Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal (NSW : 1851 - 1862; 1872; 1882; 1885 - 1897; 1899 - 1904), Thursday 1 October 1891, page 4


MICHAEL HOWE AND HIS GANG. Among the foremost ot the lawless and daring bush-rangers of this time was a convict named Michael Howe, whose exploits formed the theme of many a bush "yarn" in the olden days. Howe had been a sailor in early life on board a British man-of-war, but growing weary of the restraints of ship discipline he deserted, and next ap-peared as a highwayman. In this capacity, however, he did not flourish for any length of time, and being caught and convicted he was transported to Van Diemen's Land, arriving there in 1812. On his arrival he was assigned to a merchant and stockholder named Ingle; but Howe had large ambitions, and declared that as he had served the King he was not going to submit to slavery under any ordinary mortal. He thereupon took to the bush, and his gang was one of the most troublesome when the offer of pardon was held out to those yielding themselves up. Howe came in with the rest, and took a holiday with his companions in Hobart Town; but the old desires again springing up, he once more took to the bush, and enlisted under the banner of a man named Whitehead, who was the leader of a gang of twenty-eigh' freebooters, the chief man among whom, under Whitehead, were — Howe, McGuire, Burne, Collier, Jones, Lepton and Geary. (To be continued.) * "Convict Life In New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land" — same author.