Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/102

Rh received in divers encounters, and is very clever in the art of disguising his personal appearance. His clever capture by Detective McGlone (from Victoria), in Queensland, will be remembered by all. He was sentenced to thirty-two years’ imprisonment in the beginning of July 1864. In passing sentence upon him, who, after the jury had delivered their verdict, handed in a letter imploring the mercy of the court, the Chief Justice said:—‘You have been the acknowledged captain of a band of robbers, carrying terror and rapine through every part of the colony. If you are now repentant I am infinitely glad you are so; but I cannot see how society can be benefited by that. You have by your lawless outrage brought the community to the last stage of degradation; the idea of New South Wales, entertained in England, in the other colonies, and elsewhere is, that it is nothing but a den of thieves. Surely you must know that you will have to undergo the punishment due to your crimes. Suppose you were allowed to go, perhaps you are rich; if not, what a lesson should your past career teach you? If you were liberated or dealt lightly with, what encouragement would this not give to those who are now emulating your example? What an outrage it would be on society? I am told that you have in your robberies abstained from excesses in regard to women. Is this an excuse of bushranging? But you not only rob the rich but plunder the poor also, I know many rich men, but I know not one that has not become so by the sweat of his brow in honest industry. It is hard for these men to have their long, hard earnings taken suddenly from them by a band of robbers, over whom you have been the captain, the leader, the head and front. Many young men owe their present misfortunes to you. That young man Peisley owes his death on the gallows to you; and another who was launched suddenly into eternity, not far from this very spot, owes his untimely end to you, and I fear others will follow. If justice was to be hoodwinked by professions there would be no security to property. It would be a reflection on the administration of justice to allow you to go. Look not on the robberies you have committed, but on the two constables Middleton and Hosie. What harm had they done you? You have seen them alive this day, but it is by God’s providence rather than your will that they did not die.’”

His Honour having read the statement prepared by himself, setting forth certain facts in the criminal career of the prisoner, concluded by sentencing him to various periods of imprisonment, the aggregate of which amounted to thirty-two years. Gardiner has since been liberated by the New South Wales Government, and is now, I believe, keeping an hotel in some part of America,

“Gardiner had been guilty of six mail and highway robberies under arms, of six robberies and outrages under arms; in all twelve offences.