Fitzroy City Press (Vic. : 1881 - 1920), Saturday 31 August 1912, page 3


MICHAEL HOWE, VAN DIE-MEN'S LAND BUSHRANGER. In 1812 Michael Howe, a convict, arrived in Van Diemen's Land. Form-erly in the Royal Navy as a sea-man, and afterwards owning a small craft, he had acquired some notion of order and command. He was as-signed to Mr. Jugle, a merchant; but he declared that, having served the King, he would be no man's slave. He was celebrated for dar-ing, for resolute resistance, and for frequent escapes. Having received an amnesty, he soon joined a gang, of whom one, Whitehead was the leader, among whom was a deserter of the 73rd Regiment and two aboriginal women. They deprived the settlers of New Norfolk of their property, and arms, and they burned the wheat stacks and barns of the police magistrate. The following month they pillaged the residence of Mr. Carlisle, who, advising his neighbour, Mr. McCarty, of their vicinity, induced him to arm for the protection of a vessel, the "Geordy." McCarty and those with him com-ing up with the robbers, demanded their arms. They were under the cover of a large hollow tree, and the settlers were thus exposed to their aim. Carlisle received a ball in the groin and three slugs in the breast, and died within an hour. O'Birnie, master of the vessel was wounded by a ball in the cheek, which perfor-ated his tongue and lodged in his neck. The robbers now demanded in-stant surrender, which, being re-fused, the firing was renewed. The settlers were compelled to abandon one of their number, who was pre-served by Whitehead from the vio-lence of his comrades. When an ac-count of this skirmish was received armed parties were despatched from Hobart Town. The outlaws re-appeared at the house of Mr. Humphrey, and compelled his ser-vants to tie the hands of each other; they then plundered the house of whatever was useful, destroying the rest in revenge. They returned to McCarty's house, and fired a volley of shot into it. A party of the 46th Regiment were lying in am-bush, firing commenced, and White-head was mortally wounded. White-head ran towards Howe, who, at his request, immediately cut off his head. They had bound each other thus to provide against the recog-nition of a fallen companion, to de-prive their pursuers of the promised reward. Howe then became the leader of the band. The movements of the robbers were rapid; they plundered the residence of Mr. Rose, near Launceston, and, escaping, they re-appeared at Bagdad, a distance of 100 miles. Their scouts had in-formed them that property to a large amount would be found there. Their confederacy was extensive, and it was asserted by Howe that some most active in his pursuit had been sharers in the profits of his crimes. The tone assumed by this robber was that of an inde-pendent chief, and in the manage-ment of his men he attempted the discipline of war. They subscribed to articles which bound them to obedience; penalties were inflicted, such as cutting and carrying wood for their fires. He preferred the piety of the quarter-deck, and read to them the Scriptures. His style and title was, "Governor of the Rangers," and he addressed the King's representative as "Governor of the town. His taste for cere-mony was once curiously ex-hibited. Having met a traveller, he ranged his party, and called on the stranger to witness an oath, which was administered on the prayer-book by one of the gang. The purport of their vow might be inferred from their message. "They said they could set the whole country on fire with one stick, and thrash in one night more than could be gathered in a year. Howe, often absent from his party without assigning rea-sons, awakened a suspicion. He re-treated with a native girl, Mary, but was shortly after followed by soldiers. His companion was taken, and he lost his dogs, his knapsack, and arms. It is said that he fired at the girl because she encumbered his flight; but it was asserted by himself, that be only intended to alarm and not to destroy her. She became useful to the Government by discovering the haunts of the rob-bers, and a flock of sheep they had stolen. At length, weary of his wandering life, Howe proposed to surrender to the Government. A person who had formerly joined him in an attempt to escape in an Am-erican vessel, became the medium of communication. Howe affected to dread the violence of the settlers, who might kill him for the reward, or to prevent his disclosures; but Governor Sorrell sent Capt. Nairne to the place of meeting, with an assurance of present safety, and in-tercession for his forgiveness. Not-withstanding the character of Howe, on the plea of ill-health he was permitted to walk abroad in charge of a constable; but whether he distrusted the promise of pardon, or preferred the license of the bush, he eluded his guard and escaped, without, however, trusting his safety to the fidelity of his former com-

panions. The bushrangers were now reduced to three, Howe, Watts, and Browne. The last surrendered; but Watts conspired with a stockkeeper, named Drewe, to seize Howe. This man, when in charge of his master's flock, occasionaily corresponded with Howe. They accordingly met him at a place called Longbottom. Within one hundred yards of each other, these old companions in crime demanded, and agreed, that both should knock out the priming of their guns. They then kindled a fire. Watts threw Howe on the ground; Drewe tied his hands, and took his knives from his pocket; they then prepared breakfast. After some de-lay they proceeded to Hobart Town ; Watts, with his gun, walking before Howe, and Drewe behind him. The captive disengaged his hands, and, with a knife which he had concealed, stabbed Watts; in an instant he seized his gun and shot Drewe dead. Watts then expected a similar fate. He however reached Hobart Town, and was thence forwarded to Sydney, where he died of his wounds. The Lieut.-Governor, anxious to end the career of this desperate man, offered, beside the pecuniary reward, freedom and a passage to England to any prisoner who might succeed in his capture. Stratagems were continually devised to entrap him, but he retired into the distant parts of the wood, only appearing when hunger or lack of ammunition compelled his visits. His courage and skill made him a formidable an-tagonist; none would venture to face him. Yet so hot was the pur-suit, that he again left behind his knapsack and ammunition. He con-tinued at large until the 21st Octo-ber, 1818. Warburton, often an ac-complice, became his betrayer. He enticed him to a hut, where he said that he would find supplies neces-sary for subsistence ; and, not-withstanding his hesitation, which occasioned long delay, he was caught in the snare. Having dis-covered the ambush he retreated with precipitation, but was over-taken and slain.--Rev. West's His-tory of Tasmania, Vol. ii., pages 131 to 136. The Capture of Howe, the Greatest of the Tasmanian Bushrangers.--From the Military Sketch Book. Jack Worrall.--He was entrapped into the Mutiny of the Nore, but the only part which he took in the proceedings was writing out in a fair hand several papers for the mutineers; and this he declared he did for no other purpose than to indulge his own vanity, in display-ing his fine writing, upon which he had highly valued himself. He was tried after the surrender of the mutineers, and transported for life to Van Diemen's Land. "I was now", said he, "determined to make a push for the capture of this villain, Mick Howe, for which I was promised a passage to England in the next ship that sailed, and the amount of the reward laid upon his head. I found out a man of the name of Warburton, who was in the habit of hunting kangaroos for their skins, and who had frequently met Howe during his excursions, and some-times furnished him with ammuni-tion. He gave me such an account of Howe's habits, that I felt we could take him with a little assist-ance. I therefore spoke to a man of the name of Pugh, belonging to the 48th Regiment, one whom I knew was a cool and resolute fel-low. He immediately entered into my views, and, having applied to Major Bell, his commanding officer, he was recommended by him to the Governor, by whom I was ap-pointed to act, and allowed to join us. So he and I went directly to Warburton, who heartily entered into the scheme, and all things were arranged for putting it into execu-tion. The plan was thus :--Pugh and I were to remain in Warburton's hut, while Warburton himself was to fall into Howe's way. The hut was on the River Shannon, standing so completely by itself, and so out of the track of anybody who might be feared by Howe, that there was every probability, of accomplishing our wishes, and 'scotch the snake,' as they say ; if not kill it. Pugh and I accordingly proceeded to the ap-pointed hut. We arrived there before daybreak, and, having made a hearty breakfast, Warburton set out to seek Howe. He took no arms with him, in order to still more effectually carry his point; but Pugh and I were provided with muskets and pistols. The sun had been just an hour up, when we saw Warburton and Howe upon the top of a hill, coming towards the hut. We ex-pected they would be with us in a quarter of an hour, and so we sat down on the trunk of a tree in-side the hut, calmly awaiting their arrival. An hour passed, but they did not come, so I crept to the door cautiously and peeped out; there I saw them, standing within a hundred yards of us, in earnest con-versation. As I learned afterwards, the delay arose from Howe's sus-pecting that all was not right. I drew back from the door to my station, and in about ten minutes after this we plainly heard foot steps, and the voice of Warburton. Another moment and Howe slowly entered the hut, his gun presented and cocked. The instant he espied us he cried out, 'Is that your game?' and immediately fired ; but Pugh's activ-ity prevented the shot taking effect,

for he knocked the gun aside. Howe ran off like a wolf. 'I fired but missed. Pugh then halted and took aim at him, but he missed. I immediately flung away the gun and ran after Howe. Pugh also pursued. Warbur-ton was a considerable distance away; I ran Very fast--so did Howe; and if he had not fallen down an unexpected bank I should not have been fleet enough for him. This fall, however, brought me up with him. He was on his legs, and preparing to climb a broken bank, which would have given him a free run into the wood, when I presented my pistol at him and desired him to stand. He drew forth another, but did not level it at me. We were about fifteen yards from each other--the bank he fell from between us. He stared at me with astonishment, and, to tell you the truth, I was a little as-tonished at him, for he was cov-ered with patches of kangaroo skins, and wore a black beard ; and had a haversack and powder horn slung over his shoulders. I wore my beard also, as I do now ; and a curious pair we looked like. After a moment's pause he cried out 'Black beard against grey beard for a million !' and fired. I slapped at him, and, I believe, hit him, for he staggered; but rallied again, and was clearing the bank between him and me, when Pugh ran up, and, with the butt-end of his firelock, knocked him down again, jumped after him, and battered his brains out just as he was opening a clasp knife to defend himself." (To be continued.)