James Murphy (better known as Jemmy Blackguard) and Frederick Phillips had been terrorising the Central and Southern Slopes region of New South Wales for more than a year.
The following stories were taken from the newspapers of the time.
BUSHRANGING
TO THE EDITOR OF THE EMPIRE.
SIR,-There has been a great deal said lately about the capture of bushrangers, and in justice to my son I think it but right to forward you the accompanying unvarnished tale, should you deem it worthy of a place in your valuable columns. This was the nucleus of a gang in the Weddin Mountains, and I would, no doubt, have given some trouble to the public ere they were captured.
I remain, Sir, yours truly, J. L. JONES. R.N. Fairfleld, near Liverpool, 30th March, 1864
(the letter above was written by J.L Jones, to the Editor of ‘the Empire’ newspaper. JL Jones was the father of Beresford Jones, the employee working for Tom Wilding at Suffolk Vale station. Beresford was involved in the incident – see below)
PARTICULARS relative to the sticking up of Mr. Wilding‘s station at Gunnary Creek, near, Burrowa, on the 22nd September last, and capture of the two bush-rangers.
About half past 7 p.m., two men, named James Murphy and Frederick Phillips, armed with revolvers and a double barrelled pistol, came to the back of the house and opened the door. Mr. Wilding and family were at supper. The men ordered all to keep their seats or they would blow the brains out of’ the first that moved. Murphy then demanded the keys of the boxes from Mrs Wilding. He searched all present for money and finding only a few shillings he would not take it. He then tied Mr. Wilding‘s hands behind, his back, made him sit on the sofa, and leaving Phillips as guard with two revolvers charged to the muzzles, searched the house, and helped himself to all he required ; asked if we had any revolvers, as he wished to have some more ; fortunately we had none. Murphy, in his search, found some spirits, and made all drink that would take it; he then went to the men’s huts, brought them up (nine or ten in number): and two of Mr. Wilding’s best horses, and bailed them up in one corner of the room; one he ordered outside to help him to pack all the goods be had selected on one of the horses; he returned, and gave all the men spirits.
The bushrangers then ordered some supper to be got ready for them. Mr. Wilding‘s hands were then untied, and we made signs to each other that we would take them if we could. When the supper was brought in and the bushrangers were standing up with their revolvers in their belts, helping themselves, I pulled out one of the rails of the sofa that happened to be loose and struck Phillips on the head, and while he was falling I struck Murphy a violent blow also on the head; when he tumbled over and never spoke after.
Mr. Wilding seized and secured him ; Phillips having partially recovered was getting up, when I struck him again and knocked him down. All the men ran out of the room but one, whom I stopped and threatened to knock down if he attempted to leave, and I shut the door, as we had an idea that there was another bush- ranger not far off. I then took Phillips’ handkerchief off his neck, tied his hands with it, and left him in charge of the man I had detained, who finding a double barrelled, pistol in Phillips’ breast, took it out, and fearing he might recover, struck him on the jaw and fractured it. Mr. Wilding having secured Murphy, who bad not stirred since he fell, and having both the bushrangers secured, I mounted one of Mr. Wildings horses and started for Burrowa to report the case to the police authorities, where, on my arrival, I found only the lookup-keeper, all the others being out on duty. I got a pair of handcuffs from him and returned to Mr. Wilding‘s, a distance of thirteen miles, in forty minutes, when we handcuffed Murphy and Phillips together, the former died shortly after. Mr. Wilding and I sat up with them all night, and on the following morning we conveyed them and their horses to Burrowa and handed them over to the police. Some short time previous, those two men had struck up Mr. Malloney’s house at Walla Walls, on the Fish River, also Mr. Smith’s, at Hovel’s Creek, a short distance from Mr. Wilding‘s
BEREFORD JONES. Fairfield, near Liverpool; 17th March, 1864.
BUSHRANGING
With reference to the late, attack by bushrangers at Wilding, and the capture of the robbers, with the death of one of them, the correspondent of the Yass Courier writes as follows: The inquest commenced last Friday evening at five o’clock, and continued until midnight; when an adjournment took place, to permit of a post mortem examination being made. On Saturday evening the jury met at six o’clock.
Jones deposed: I am staying at Mr. Wilding‘s, Gunnary Creek; was there on Tuesday night last, the 22nd instant ; the deceased man, Murphy, and his mate, came there about dusk; never saw them before; they came into the verandah on foot, and asked for Mr. Wilding; he was inside at supper at the time; Wilding went outside into the verandah to see what the man wanted ; the big man (Phillips) asked for half a pint of rum ; Wilding said he had no rum for sale, but if they wanted a feed they were welcome to it; Wilding came back into the room and sat down at the table, when the two men came in with revolvers in their hands and told us to bail up, or some such words, and that if any of us attempted to stir they would blow our brains out ; the biggest man of the two took both revolvers in his hands and leaned against the door, keeping the pistols cocked and pointed towards us in the room ; the deceased then took Wilding‘s neck-cloth off and tied his hands behind him, and made him sit down on the sofa; he (the deceased) then asked Mrs. Wilding for the key ; she was very much agitated, and some time elapsed before, she gave them up, but she did so, and the man went into the bedroom, but finding some difficulty in opening the boxes, be came back and made Mrs. Wilding go with him; she went in with him, but he shortly came back bringing a saddle and bridle; he complained there were no stirrup-irons; Wilding said he did not know where they were; did not see him take anything else ; he then demanded the key of the store; and took Mrs. Wilding out to the store ; on his return I saw blankets and other things brought away from the store; they then inquired what sort of horses we had, and what they were like; Wilding began laughing, and said none of his were any good, but that they had better help themselves to any they could find about the place ; he told them to take them and welcome; Wilding had some conversation and induced them to untie his hands; can’t remember which of the bushrangers did this; Wilding said he was hungry, and began eating, and looking at me in a peculiar manner ; I was induced to go and sit beside him , he then said to me, in an under tone, “If we have chance we will grab these men; I said, “All right I am quite prepared, and think I can manage one of them” one was sentry at the door all this time; the small man, now dead, went out of the room and went down to the mens’ hut. ; he brought two of the men inside the, home and left another outside to look after the horses ; the deceased, looking at one of the men he had brought in, said, ”Come on’, young fellow, and help us to catch the horses;” after they had got the booty on the horses ready for a start, the big man, now in the lock-up, changed places with the deceased, who took the revolvers in his hand; the big man began talking to Wilding, and requested some goose eggs to be cooked for them before they started ; I forgot to mention that before this they had a decanter of rum brought in, and made all drink that would ; it seemed to take some effect on the deceased and his mate, and they were rather merry, but at any time any of us attempted to move from our places the revolvers were always pointed at us; they then sat down, one by Wilding at the table next the door; the big man, now in the look-up, sat on a stool close to me ; I sat on the sofa ; as soon as they commenced eating, Wilding made a sign to me to be ready, and I got a piece of the arm of the sofa, and as soon as Wilding closed with the little man, now dead, I struck the big man on the head, and he fell between the stool and the table; seeing Wilding and the deceased struggling, I reached over the table and struck deceased on the back of the head, and he fell, having Wilding on the top of him ; as the big man was rising up again I struck him again, and knocked him down on the stool ; I then looked round the room, and saw all the women running out ; a man named Croaker and a mason were trying to get out of the door, but I called for them to close it; I then found something, i think a strap, and bound both the hands of the big man down to his knees; Wilding in the mean- time had overpowered the little man, now dead, and dragged him out into the verandah at the back ; Wilding sang out for someone to go to Burrowa for assistance, and to report the occurrence to the police; I got one of the bushrangers horses, and came in and reported the matter to the police; there was only one policeman in town, and he on the sick list, but he gave me a pair of handcuffs when I got home I handcuffed the two men together, but soon afterwards found the little man was dead; we then moved them into the kitchen, and watched them all night; they had both spurs on, but I saw no horses with them when they came first; I saw no swags with them; they searched all the men in the room, James Smith, John Croaker, Kent, Wilding, and myself for money, but found none ; we had all of us some rum with them ; the big man said he had a down upon Wilding; I only struck deceased one blow ; struck Phillips, the big man, twice.
Thomas Wilding being sworn said : I reside at Gunnary Creek, near this place; I knew the deceased, James Murphy, but did not recognise him at the time he came to my house ; I have not seen him before for six or seven years, but have heard he has been in the neighbourhood ; saw him first on Tuesday at sunset ;was going to tea when a knock came to the door; I went outside ; they said “Have you got any grog,” and i said “no, I have none,” they said they were travellers, and I might as well give them a gill ; I left them under the verandah, and said, “If you want a feed go to the hut and get one; I went back into the room and sat down to tea, when they walked in with revolvers in their hands, and told me to stand; both of them had revolvers ; one had one in each hand ; they came up to me, took the neck cloth off my neck, and tied my hands behind my back; they then demanded the keys from Mrs Wilding, and for two or three hours were engaged in searching the rooms; Murphy the deceased man, overhauled the boxes, whilst the big man went into the bedrooms and store and took what he liked ; after the deceased came from my store, he asked what saddles I had he went and found them; as he was bringing them out, he said .. You don’t seem to like it’,” meaning that I did not relish losing them ; the man brought two horses to the door, and began packing up my things and the saddles; I then made a sign to Jones to come and sit by me, and gave him to understand he was to stand by me; they ordered Mrs. Wilding to cook a goose and eggs for their supper, before they started ; I was then fastened; I don’t know which untied my hands ; I think it was the big man ; I was then standing at the end of the table close to Murphy and near enough to get hold of him ; Jones was sitting on the sofa close to the big man, and near enough to hit him ;. I seized the deceased by the front of the collar ; Jones hit the big man the first blow, and then reached over the table and struck the deceased as I held him ; I fell on deceased, and he struggled, but I managed to bind him as well as I could, and dragged him out into the verandah, and then made him secure with a plough-line ; the other men bound Phillips and I assisted them ; after securing both men, I searched the big man, and found on him some caps, balls, and a small compass ; I did not search deceased myself; out of deceased’s pockets was taken a gold watch ; found on Phillips, the big man, ten shillings in money ; they had got two of my horses ready to take the things away, and had made Mrs. Wilding put them up four bottles of rum, which they packed in the saddle-bags; at the time I seized the deceased the big man had a revolver in each hand ; did not strike deceased myself, only held him and sang out for some rope to bind his hands.
Patrick Maloney, innkeeper at Walla Walla, recognised the deceased and the men in custody as the men who bailed him up and robbed him on the 19th August.
The coroner after reading over a portion of the evidence, and explaining the law of murder and man-slaughter, and the difference between them and justifiable homicide, left the jury to decide.
The jury, after a short consideration, returned a verdict of justifiable homicide.
THE FATAL RECONTRE WITH BUSHRANGERS AT GUNNARY CHEEK. That affair has already been noticed in our telegrams. For the following details we are indebted to the Burrangong Times. That journal says: On the evening of the 22nd ultimo, the station of Mr. Wilding, Gunnary Creek, about seven miles from Burrowa, was stuck-up by two bushrangers. In the first instance the bushrangers compelled the men, who lived in the huts contiguous, to come into Mr. Wilding‘s house and stand beside the fire-place, and next forced Mr. Wilding to sit on the sofa while they tied his hands behind his back with a cravat which- one of the robbers took from his neck. As soon as he was secured, Mrs. Wilding was compelled to give up her keys and accompany one of them into all the rooms, while he inspected the boxes and drawers, and made a selection according to his fancy, not, however, being fortunate enough to find cash. Having satisfied himself inside, he next demanded the key of the store, out of which he plentifully supplied himself, now and then returning to his mate for his opinion as to the selection he should make. Mr. Wilding‘s saddle was next secured, but, being stirrupless, they, in forcible language, insisted on having them found at once. Mr. Wilding at this stage commenced joking with the sentinel, and gained so much of his confidence that he unloosed his manacles. After they had sufficiently supplied themselves, with what could be obtained from the store, they insisted on a supper, ordering at the same time some eggs to be boiled. When ready, they sat down to it, and commenced, eating with great, appetite, but while the, meat was yet in their mouths one was suddenly rendered senseless from tap on the head by Mr. Jones, a visitor, while at the same time Mr. Wilding pinioned his mate, calling out ” Murphy, you are my prisoner.” Scarcely had the words been uttered, when Murphy received a blow from Mr. Jones on the back of the skull which hurried him into eternity he only survived the shock about three hours after. The other man, who gave his name as Frederick Phillips, offered great resistance but without effect, as Mr. Wilding‘s party, consisting of six men and two or three women, were too powerful and determined to let him escape; Mr. Jones; already referred to, rode into Burrowa that night for the police. There being only one in the town and he under medical treatment, he could not go with him. Mr Wilding and party next morning arrived in town with the murdered man and the prisoner, securely handcuffed, in a two-horse dray with the swag which they had packed up in his house and store, and which consisted of blankets, socks and, other wearing apparel, also the revolver and double barrelled pistol taken from the bushrangers. The townspeople, who had already, heard of the affair, and the supposed “capture of, Gilbert and O’Meally, ran in crowds towards the lock-up to ascertain its truth and to satisfy their curiosity by feasting their eyes on the two men who had committed so many depredations but much to their astonishment, the men turned out to be James Murphy, better known as Jemmy Blackguard well known in the district for some seven or eight years, being in the employment of several of the settler’s, and a man of very small stature ; the other, the survivor, calls himself Frederick Phillips, of huge size. The above account was received from a man in Wilding‘s employment.
The writer adds: I saw both the murdered man and the prisoner; the former had four large cuts on the back of the head, which broke that part of the skull into fragments; The latter’s jaw is broken in two or three places, and he is so beaten and chopped about the face and skull, that there can be very little hopes of his recovering. The Goulburn Herald says: A correspondent writing on Monday states that after two, lengthy sittings, the coroner’s jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide. He adds that, according to the evidence adduced, there is no reason to doubt that the case really was one of bushranging.
Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page6143210
APPREHENSION OF A BUSHRANGER. Intelligence has reached town that a man named Phillips, against whom, we are informed, are many serious charges of robbery, had been chased by the Dryburgh police, near the Fish River. Phillips fired on his pursuers, but without the shots taking effect. He is now in safe custody. About four or five years ago the same man, in company with another, was at the house of Mr. Wilding, at Gunnary Greek, near Burrowa, when some suspicions arising as to the honesty of their intentions, a scuffle ensued, when Phillip’s companion was killed by a blow inflicted with one of the rails of a sofa. Phillips is implicated in the robbery at Reid’s Flat, along with Oade. He has lately been discharged from Cockatoo. It is supposed that he was concerned in the sticking up at Mr. John Warnes house at Crookwell.
Yass Courier. Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page5694879
prior attacks by the two Bushrangers
Frederick Phillips (alias Vane or Kane) was convicted about 1860 for abduction, then he and James Murphy held up Pat Maloney’s Inn at Walla Walla on 19th august 1863 and stole goods and a horse with its bridle and saddle. James Murphy was also known as “Jemmy the Boy” had been employed by Henry Evans near Reid’s Flat about 1857.
their end
Murphy was buried on ‘Red Hill’ overlooking Boorowa in a pauper’s grave. Phillips was sentenced to 5 years hard labour, after his release and under the alias of Nolan, he was again arrested in February, 1869 for holding up George Evans’s store at Reid’s Flat.
Source: Book; Boorowa 160 years of White Settlement p.213
