acquitted the women, but they recommended the former to mercy because of their good characters, and the peculiar circumstances of the case. What the "peculiar circumstances" were, the foreman did not specify. The men were remanded for sentence until the next day; and the women, after being discharged, were handed over to the care of the Protector of Aborigines. When brought up for judgment, Mr. Barry moved for a writ of error on behalf of "Bob" and "Jack"; but Judge Willis held that such a process would not lie; and His Honor, in a few observations of much feeling, sentenced the prisoners to be hanged, and held out no hopes that the jury's recommendation would have any effect. The prisoners listened to the Judge with apparently much emotion, and when he concluded, large beads of perspiration spotted their cheeks.
BUSHRANGERS CAPTURED BY GENTLEMEN VOLUNTEERS.—11TH MAY, 1842.
In the early part of 1842, there yvas a lodging-house in Little Flinders Street kept by a person named Seymour, yvho yvas not over particular as to the character of those yvho put up at his place. Money yvas their passport; and so long as they possessed this, little yvas cared about whence they came, or yvhere they went; and, as a consequence, his customers were often a very questionable lot—more black than yvhite sheep amongst them. There casually met at this doubtful rendezvous, four men, tyvo of w h o m yvere mere youths and the others in the prime of life. They yvere all able but unwilling to yvork ; preferring to wait for something to turn up, and not over particular as to what that something might be. Their names yvere John Williams, Charles Ellis, Daniel Jepps, and Martin Fogarty. Seymour had a son-in-layv named William C a m — a m a n of somewhat equivocal reputation; in fact, what is knoyvn in thieves' slang as a "fence"; a scoundrel yvho puts up others to commit crime, and shares in the profit without risking the danger. A bushranging expedition having been planned, C a m was to be a sort of adviser and receiver of the booty, and the others to take to the highyvay, or rather to the bush. All their arrangements being duly made, C a m and his co-" rangers " withdreyv to the country, and toyvards the close of April, the people of Melbourne yvere alarmed by the report of the perpetration of several daring robberies at and about Dandenong. At this time the settlers' residences were mostly little more than large log, paling, or slab huts, roofed with bark or thatch, and the sticking up of such premises yvas a comparatively easy task for armed men.
The gang provided themselves yvith horses, arms, and ammunition, by surprising the overseers on a couple of stations yvhere they found plenty of cash. O n e day, at the place'knoyvn as " N o Good Damper," near Dandenong, they came upon Captain Gwatkin, the well-known master of a colonial trader, and Mr. Frederick Pittman, a Melbourne merchant. The two gentlemen were taking an airing in a gig, yvhen they yvere ordered to pull up by the four robbers. They gave their names, vacated their vehicle, stripped off their clothes, according to orders, and the handsome takings of £ 6 3 is. 8d. were realised out of the skipper's vestments; but Pittman, had little or no money about him. T h e robbers, then unharnessing the horse, appropriated it ; and by an amusing perversion of fair play, gave Pittman, from w h o m they took hardly anything, afive-shilling-pieceof the captain's cash, but yvhen the skipper asked for a little of his own pocket-money, they ordered him " to shut up, or they'd blow his brains out," T h e same evening they called at a Mr. L a Mann's and at tyvo or three other places, yvhere they helped themselves to saddlery firearms, jeyvellery, and money; and, so far, their nefarious game commenced flourishingly. T h e same day intelligence of the outrages reached Melbourne; and in such times, it must be borne in mind, there yvere no such things as telegraph yvires, railways, or even passable roads ; and bush travelling in yve weather, even to persons well-mounted, yvas often a slow, difficult, and dangerous yvork. Mr. Powlett, the same Commissioner of Croyvn Lands yvho hunted out the Western Port black murderers, lost no time in getting a party together to commence pursuit. There was himself as leader, yvith Mr. John Barker (the present Clerk of the Legislative Council), Mr. Robert Jamieson (long since dead), Mr. William Wright, ("The Tulip," ex-Chief-Constable), Captain Dana, and three of his black mounted police, soon in the saddle, and scouring the country after the scoundrels. T h e gang, however, doubled back, and, retreating upon the C a m " receiving-house," refreshed themselves, afterwards crossing the Yarra at Anderson's Creek, and commenced operations in the Plenty country. Williams was the recognised leader of the gang, and
