The Argus at KellyGang 2/9/1869
BUSHRANGING IN THE OVENS DISTRICT
(FROM THE OVENS AND MURRAY ADVERTISER)
On Saturday morning as the, up coach from Beechworth to Buckland, was passing down the Bowman's Forest ' Gap, about four miles from Beechworth, the driver observed three logs laid across the road. While pulling up his horses for the purpose of having the obstructions removed, a man armed with a double barrelled gun and two revolvers stepped out from the side of the, road, and ordered him to "bail up." The driver had no alternative than to accede to this demand, and accordingly stopped the conveyance.
There were four passengers in the coach, two women, Mr. Hazelton, storekeeper, at Bright, and a little boy, son of Mr Holloway, of the Gap Hotel. Mr Holloway's daughter, Mrs Boyd, had ridden close beside the coach from her father's hotel to where the bushranger was met, and was likewise made captive. The robber-generally believed to be Power who has been lurking about this district over since his escape from Pentridge - ordered the passengers and driver to a fire he had made by the side of the road. When there assembled, he told them to lay down what money or valuables they had in their possession on the ground. From Mr. Hazelton he got a gold watch; from the driver, £2 16s in money; and 13s from one of the female passengers, wife of a Chinese storekeeper at the Buckland. On the latter laying down the money, Power insisted that she had more in her possession, and threatened to strip her unless she placed the rest on the ground. The woman persisting that the 13s was all she had, the miscreant was prevailed on by the rest of the passengers not to carry his threat into execution.
The scene of the sticking-up is a rather isolated locality, the nearest house being some quarter of a mile distant; still, the road is much frequented, being the route by which the, whole of the traffic to and from Beechworth, Bowman's Forest, Bright, Buckland, &c., passes. On Saturday mornings farmers from the Forest , Whorouly, and other places adjoining, are in the habit of coming into Beechworth with their produce. Power seems to have been aware of this, and laid his plans accordingly. The coach had not long been stopped before several persons with vehicles came along the road. These were all ordered to stop, under penalty of being fired at, and made to join the circle at the fire. From Mr Hughes, a Whorouly farmer, £1 16s, in money was taken; from another resident in the neighbourhood, Mr M Rath, 17s 6d; two men with, a dray, going to O'Brien's station, were made to deliver up a new saddle and bridle; a miner, from the Forest, with two ounces of gold in his possession, was ordered to turn out his trousers and vest pockets, but escaped without further scrutiny, his treasure, in a bag in his coat pocket, escaping the clutches of, the robber.
For some three hours the coach, passengers, and other persons, numbering eleven in all, exclusive, of the driver -Alex. Coady were kept, three hours, Power in the meanwhile trying to suit himself with a horse for the purpose of carrying on his predatory career. For this purpose he first tried Mrs Boyd's horse, but that not suiting him, he selected one of the wheelers from the coach. On getting on the latter animal, it commenced to buck and plunge; Power thereupon declared that he would have nothing to do with it, and ordered the driver to take the harness off the leader. This being done, he saddled, the horse with the saddle appropriated from the dray, and rode off, first telling the driver that he bad a great mind to shoot him, as he had heard the driver "blowing" at the bar of the Commercial Hotel, in Beechworth, as to what he would do should he meet Power again.
The bushranger further stated that since he had last stuck-up the coach (on 7th May) he had visited Beechworth several times, and had heard them talking of him in the bar of the Commercial Hotel. This may have been mere boasting on the part of Power, but considering the impunity with which ho has been allowed to infest the district, it is just possible that at least a portion of his statement may be correct. When Power left the Gap, he rode off apparently in the direction of Bowman's forest, out he was! seen on Saturday night within three miles of Stanley . It is said that he is infesting that locality in order to have revenge on a man working in the neighbourhood, who was in, some way or other instrumental in procuring his conviction for horse stealing. The most of the police stationed at Beechworth, under the leadership of Sergeant Baber, are out in pursuit, and had not returned at a late hour last evening. The probabilities of his capture, we are afraid, are some what remote, unless a larger number of men could be told off for the duty.
The country in the vicinity of Beechworth and Stanley affords numerous lurking places for the robber, it being of an extremely difficult nature, abounding in hills and valleys, all of which are very thickly, timbered. Still something may be done, if caro and vigilance are used, and we are certain; that rather than submit to the present state of insecurity, the residents will turn out and hunt him down like a wild beast. In order that every facility may be given for his capture, we publish a description of his appearance as given some time since in the Police Gazette- Henry Power alias Johnson, escaped from Pentridge on the 16th February last, forty-eight years of age, 5ft 6¼in, high, sallow complexion, light-brown hair, becoming rather grizzled, has scars on his head, forehead, and cheek; two scars on the right arm and one on the left elbow, the third finger of the light hand deformed, large scar on left shin.
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