Clark reunited and teamed with John Gilbert as highway robbers, ‘sticking up’ travellers in the area between Bathurst, Lambing Flat, Gundagai and Yass. On 16 July morning, Sergeant John Middleton and Trooper William Hosie stationed at Tuena, descended upon Fogg’s humpy occupied by Fogg, his wife and children, Frank Clark armed with a six-shot revolver handgun, and Jim Barney, an old man. Unknown to the troopers, Peisley and Gilbert were camped one mile away. Called to surrender, Clark shot Middleton three times, in the hand, mouth and hip, and Trooper William Hosie received a glancing ball to his forehead. Clark was also wounded. They wrestled before Clark gave up and was manacled. Barney took off to warn Peisley and Gilbert. Middleton left for Bigga to get help and reinforcements. Circumstances of Hosie leaving for Bigga were disputed. Fogg claimed Hosie accepted fifty sovereigns to release Clark and to say he escaped. Hosie averred at Fogg’s trial for obstructing police, while he and Fogg escorted the prisoner along the road to Bigga, Clark escaped when bushrangers Peisley and another (Gilbert) waylaid them. Trooper Hosie reached Bigga alone mid-afternoon. Weak and delirious from loss of blood, Sergeant Middleton arrived at nightfall. Both would later recover. Reports of Crime issued July and August 1861 declared £120 rewards, £20 for Clark’s apprehension, and £50 for Peisley’s, and further sum of £50 by Government for such information as shall lead to the conviction of those concerned in the outrage of attacking and wounding the Patrol with Firearms in the Bathurst District. The report disclosed:
"On the 16th July, Sergeant Middleton and Trooper Hosie, of the Western Patrol, were attacked and severely wounded at the Fish River, by Francis Clarke, alias Jones, alias Christie, a Ticket of Leave holder, illegally at large from his district; a native of Goulbourn, New South Wales, 31 years ... wounded in the affray on left temple by a pistol-ball or whip. He was captured and afterwards released by two armed men: John Peisley, a Ticket of Leave holder, illegally at large from his district; a native of Bathurst, New South Wales, about 26, 5 feet 8 ½ inches high, ruddy complexion, flaxen hair, bluish-grey eyes, long featured, pock-marked nose, several scars, arms and legs hairy, left eye spasmodic winking action… The other man is about 26 years"
The report also included weapons carried and comprehensive physical descriptions, normal clothing and by Clark (Gardiner) and Gilbert (not named).
Displeased with ill-fame attributed him, Peisley wrote the editor of the Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal by letter dated “Fish River, 4th September, 1861.” It stated, in part:
"You will no doubt be surprised to receive a note from the (now by all account) noted Piesley; but, Sir, through your valuable paper I must make it known that, if it be my lot to be taken, whether dead or alive, I will never be tried for the rescue of Gardiner, in the light in which it is presented; nor did I ever fire at Trooper Hosie. … I must be the Invisible Prince to commit one-tenth of what is laid to my charge. I trust I may never have to allude to this again. I love my native hills, I love freedom and detest cruelty to man or beast. Trusting you will publish this, my bold letter no doubt, but you can be assured it comes from the real John Piesley, and not any of his many representatives. I am, Mr. Editor, your much harassed writer, JOHN PIESLEY"
In the next months Clark, then more often called Gardiner, Peisley and Gilbert bushranged and retreated to the Weddin Mountains near Forbes and Cowra. Peisley separated from the gang and single-handed held up the Lambing Flat coach after it left Cowra. He then returned to Abercrombie District.
On 27 December 1861, Peisley went to Tom McGuinness’s inn at Bigga and left the next day with fellow drinker James Wilson, stocked with wine and brandy. They rode to a nearby farm owned by William and Stephen Benyon and continued drinking and arguing with the two brothers. He accused, 17 years earlier, when he was a kid, William had swapped a horse with him, which was no good. A fight erupted and Wilson took Peisley’s revolvers, which William’s wife Martha hid in the garden. At her husband’s insistence, she returned the revolvers. Peisley pursued Stephen Benyon to the barn followed by William Benyon. Both brothers were shot by Peisley; Stephen in the arm and William in the throat; witnessed by Martha Benyon, Wilson, farmhand George Harmer, servant girl Mary Samson and Thomas Weavers.
Doctor Henry Kowland attended William Benyon the following day, and found a bullet had passed through his windpipe and lodged in the spine, paralyzing him from the neck down. He could not remove the bullet and considered the case hopeless from the start. He attended him again on 31 December, three days before he died.
A warrant issued for Peisley’s arrest for the murder of Benyon and reward for information as would lead to his apprehension and conviction. An announcement in the Government Gazette of January 1862, after the murder of Benyon, based on Report of Crime dated 29 July 1861, described Peisley:
"About 28 years of age, about 5 ft 10 in. high, stout, well made, fresh complexion, very small light whiskers, quite bald on top of head and forehead, several recent marks on face, and a mark from a blow of a spade on top of head; puffed and dissipated-looking from hard drinking, invariable wears fashionable Napoleon boots, dark cloth breeches, dark vest buttoned up the front, large albert gold guard, cabbage-tree hat and duck coat. Sometimes wears a dark wig and always carries a brace of revolvers."
On 15 January, Constables Morris, Murphy and Simpson were searching the Abercrombie area for bushrangers and spoke with Peisley near Bigga. Police gave chase but Peisley’s superior horse enabled him to escape easily. He was identified and challenged by Corporal Carroll at Tarcutta on 29 January, and again escaped on his well-bred mount. One week later, after a struggle, Peisley was captured and secured near Bootes’s hotel, Mundarlo by Mr Mackenzie and Mr Beveridge of Wantabadgerie, who delivered him to Gundagai. At his committal before the Carcoar bench, Peisley called Thomas Weavers, but he corroborated the prosecution witnesses. Committed for trail, Peisley handcuffed and chained, was taken from Carcoar to Bathurst by a large posse of armed police.
He was tried and convicted in the Bathurst Court on 14 March 1862, for the murder of William Benyon and sentenced to death. He was hanged on 25 April 1862, in the Bathurst Gaol before about fifty people. Aboriginal Jackey Bullfrog was hanged at the same time for murdering William Clarke. At the gallows, Peisley pleaded he had a drunken fight, and death was Benyon’s fault as much as his. He averred he had he had nothing to do with Gardiner’s rescue, was nowhere near Fogg’s when he got away, and nothing to do with any attempt bribe Hosie. His last words were “Goodbye gentlemen, and God bless you.” Clark using the name Christie was captured at Appis Creek, Queensland in March 1864. He served ten years of a cumulative 32-year sentence for twice wounding Trooper Hosie, with intent to kill and intent to cause harm and two counts of armed robbery.