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ORIGINAL REMINISCENCES.B(From the Files of the Manilla“Express1» of 4/3/».)New gangs look the place ofthe old.There - ame young Kutherford and company on the scene; Mae-pherKon alias the witd Scotchman, who used to send graphic a -counts of his sticking-up deeds through the post to the newspapers; and the desperate Flarke gang. who committed such dread fill murders on the Braid wood side: and any other men who have darkened the pages of our history.Rutherford had been making things pretty willing; with the result that a goodly reward was offered for his capture—dead or alive. A Frenchman (and a brave handsome man at that) was keeping a pub at a place called Pine Ridge. His name was (-hades Beauvais. One Sabbath afternoon, just as the sun was sinking in the west and the birds were chirping forth valedictory notes tn the declining day. a horseman rode up wearily to the hotel, dismount hung his jaded steed up tn the or-thordox rail, and entered. Charlie was stationed behind the bar and obeyed Rutherford's call for -mu. After the bushranger had drunk the liquor and paid for it they entered into a fireucily chat about the engrossing topics of the day—the daring deeds of bushrangers chiefly.At length Rutherford invited the Frenchman to till them up again, and just as the sauve bom-fttcc stooped down, the out Paw covered him with a revolver, and ordered him to turn out his cash.Si, sudden and serious was the change, that Beauvais was disposed to treat the matter as a joke, but the stern look of he fellow. and the nasty feeling engendered by the sight of the loaded fin-anus soon suggested the true position.•*So von want money, eh!”“Yes. and must have it!”“ Well. I haven’t any in the bar. it is all in my bedroom.’’(Jo and g^f it; l’W follow you.”•*Put down voirr -hunter then;the d d thing migfit go off. a,•‘I'll put it away when I getcharacteristic. “I did not .shoot the poor fellow. He shot himself, f do not want blood money, and will nut have it.”Some time after this occurrence the Justice Department though* it was a gross dereliction to duty not. to recognise Beauvais's brave 'onduct. and sought to eclipse P self in deeds of magnamity. Il got a larg-* bronze medal struck, md had it inscribed with gushing sentences, and forwarded to the worthy Frenchman, with a request that he ahnuAl wear it on a conspicuous part of his body. When he reeeiv d it, Beauvais's first inclination was to chop it up and throw it behind the fit •». Other counsels prevailed. He too* it to Sydney, secured an audience with Sir Ilcnry Parkcw, and after thanking him for the medal, told him to place it on his nether part, and left. Beauvais i* respected in Morce to day, where he is prosperous and happy.otiS1iioII11ntlwhat I ant—not before; so. goon.Beauvais started for a room at the extreme »*nd of a narrow passage, which, in the evening shadows. was now almost darkRutherford followed close on hi- heel*, with the revolver presented. When they had almost gained the room Beauvais turned suddenly and seized the robber's bands. Both men were thick-set muscular fellows, and both weiv despe rale. A terrible struggle c-iiMied in that lonely narrow way.1Sc«Jar.aIfRas*and the strength of the men being a* e veil IS* matched as possible nether seemed Hble to gain ;nl-umfage for several seconds. Hri-niarelv Beauvais forced the revolver round so that the muzzle pointed towards the bushranger's face. The struggle -till continuedwith dreadful determination, when suddenly the firearms wen* off. and the bullet entered the outlaw's neck, and he fell into Beauviiia’s arms.Beauvais placed the body in a * .silling {•ositif.u again-1 the wall for lif.- was not extinct, anj w.-ut for brandy and bandage-. When he returned Rutherford held our his hand anil tried t » speak, but hi.s life's blood which was copiously oozing away rhok-d he speech. Whai w**re tn i*** ( the I.i-t words of die ill-advised I young fellow.. whether » prayer j of forgiveness, either at di * in re) lt;d Almighty Hod »r nun-j will not be known, for he entered I into the presence of death soon af- |ii*r.About half-an-hour after Ruin erford died, a mounted trooper rode up to the pub, »nd after refreshing his nerves, he said. A* Well, i hitrle\ I had a cut atM3;utlierford 'hu e morning I go?on his tracks, but his horse had to., much pace for me, and I lost I ini .«! Dingo Cre*k. I’ll catch him yet.Yon max easily do that.”I don't know s., much about it. lie ba a slashing blood horse ■an ride through ihe hush like lightning, and knows the country to ii inch.”All I be sauir I say you could get him easily if you really want him -r,. night, tori.”’’Why. how. f'barley: I don r understand you.”Follow me and I’ll show yn ihis dr ltd body. ............. •'«'* dumb foundedw h-n he saw the lifeless form of 1 he outlaw stretched on the floor.I lien there was much excite-1 ment. and tl„- printing-press s fairly groaned beneath their weight of senastifinal headings Through Beauvais being -• , foreigner and not bothering ,m more about i|„. „of nj,,v |jfi.* policeman g.,i„ promotion f„r jw. lie part that he took in pursuing | RuthcrfT.nl. mu iucrcdihfe thoughIts uuiy seem, he ok, g„f u,0 n._ ward Beauvais’s friends triedfheir utmost i„ Im»ke him *pr.|v fnr 11- ,us! rights His reply was
Newspaper Details
Manilla Express
Manilla, New South Wales, AU
Tue, May 20, 1924
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Paul F.
AU 18 Jan 2023
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