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The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803-1842) (about)
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Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article625758
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SYDNEY,
On Sunday morning last the desk stolen from the house of M. Breeze was found in the brush behind Back Row, about 200 yards dis- tant from the Burglary ; the whole of the money had been taken out, but the other property remained. It was half-concealed in a bush about 3oo yards distant from the spot where the murdered body of J. Luker lay, and on the top several small sprinkles of blood were visible. It was immediately taken before the LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, and after the contents were examined, put in the possession of the Chief Constable ; and on Monday the prisoners confined on
suspicion underwent an
EXAMINATION
BEFORE THE
LIEUTENANT - GOVERNOR AND MAGISTRATES.
W. Brown, who had been apprehended on suspicion at Parramatta and brought down
on Sunday last, was strictly interrogated, and denied the charges ; but an intimacy he acknowledged to have subsisted between J. Samuels, R. Jackson, and himself, the two first of whom were apprehended on the morning the murder was committed. He was remanded for further examination.
Jackson and Samuels were next brought forward, and also denied the charge, but two witnesses declared that they saw, nearly about six o'clock on Thursday evening, two men at the back of M Breeze's garden, one of whom wore a straw hat, and in other respects strongly resembed Samuels. From ten minutes after six the prisoners declared they were in the house of Isaac Simmonds, a Constable in Back Row, until after eight, when they went to bed in an opposite house. Simmonds being interrogated on which, some circumstances appeared to the bench, that rendered it necessary he should be taken into custody [af] These three were ordered into close confinement,--- Samuels and Simmonds were lodged in a cell together.
Wm. Bladders alias Hambridge, committed on the Coroner's Verdict, and Thomas Helcott, were questioned separately, and both returned to prison.
James Driver was remanded on suspicion, and four men that had been apprehended
were ordered to be liberated.
On TUESDAY
Several of the prisoners were again brought up, but no further evidence appeared, until IN. HARRIS, Esq. was informed by Isaac Simmonds that he had received intimation respecting the robbery from Samuels, who he believed was solicitous of being admitted
EVIDENCE FOR THE CROWN.
When accosted by Mr. Harris, he at first attempted to deny that any other had advanced, but at length found himself so far implicated by his own answers to the interrogatories that were put to him, that he at length tendered his evidence, if Mr. Harris would intercede with the Bench in its acceptance.
Being Admitted, he absolutely denied all
knowledge of the Murder, but acknowledged the Robbery to have been committed by himself and John Russel, who was immediately sent for.
The subtil villainy of Samuels required ingenuity to deal with. Mr. Harris demanded what he had done with the money, and reminded him that if be did not discover all the circumstances the security would be withdrawn ; thus by threats and interrogatories, the whole sum was traced to different places of concealment ; Jackson he declared innocent, but there was too much cause to presume the contrary, and it afterwards appeared that Jackson had buried two two-
pound pieces behind a fig-tree in W. Noah's garden.
Mr. Harris took Samuels into the brush behind Back-Row, to search for the different allotments concealed by him ; in one grove 32 dollars were found, in another some beads, Silver Tea-spoons, &c. that had not been enumerated in the loss, a purse with three guineas, and in the course of the day all
the property that had been taken away, except a small quantity of Copper Coin.
This day Matthew Lee and Ann Burn alias Donaghoe, stood charged on oath by
Martha Plumley, with having violently assaulted and taken from her a Watch and Handkerchief, the property of James Tyne, whose evidence strongly corroborating the
former, and several other persons giving evidence to the same effect, they were both
committed.
Mary Carty for stealing sundry articles from the dwelling house of H. B. Hayes, and Bridget Morley for receiving the same, underwent an examination, in the course of which the former contested the fact, and both were remanded.
On Sunday evening last, the Chief Constable
at Parramatta received information,
that H. B. Hayes had been robbed of property to some considerable amount, and in consequence of such information searched the house of I. Cosgrove, where he found a
number of articles in a box, and afterwards, between a bed and mattress perceived a Seal skin bag, upon examining which, a quantity of goods were found, which Ann Sullivan, a woman who cohabited with Crosgrove, acknowledged to have received from her daughter, the servant to H. B. Hayes at Sydney. Some property that had been stolen from the house of Mr. Williamson was also discovered, which can only be accounted for as having been purloined by the above Ann Sullivan, while she lived as servant in Mr. Williamson's family.
Some days ago a small Hive was found in the hollow of a Tree that had been brought into Town as fuel. When taken out a prodigous swarm of small Bees flew
out upon the bystanders and nearly covered the person who held it in his hand, but without stinging him or any other person. About A pint of honey was taken from
it, and the hive afterwards presented to a
Gentleman.
The abuse that has been make by some Individuals of the Indulgence granted them of Convict Servants becomes A matter of
serious consideration. Persons to whom the
Labour of Prisoners has been assigned have in too many instances entertained a voluntary misconception of the intention of the great,
and converted its designed utility into a pecuniary perquisite.
Pointed and salutary as the General Orders are in this particular, and infraction cannot easily find a palliative, tho' sinister motives may have stimulated the abuse.
Although every master is esteemed responsi- ble for the conduct of his servant, as far as circumstances will admit, yet it has sometimes, so happened, that they have been separated for whole months, and no enquiry considered requisite except such as tended immediately by the weekly or monthly payment of an indul- gence Fee. By these means Prisoners have become their own masters, and wandered from Settlement to Settlement, without regu- lar Permission, as long as they could defray the expence of their own Hire, in failure of which they must inevitably return to Public
Labour. How this hire is to be paid is but a secondry consideration ; and hampered with an illegal claim, a double portion of inustry
becomes requisite to the maintenance of the
Labourer. Want of employment cannot be
admitted in excuse of non-payment of the Premium contracted for, and in a moment of perplexity and embarrassment, a man so cir- cumstanced might possibly overleap the strict
bounds of rectitude, and the master ultimately
become a sharer in the spoils of the depredator.