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EDWARD'S RIVER,
from our otvn correspondent,
Edward's River, July 31, 1850.
A most extraordinary esse of wholesale
horse-stealing has just come to my know
ledge, and 1 have only a brief space of time
before the postman leaves to mention the
particulars. There has been a s.,CCCS5ion of
bails (I may say re-unions\ nf ,l„
gentry tn this pari the inlerior at
. loulemetn. jnr(y were jje,sw
Jv/nner whose station is on the Billy-
".-rag. Their horses were turned out in the
paddock of P. Bronghton, Esq., J P., and
un . ne i mowing morning s.x nl tliem were
miMiig. From concurrent evidence it was
htlieved that the offuuders had gone in the
direciiou for Adelaide, there to dispose of
them. In that diicction, Mr Ivennedy, P.
B ougham, Esq., end a constable at the
Moulemtin went in puisoit. They over
took the (.Benders nt about 15 miles below
Mr Baggotl's station on the Darling, being
200 miles from the slition from whence the
Ales-rs. Kennedy's horses were stolen. The
man whom thej fiistcatne up with, in charge
of the h .rses, said he was a hired servant to
a man called Ivii.g, who, he stated, was
u-lieud with mi,. titer " mub" ut" horses. The
result was that some of the animals were
rec agnized as those which had been stolen,
and eventually bu.li of the men were appre
hended and underwent an examination be-
foie the Mouleniein bench of magistrates.
T ry had wiib them 26 horses in uil, all of
which, it is now ascertained, had been stolen
from various stations The names ot the
men are William Jnmb snn and William
K'lJg. Tm-y are old < ffender. end wore
fully ronniiiited for trial at the Goulburn
Circuit Cour:. The distance from the
Moulemein to Goulburn is about four hun
dred and thirty miles. There are only four
c in-tabl -s (besides the Coiel) nt the Moule
mein, and two of there had u special ap
pointment to escort the prisoner to Wnggo
Wagga — a distance of 250 miles — I suw the
whole party en route. If the constables in
ch..rge hail arrived 6af> ly u ith their prisoners
ut Wagga SVagga, their duty would have
ceased, and an escort of consiables from
thence would have had charge, by way of
Yass, to the place of destination. But I
now learn, on reliable info'inatinn, thut the
men escaped from the Mouleniein escort.
The constables in chaise, when I saw them.
were bulb " armed to the teeth." The pri
soners were handcuff, -d. How the men
under such circumstances could escape re
mains a mystery. These fucts are more
powerful than arguments, to prove that re
dress in law, in the interior ngainst offenders,
is a mockery. If further proof than this
case presents were wanting, I shall give you
sever.. 1 others in my next communication
which have coine under my own p -rsonnt
observation. Perhaps you will deem this
case of st.fiiciml importance for Editorial
comment. The facts may be reiied
upou.
August 7th, 1850.
The wholesale horse- stealers committed
by the Moulc nein Bench ui.iler the mimes
of William Jsmieson arid William King,
have several aliases, ami ere well-know n
off nders in this description of feiooy. Tile
dex'.irity with which they have hitherto
cairied on their nefarious practic.-s, the ra
pidity of their movements, and, above a 1,
their entire acquaintance with ihe bush-
avoiding fri qotui.ed n-atls, und making their
way over almost impenetrable scrans — hud,
previous to the present charge, given them
an'unmoniiy from dct-ction. They are both
powerful and athletic men ; one of them re
markably so. And it is matter of much
regret now that Justice had overtaken these
dei-prrndoes that they should have mado
their escupe, either through the insufficiency
or negligence (or botli causes combined) of
tho escort. The constables who were in
charge bear good characters. Both of them
reside nt the Mouleniein, und one of then),
a man of middle age, has a large family to
provide for, I learn thut tha period chosou
for their flight was at about ton o'cloik at
niglit, and ttint they liml been gone a quarter
of an hour before their escape was known.
The constables, now fully awikened to tho
consequenees of their negligence to them
selves, mode a raid into the bush, but were
ineffei tuu! in their search. The result is,
that nothing h is beon heord of tha where
abouts of the prisoners up to tho present
hour. The duty of the oonstables was for
one of them to keep awake ut nights in the
room where the prisoners were confined,
armed, and to relieve each other by night-
watches. As is not unnutural, the one
accuses the other of being off his watch, and
there are mutual recriminations. The two
men passed here on their way bank to the
Moulemein, quite dispirited. The Mouls-
mein Bench will, no doubt, deal witli them
" as the law directs."
This, however, is a frightful state of
things. The government, I observe, have
provided, in the estimates, to increase the
efficiency of the police. But, as regards the
interior, what ii proposed to he done ammintn
t j liliJc mure than nothing. Amongst the
mischiefs arising from the escmt nf despe
rate offenders under the present system is
their being allowed the possession of money
on the way. The distance that these men
had tu bo csoortod to the place of trial
(Goulburn) is 430 miles | tho bush' affords
remarkable facilities of escape, and ot some
of Ihu resting plnces nt tuns and stations,
the places where they have to be lodged ore
by no means secure. Besides, with tin- bu-li
population what assistance may not he ob
tained with motet? Then eg sin, every
indulgence may he purchased en route. .
I may mention that tho two constables in
charge are hut little acquainted with hush-
trwelling — n material requislts for such en
escort. IIsil the escort consisted of a couple
of the native mounted police under the
diieetion of a vigilant mounted constable, 1
am certain the escape of the prisoners could
never have bean effected. An instance of
the vigilance and resolution of the native
troopers oceurre.l recently near Swan Hill,
in their shooting a notorious black-fellow
known as Ruben Feel, who had muidered
several Europeans. I observe that an ad
ditional sum is placed on the estimates for
an increase of this sinful force,' Tha Com-
mandant, Frederick Walker. Esq., was re
cently in this district, and engaged and
equipped thirty of the Edward Blacks in ad
dition to his former force. As bush p diet-
men, under proper direction and control, I
ant of opinion litis description of force Is
the best.
We are now in tho middle of the lamhing-
seitsnn, I need net say one of tho most
anxious and important to the settlers, l'hu
commencement was most auspicious. Tho
occasional rnins have kept np an abundance
of feed, and tho ewes on tho runs are in
variably strong and healthy. The produce
is a full uvernge, and the lambs remarkably
promising. Until wdlhin the three days
las: past, tire weathtr wis dry and gonial.
Since then there hove been heavy showen
with lil enK winds, ntul nights of strong linnr
frost. To rite newly dropped lambs this
must prove drtriueinnl ; hut it will be ad
vantageous in renew log the pasturage,
which is putting forth young shoots, so tliat
there is n certainty of abundance of herbage
and water,
lite wages given to shepherds vary from
£20 to £25 per annum 1 tho latter only to
experienced, steady, and careful men, whoso
vigilance is especially valuable during the
season of la ntiing-rlown, On the whole
the prospects of the flodt-masltrs in this
important district ive cheering.
On some stations shearing will commence
in about a month from this date, with the
promise of a heavy clip. Thu destroying
pestilence of catarrh has never visited this
disrict, and at proscnt disease amongst the
flocks is unknown, lt is gratifying that we
liavu (received no further aveounts of the
n.vjgrs of the epidemic amongst tho flocks
on tire Geelong side.
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