Bushrangers once roamed vast areas of rugged Australian bushland in Tasmania,
Victoria, New South Wales and, to a lesser extent, Queensland. They
raided isolated homesteads, and waylaid and robbed unsuspecting travellers
up to, but rarely, if ever, beyond the borders of South Australia
– if we are to believe historians of these eastern states.
One such author of the east, in the preface of his Dictionary
of Australian Bushrangers, wrote: “It was once officially judged
that there had possibly been as many as 350 Bushrangers in Australia.
Yet here (in his book) are the names of 456.”
Surprisingly, the book listed just four of this type of criminal
as having resided, or pursued their chosen profession, in South Australia.
But official historical records show that, between the 1838 and 1909,
no less than 50 individuals, whose lifestyle or activities would have
defined them as bushrangers, lived or operated, at some stage during
their careers, in the colony of South Australia.
Most of the early bushrangers who moved to South Australia were
either escaped eastern-states convicts, or ticket-of-leave men, who
had served out part of their sentence in New South Wales or Van Diemen’s
Land (Tasmania).
They had obviously made their way to the free, settled colony thinking
it to be a place in which they could easily ply their criminal craft;
where quality, spirited horses, and unlimited riches, could be theirs
for the taking.
Very rarely, however, did these lawbreakers remain at large in South
Australia for any length of time, especially once the attention of
the newly formed police force had been aroused.
One of the more notorious bushrangers to venture into South Australia
was Patrick Pelly, also known as the infamous Captain Starlight. Though
some confusion exists as to his true identity and the full extent
of his crimes, it is almost certain that he lived in South Australia
for about two years, working as a drover. He is, however, not known
to have committed any serious offences during that time.
Among the more documented of the South Australian bushrangers was
the short-lived trio of George Hughes, Henry Curran and James Fox.
Hughes had been in trouble with the law in his native Gloucestershire
at an early age. He and his elder brother were arrested in connection
with the robbery and wounding of a local farmer. The older brother
was hanged for the crime and George transported to New South Wales
for life.
In 1839, George Hughes and fellow convict Curran managed to escape
from New South Wales in their irons. They were said to have endured
unimaginable hardships before reaching South Australia.
Eventually, the escapees met and teamed up with the young and impressionable
James Fox. Together the trio took to the bush on a robbing spree.
Police soon arrested them and, as they had fired a shot at a young
woman during the course of one of their crimes, all three were sentenced
to death.
As the jury had submitted a recommendation for mercy on behalf of
James Fox, his sentence was ultimately commuted to life imprisonment.
As repeat offenders, Hughes and Curran were shown no such mercy.
Their execution, in keeping with the custom of the day, was held
in public in front of the police barracks on North Terrace at 8am
on March 16, 1840.
Three weeks later, James Fox was put aboard the sailing vessel Mary
Ridgeway, which left South Australia for New South Wales. There, Fox
was to serve out his life sentence.
Aboard the ship were six other prisoners, including three bushrangers,
James Pye, Jeremiah Collins and William Brown. Their death sentences,
like that of Fox’s, had been commuted to life imprisonment in New
South Wales.
The remaining three prisoners were Patrick Mullan, sentenced to life
for burglary, Edward Myers, seven years for false pretences, and David
Chambers, seven years for stealing.
Of the seven prisoners who sailed from Adelaide, only six arrived
at Sydney Town alive. James Fox died en route. Some claimed his death
was the result of shame and a broken heart.
The murder of Inspector RP Pettinger
John Seaver, the murderer of Inspector Richard P Pettinger at Government
House on February 4, 1862, was hanged in the Adelaide Gaol on March
11, 1862. The execution was strictly private, in accordance with Act
No. 23 of 1858.
He wore a white frock, reaching to the knees, and white trousers.
A black cross was on his breast, and in his clasped hands he held
a rosary, from which hung another cross.
He walked firmly, bore himself erect, and joined audibly in prayer
with Father Russell, his spiritual adviser.
He never faltered as he ascended the scaffold, and died instantaneously.
He made no confession of his guilt, but never at any time declared
his innocence.
Mr. Pettinger, who had been recently appointed Inspector of the Metropolitan
Police, was present at a sale by auction of Sir Richard MacDonnell’s
furniture in Government House.
While there he was shot in the hall, and his body was found lying
on the floor with the head frightfully shattered.
The first impression was that he had committed suicide, but suspicion
pointed to Seaver, who had been discharged from the police a few weeks
before at the instance of Pettinger, against whom he entertained revengeful
feelings.
Pettinger was an estimable young man, and had been nine years in
the police force. Seaver, a man of fifty, had been a soldier in India.
From The Adelaide Observer,
Saturday, September 1, 1894
Richard Palmer Pettinger, a police inspector and member of the Church
of England who resided at Kent Town, was born c1830 and died on Feb
4, 1862. He married Charlotte (nee Adam), born c1826. Her parents
were Jonathon and Mary (nee Lonsdale). She died on March 18, 1864,
and was buried at Willunga.
Their children were Emily Mary, 1856 – 1856; Alice Mary (Bassett),
1856 – 1922; Aldam Murr, 1859 – 1950; and Emily Martha (Shepherd),
1861 – 1948. All were born at Kent Town.
