Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Morgan, Daniel
MORGAN, DANIEL (1828?–1865), Australian bushranger, whose real name is said to have been Samuel Moran, and otherwise 'Down-the-River Jack' or 'Bill the Native,' is believed to have been born about 1828 at Campbeltown, New South Wales, to have been put to school in that place, and eventually to have taken up work on sheep stations and as a stock-rider. For a time he lived on Peechalba station, Victoria, where he eventually met his death. According to his own account he was unjustly condemned at Castlemaine in 1854 to twelve years' imprisonment, and vowed vengeance on society. He is said to have been at this time stockriding on the station of one Rand at Mohonga, and if the date is correct he must have received a remission of sentence; for in 1863 a series of highway robberies was attributed to him, and on 5 Jan. 1864 a reward of 500l. was offered for his apprehension by the government of New South Wales. In June 1864 he shot Police-sergeant McGinnerty, and a few days later at Round Hill he killed one John McLean and wounded two others. The reward offered for his capture was now increased to 1,000l. In September 1864 he shot Police-sergeant Smith, and as his raids were not checked the reward was made 1,500l. on 8 March 1865.
The last week of his life was typical of his proceedings. On Sunday, 1 April 1865, he 'stuck up' Bowler's station and carried off a well-known racing mare; on Tuesday he robbed one Brody, a butcher; next day he 'stuck up' Bond's station, Upotipotpa, and left a message for Bond that he wanted to shoot him; then he detained the Albury mail and robbed the bags, remarking that he had ridden one hundred miles for the purpose; next day he visited Evans's station and fired the granaries : he spent the Friday in robbing carriers on the road to Victoria, and arrived at Peechalba station in that colony on Saturday. Having successfully mastered the McPhersons at Peechalba, he proceeded to spend the evening with them, inviting them to sit down with him to tea, requesting Miss McPherson to play the piano to him, and talking freely of his mode of life. A maid-servant found means to evade his vigilance, and gave the alarm to a neighbour; the house was soon surrounded by civilians and a few police, who waited for the morning, when Morgan came out of the house driving his hosts before him with a revolver in each hand. One Wendlan (or Quinlan), to whom the duty had been assigned, shot him at sixty paces from behind cover. Morgan lingered about six hours, and died without making any confession (8 April). Six loaded revolvers and 300l. were found upon him at death. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide, adding a rider in praise of the conduct of the persons concerned. Morgan's head was cut off and sent to Melbourne; his body was buried at the Murray.
Morgan was one of the most bloodstained of the Australian bushrangers. He was described as having a 'villainously low forehead with no development,' and a peculiarly long nose; as being 5 feet 10 inches high, and of spare build, so emaciated when taken as not to weigh more than nine stone. Morgan is said to be the original of Patrick in Rolf Boldrewood's well-known novel 'Robbery under Arms' (1888).
[Accounts of his own conversations, &c., from the New South Wales Empire, 6-16 April 1865; Cassell's Picturesque Australia, iv. 99, 100; Beaton's Austral. Dict. of Dates.]