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THE CLARKE GANG
Outlawed, Outcast and Forgotten

Thomas and John Clarke posed for a series of photographs in Braidwood Gaol wearing leg irons and holding their cabbage-tree hats. John is on the right with his coat draped over his wounded left shoulder.

THE CLARKE GANG
Outlawed, Outcast and Forgotten

Peter C Smith

ROSENBERG

Dedication

To the memory of the late Edgar Francis Penzig, who passed away on 19 November 2010 at Oatlands, Tasmania. His enthusiasm and support for others to follow their dreams and believe in themselves will be long remembered.

First published in Australia in 2015

by Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd

PO Box 6125, Dural Delivery Centre NSW 2158

Phone: 61 2 9654 1502 Fax: 61 2 9654 1338

Email:

Web: www.rosenbergpub.com.au

Copyright Peter C. Smith 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher in writing.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

Creator: Smith, Peter C. 1947- author.

Title: The Clarke Gang : outlawed, outcast and forgotten / Peter C Smith 1947.

ISBN: 9781925078480 (paperback)

ISBN: 9781925078664 (ebook)

ISBN: 9781925078671 (epdf)

Notes: Includes index.

Subjects: Clarke, Tom, 18411867. Clarke Gang.

BushrangersAustraliaBiography.

Dewey Number: 364.155092294

Contents

John Clarke, the Pig Thief Life Would Never be the Same Again Whooping Cough Outbreak Sydney in 1828 The Convicts Bold Jack Donahoe, the bushranger John Clarkes Options John Clarkes First Assignment John Clarke Reoffends Secondary Punishment Moreton Bay, Traditional Folk Song Reassignment Life at Gundaroo Free at Last

The Connell Family Emigrate The Leaving of Old Erin Arrival in Sydney Exploration of the Braidwood Area Settlement The Trip to Mount Elrington Major Elrington, the Settler Major Elrington, the Magistrate New Life for the Connell Family

The Marriage of Mary Connell to John Clarke The Marriage of Ellen Connell to Thomas Farrell The Marriage of Bridget Connell to Thomas Berry The Marriages of Catherine Connell to William Kane and later John Monahan The Marriages of Michael Connell to Esther Dempsey and later Margaret Griffin The Marriage of John Connell to Ellen Berriman The Marriage of Thomas Connell to Jane Bradley Patrick Connell Old Michael Connell and his Land

Jerrabattgulla and the Upper Shoalhaven Jingera John Tennant, the Districts First Bushranger of Note Jacky Jacky Westwood

Discovery and Dilemma William Tipple Smiths Discovery Edward Hammond Hargraves Sets Off the Gold Rush Gold Discovered in the Moruya River The Braidwood Goldfields Araluen Access and Supply Hotels and Dancing Girls Opening of the Clyde Road and Arrival of the Chinese Working on the Gold Fields Entertainment and Sporting Events Horse Racing with Tommy Clarke

The Victims of Crime William Berriman, the Thug Strange Alliances The Kingsleys William Berrriman Goes to Cockatoo Island Thomas Coles Becomes a Victim and Strikes Back Berrys, Dempseys and Harts Horse Races at Stoney Creek The Troubles of Michael OConnell jnr Tom and Pat Connell and the Big Cattle Robbery Pat Connell Remains at Large The Hurleys Tommy Clarke Arrested The Trigger that Set Off the Bushranging Outbreak

Wholesale Horse and Cattle Stealing Arrest of Pat Connell and John Kingsley Robbery of Jermyns Dairy More Police Shooting at The Boys Tommy and Pat Surrender to Hassall Calling for the Establishment of a Police Station at Jingera The New Police The Southern Police District Jingera Police Station The Rounding up of the Jingera Mob John Connell Goes Back to Gaol Joseph Berriman Goes Back to Gaol William Berriman Back to His Old Tricks Changes in Local Police The Appointment of Superintendent Orridge The Clarke Boys in Trouble with the Law Tommy Marries Charlotte Hart Robbery of Chinese Men near Majors Creek Robbery of the Cooma Mail James Clarke Goes to Gaol More Highway Robberies

Frank Gardiner Puts the New Police to the Test Sir Frederick Pottingers Frustration Gardiner Escapes New South Wales The Long Arm of the Law The GilbertHall Gang Ride Supreme Mad Dan Morgans Reign of Terror Fred Lowry, Tell em I Died Game Thunderbolt, Terror of the Mailmen of the North Heroes to Villains The Failed Araluen Gold Escort Robbery The Hall Gangs Retreat to the West The Arrest and Trial of Daniel Ryan The Felons Apprehension Act The Demise of Dan Morgan Sir Frederick Pottinger Dies A Grisly End for Ben Hall The Death of Gilbert The End of Dunn The Last Outlaw?

Tommy and Charlottes Family Life Tommy Gives Himself Up Out on Bail Arrests at Harts Tommy in Braidwood Gaol Place of Trial Changed to Goulburn The Plan to Escape The Daring Escape Investigations and Recriminations Inquiries by the Visiting Justice and the Police Magistrate 50 Reward

Harbourers and Sympathisers The Murder of Ah Fow Horse Stealing Police Station Set Up at Ballalaba Introducing Constable Woodland Black Trackers Discovery of a Body near Clarkes House Lucky Escape for Ellen Connell Simon Corey Sentenced Caroline Hurley goes to Gaol Tommy Shows Contempt for the Police Foxlow Station Stuck Up Benjamin Jermyn Arrested Cronan and McCurley Arrested Missed Chance to Take Tommy John Connell, Old Mrs Connell and Lucy Hurley Arrested

Robbery of Summers Store at Jembaicumbene Frazer and Matheson Stuck Up on Majors Creek Mountain Robbery of the Araluen and Braidwood Mail Pat Connell Arrested 200 Reward for Thomas Clarke An Unreported Encounter Robbery at Gundaroo A Reported Encounter Sticking Up the Michelago Post Office and Camerons Store Sticking Up the Yass Mail Robbery at Currawang Robbery of John McElroys Telegraph Inn at Manar Back Home Strange Move at Mick Connells John Connell Arrested, Again Robbery of Hoskings Hotel and Eatons Store at Crown Flat Capture and Humiliation of Four Police at Mudmelong

Robbery at Numeralla Robbery of the Bungendore Police Barracks Robbery of the Braidwood and Queanbeyan Mails Raid on Cullens Hotel at Bunyan, Harnetts Rosebrook and Cliffords Rose Valley Criticism of Captain Battye and the Police System John Connell Sentenced to Ten Years The Assault of Thomas Atkinson A Day of Gun Fights Braidwood Mail Robbed, Again The Doubtful Robbery of William Gilligan Old Mrs Connell and Lucy Hurley Woodland and Lucy

The Gathering of a Big Gang William Fletcher, a Key Player Nerrigundah, Discovery and Development The Police at Nerrigundah Nerrigundah about to be Plundered The Gang at Deep Creek and the Wounding of John Emmott The Bushrangers at Nerrigundah The Death of Fletcher and the Murder of OGrady The Bushrangers Flee the Scene Return to Deep Creek The Police Arrive and Inquest Conducted The Posse and Encounter with the Bushrangers Funeral Services and Burial Arrest of Joseph Berriman Nerrigundah in a State of Siege

The Government Strikes Back A Missed Opportunity The Trip Back to the Station Another Policeman Murdered Andrew Tyrie Escapes Another Gaol Term Discovery of Racehorses Search for the Camp Woodland Falls Out with his Superiors Robbery of James Armstrong George Crommelins Encounter with the Bushrangers The Sticking-Up of Michelago John Clarke Confirmed a Member of the Gang

Bigger Rewards, 500 for Tom, 300 for Pat A Narrow Escape for William Bruce Ellen Connell Arrested Bridget Berry Charged with Stealing Ellen Connell Testifies Against Old Jack Clarke The Family Broken The Murder of Billy Noonang Revisited Jack Clarkes Offer of Betrayal Ellens Reward Old Man Berriman Arrested The Bushrangers in the Molonglo Area The Robbery of Thomas Wall, Balanafad Hold-ups on the Big Hill Another Chinaman Robbed Flood at Araluen Death in Braidwood Gaol A Narrow Escape for Robert Brown