The Bushrangers - Part 4 - Brady's Gang

Brady was a Macquarie Harbour convict, whom the authorities supposed to be as peaceable as he was industrious. Soon after his arrival, however, he set about forming a secret league among his fellow convicts, of whom his size and strength made him undisputed leader. In June, 1824, while the commandant and surgeon were absent from the settlement, the convicts made a rush for the Government boat, but the officer in charge pushed off before they could seize it. They captured the surgeon, however, who could not reach the boat in time, and some of them were about to flog him, when Brady, whom he had treated kindly, interposed and saved him. The convicts then secured another boat, belonging to the soldiers, and put to sea, in spite of pursuit from the settlement. Nine days afterwards they landed at the Derwent*, and at once set about an organised plan of bushranging. As leader of the gang, Brady laid down rules for its guidance; they must neither injure the defenceless, nor molest females, but could kill traitors, revenge injuries, and carry away all that was likely to prove useful to them.

[* "They seized a boat (9th June, 1824) and readied the Derwent on the 18th, visited the residence of Mr. Mason, whom they beat with great cruelty: they next robbed a servant of Lieutenant Gunn of firearms. Gunn pursued them and captured live, who were tried and hanged along with Pearce."—"Fenton's Hist. of Tas." p. 73.]

About a week after their escape. Governor Arthur issued the following proclamation:– "The Lieutenant-Governor feels it necessary to announce that the party of prisoners who escaped from Macquarie Harbour have again passed into the interior. His Honour begs in the most earnest manner to call upon all settlers in their respective districts to enter with increased zeal and determination into measures for the apprehension of these robbers. To the most common understanding, not labouring under the miserable depression of personal danger, means will be presented, after a robbery has been committed, of tracing the movements of the depredators; and it must be understood to be the positive duty of any settler to spread the information immediately, and to adopt the most prompt and energetic steps for closely pursuing these miscreants until they are fairly hunted down. All Crown servants are to be immediately assembled by their masters, and apprized that the Government expects that every man shall give all possible information as may lead to the apprehension of these bushrangers."

Their first appearance was at Clarence Plains, where they stopped, and robbed a Mr. Patrick Brodie. Almost immediately afterwards they possessed themselves of firearms and ammunition by plundering a man in the service of Lieut. Gunn. Gunn, a retired military officer on half pay, was in Hobart Town at the time, but, on hearing of the robbery, at once set out in pursuit, and captured five of them, who were immediately placed upon their trial, condemned, and hanged.

The rest still continued their depredations. The soldiers could not catch them; the settlers were helpless, for their convict servants were more likely to join the bushrangers than "split" upon them. Many, in fact, joined the gang, and those who did not join acted as useful confederates and news-carriers.

On one occasion they were near Oatlands, and were recognised by a lad attached to a settler's farm. Brady learnt from him there were at that moment a number of soldiers in a hut near. "But never mind," said the boy, "we'll beat 'em. Wait a bit—they are tired and hungry; I am getting their supper; when they are feeding you rush them." "But the guns!" exclaimed the leader. "Oh, they are all right in the corner of the hut," replied the boy: "all you have to do is to come softly along when they are at supper, lay hold of the pieces, and the work is done." It was dusk when the traitorous cook carried in the chops and tea. Suddenly a noise was heard at the door; the soldiers looked round, to find they were each covered with a loaded musket. The robbers tied them up, robbed the house, and departed, Brady taking with him the lad, who wanted to join the gang.*

[* Two settlers later on caught this boy and a mate asleep under a tree, and shot both of them without offering them a chance of escape. For this act the settlers each received a free grant of land from the Governor.]

At one squatter's house they demanded free quarters of the overseer, were well looked after by the convict servants, and went off at last with everything of value. When attempts were made to track them they burned a farmer's three years' store of wool. With every exploit they grew bolder.

Up to this time the reward offered for the capture of this gang was only £10 per head, but strong representation being made to Governor Arthur, he caused the following Government Proclamation to be issued:

Government House, April 14th, 1825. It has occasioned the Lieutenant-Governor much concern that the continued outrages of the two prisoners, McCabe and Brady, have led to the death of another settler. His Honour has directed that a reward of £25 shall be given for the apprehension of either of these men; and that any prisoner giving such information as may directly lead to their apprehension shall receive a ticket-of-leave, and that any prisoner apprehending and securing either of them, in addition to the above reward, shall receive a conditional pardon. The magistrates are very pressingly desired to circulate this order and to direct the constables to visit all huts of stock-keepers, shepherds, and others in their respective districts, notifying the rewards offered, and cautioning such persons against receiving, harbouring, or supporting these men, who are charged with the commission of murder. Fifty acres of land, free from restrictions, will be given to the chief constable in whose district either McCabe or Brady is taken, provided it shall be certified by the magistrate of the district that he has zealously exerted himself in the promulgation of this order, and to the adoption of measures for giving it effect.

The magistrates will see the importance of conveying timely information of the movements of McCabe and Brady; and they will consider themselves duly authorised to incur any responsible expense in so doing.

By command of his Honour, the Lieutenant-Governor.

JOHN MONTAGU, Secretary.

Three days after this notice had been circulated, Brady coolly answered it by posting on the door of the Royal Oak Inn at Crossmarch the following:–

Mountain Home, April 20th, 1825.

It has caused Matthew Brady much concern that such a person known as Sir George Arthur is at large. Twenty gallons of rum will be given to any person that will deliver his person unto me. I also caution John Priest that I will hang him for his ill-treatment of Mrs. Blackwell, at Newtown.

M. BRADY.

M'Cabe, the colleague mentioned by Governor Arthur, was not much longer at large. For offering violence to a woman Brady shot him through the hand, disarmed and thrashed him, and expelled him finally from the gang. McCabe then began robbing settlers single-handed; but one of his victims escaped and brought the police upon him, and his race was a very short one. Ten days later the bushranger ended his career upon the scaffold.

One of Brady's boldest exploits was the capture of Sorell Gaol, and release of the prisoners. The gang, eight in number, made a descent upon the Pittwater district, and began by a general plunder. At Bethune's they put up for the night, imprisoning the owner and his servants: and as the next day was wet they stayed on quite calmly. In the evening two visitors arrived, Mr. Walter Bethune and Captain Bunster. Brady rose to the occasion. He called a groom to take their horses, conducted them inside, assured them there was nothing to fear, and ordered dinner for them. During dinner something was said about Brady's giving himself up. He was quite indignant about it. There was not the slightest necessity, he said: the gang was quite at its ease; in case of being hard-pressed they could retire to a mountain farm where they had a stock of flour, with sheep, cattle and horses, and could quietly "lie by" until all danger had passed.

At last conversation flagged, and Brady enlivened it by telling his guests he was about to take the gaol at Sorell. His eighteen captives were tied and marched off with him to the town, about 10 o'clock at night. They reached the gaol most opportunely: the soldiers had been out in the rain all day looking for them, and were just cleaning their guns. There was a rush: the wet guns were easily seized, the inmates of the gaol were freed, the soldiers and the Bethune contingent took their place in the cells. The gaoler ran to fetch the doctor, and the commanding officer, Lieutenant Gunn; but the doctor was caught without trouble, Gunn was shot in the arm, and the two were locked up with Brady's other captives. Then the gang propped a log against the gaol door, dressed it up to look like a sentry, and went off triumphantly into the bush.*

[*Gunn was the only person injured in this encounter, and, as his arm had to be taken off, the Government rewarded him with a pension of £70 per annum, and appointed him to the post of Superintendent of the Hobart Town Prisoner's Barracks.]

Port Arthur

Of course there was a great stir in Hobart Town. The Governor issued another proclamation, doubled the monetary reward, and added others. The townsfolk were allowed to enrol themselves as special constables.

Soldiers concealed themselves among the luggage on drays, and were driven through lonely paths in the bush in the hope of coming upon Brady or some of his gang. But while he could be seen here, there, and everywhere by the settlers, the anxious troopers could not obtain a sight of him, although they knew he was frequently in the near neighbourhood. One narrow escape from capture is recorded. He had been in the habit of visiting the hut of a confederate of the gang, near Campbelltown, and this confederate at last decided upon betraying him. Brady visited the hut in disguise and unarmed; and, being quite worn out with long fatigue and watching, he threw himself upon the bunk and was soon fast asleep. As soon as his betrayer saw him in the land of dreams he stole away to the town to give information. A couple of soldiers returned with him, and Brady was rudely awakened by their seizure and the pressure of a rope on his wrists. He took things very coolly, and asked for a drink of water; his captors went off together to bring water from the stream (for the night was very dark, and the men afraid to go alone), and in their absence he held his hands over the blazing fire until the rope was so far burned that he could snap it. Thus free he awaited the return of the soldiers, and as soon as they entered he fastened the door upon them, and made his way back to his band. For many days he nursed his wrath against the betrayer. At last they met in the hut of Bill Windsor, of the Cocked Hat Hill, near Launceston, a well-known receiver of stolen goods and friend of the bushrangers. Brady did not settle the score at once: he only said "I'll give you while I have my supper." The man knew that there was no escape, and while others in the hut vainly interceded for his life he indulged in joking. At last Brady rose from his seat, and, gun in hand, called to his betrayer, "Just walk to that tree yonder." The wretched man started to obey the command, but had only taken two or three steps when a ball crashed through his brain.

Yet it cannot be said that the gang were brutal or even savage, and they were most scrupulous in their treatment of females, as even the Hobart Town papers acknowledged. One man, who had asked a servant girl for a kiss, was at once knocked down by his leader, and one of the plundered settlers afterwards said that Brady's first word was "Are there any ladies in this house?" and receiving a reply in the affirmative, he said "Then tell them to get up, and let them dress themselves and go into one room, and no one shall molest them."

Presently the leader of the gang thought they had got enough plunder, and decided to seize a vessel and escape in her from the colony. This design being frustrated, partly by the treachery of a comrade and partly by bad weather, Brady calmly notified the Commandant at Launceston, "with the bushrangers' compliments", that he proposed to rob Mr. Dry's house (about a mile out of Launceston) and attack the gaol on the same night. The authorities treated this message as a capital joke. But when evening came the parties concerned learned that bushrangers' jokes are rough articles. Mr. Dry's house was duly visited; the family and servants, with some visitors, were secured; some of the gang kept guard, others searched the house for valuables, and Brady entertained the ladies in the parlour with amusing stories, and even a sentimental song to his own accompaniment on the piano. But one of the servants had escaped and given the alarm in the city. Colonel Balfour, with ten soldiers and a few volunteer civilians, hurried to the spot. The bushrangers were made aware of their approach and retired behind a hedge, from which they kept up an active fire. When this suddenly ceased the Colonel, thinking they must have run away, hastened back to town in case the second half of the joke was also serious. An attack, indeed, had been made, but nothing came of it beyond the wounding of the local doctor.

There was another spasm of excitement. Another proclamation was issued by the Governor, and a reward of three hundred guineas, or three hundred acres of land free of quit rent, was offered for the capture of any of the gang; while an offer of free pardon and free passage to England was made to any prisoner of the Crown who should succeed in capturing one of them. The Governor himself took the field in search, and men who had before been indifferent, or friendly to the bushrangers, also sallied out in hopes of securing the reward. Several desperate conflicts took place between pursuers and pursued, both parties being well armed, and several of the gang were captured and lodged in gaol.

The desire of the settlers for vengeance was very great, and it is on record that a petition signed by fifty prominent citizens was presented to Colonel Arthur, praying that the prisoners might be speedily executed, in order that all fear of their escape from gaol might be removed. Such, indeed, was the condition of society at this time that no less than thirty-seven prisoners were condemned to death at one sitting of the court.

But Brady was still at large, and he did not want for followers. Escaped convicts rallied round him as to a common centre, and every day carried its record of daring deeds. The following extract from the "Van Diemen's Land Annual" furnishes an idea of the systematic course of outrage and plunder that was followed: "On the night of the 5th, the bushrangers set fire and burnt down the stockyard, with all the wheat belonging to Mr. Abraham Walker and Commissary Walker, opposite Mr. Thomas Archer's. The extent of the damage is not yet ascertained. The bushrangers were seen between the punt and Mr. Gibson's stockyard, and on the 6th they sent word to Mr. Massey, on the South Esk, Ben Lomond, that they would hang him and burn his wheat. A great fire was seen in the direction of his house, but it is to be hoped that they have not executed their threat. The bushrangers have Mr. Dry's two white carriage horses with them. They shot Thomas Kenton dead at the punt on the South Esk; they called him out of his house, and deliberately shot him. Two runaways were last week sent into Launceston from Pressnell's, where they were taken. One of them broke out of gaol, and was met by the bushrangers, who asked him to join them, and on his refusal, they shot him dead. Brady now wears Colonel Balfour's cap, which was knocked off at Dry's. When the bushrangers were going down the Tamar they captured Captain White of the "Duke of York" in his boat; Captain Smith, late of the "Brutus", who was with him, being mistaken for Colonel Balfour, they knocked him down, but discovering their mistake they apologised. They then made Captain White go down upon his knees, and were going to shoot him, but Captain Smith interfered and saved his life, on representing to them the misery it would inflict on his children. During the night Captains Smith and White were allowed to depart, and they made the best of their way to Launceston, where they gave the necessary information; but unfortunately it was too late, the bushrangers having crossed the river and proceeded to commit the dreadful enormities before stated."

Gradually, however, the band was scattered, and pursuit was concentrated on Brady himself. Once he was shot in the ankle, but still evaded capture. At last John Batman, hereafter to be known from his exploits in the Black War, and still more famous for his settlement of Port Phillip, set himself to hunt the bushranger down among the contorted gullies of the Western Tiers. His search was successful. One day he espied a man of dejected, care-worn aspect, slowly limping along through the bush with the aid of a cut sapling, and evidently in great pain. Suddenly the man caught sight of Batman, and at once the stick was thrown aside and his gun was at his shoulder. With finger on the trigger Brady called out "Are you a soldier officer?"—for soldiers were his abhorrence, and Batman was wearing a frock coat and foraging cap. "I'm no soldier, Brady," was the reply; "I'm John Batman; surrender, there is no chance for you." For a moment or two Brady communed with himself, and then said "You are right. Batman; my time is come; I will yield to you because you are a brave man."

It was natural that his capture should be received with demonstrations of joy by the populace. Yet, strange to say, hundreds of persons, including ladies, openly expressed sympathy with him, some of the latter freely shedding tears at the recital of the sufferings of the "poor man" whose chivalrous treatment of all females was one of the distinguishing characteristics of his career in the bush. He was taken to Hobart Town in company with a notorious scoundrel named Jeffries, and was very indignant at being made to keep company with such a "low character". Conviction followed trial, and he was sentenced to death. "Yet", says Bonwick, "petition followed petition for his deliverance from the halter. Settlers told of his forbearance, and ladies of his kindness. His cell was besieged with visitors, and his table was loaded with presents. Baskets of fruit, bouquets of flowers, and dishes of confectionery prepared by his fair admirers, were tendered in abundance to the gaoler for his distinguished captive. The last moment came. The dramatic scene was maintained to its close. Pinioned, he stood on the scaffold before a dense mass of spectators, who cheered him for his courage, or grieved bitterly for his fate. He received the consolations of the Roman Catholic faith; he bade a familiar adieu to the gentlemen about him, and he died more like a patient martyr than a felon murderer."

Source:  The Bushrangers (1915, February 16). The Farmer and Settler (Sydney, NSW : 1906 - 1955), p. 8.