Martin Cash

45

JD Stubbs on 29th September 2024

Martin Cash the Bushranger rode onto Charles Coxon's place (perhaps Gundemaine) on the Namoi in about 1835 and ended up taking some cattle (illegally) belonging to a Mr Boodie, to replace some heifers Boodie had swindled from him.

45

JD Stubbs on 29th September 2024

Martin Cash was Tasmania's most notorious bushranger although his escapade lasted only a brief 20 months from Boxing Day 1842 until August 29th. 1843 when he was captured in Hobart. A rebellious Irishmen he spent much of his life in and out of gaol, finally finding his way and passing away peacefully in Hobart in August 1877 at age 69. Born at Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Ireland in 1808 to a comfortably well off family, he achieved a reasonable standard of education and wanted for little. Women were his downfall all his life and after several minor scrapes with the law he was eventually sentenced to seven years transportation to New South Wales at age 18 for attempting to murder a rival suitor for his girlfriend Mary by shooting him in the upper chest after seeing the two lovers through a window. While this is Cash's account as documented in his autobiography, the official records show he was transported for house-breaking. Whatever, he was placed aboard the transport ship 'Marquis of Huntley' and sailed from Cook harbour arriving at the 40 year old settlement of Sydney Town on the 10th of February 1828 to serve his sentence. Less notorious prisoners were assigned to new settlers in the infant colony and Cash went to George Bowman of Richmond who leased other farms on the Hunter River, where Martin was transferred, and where he became a stockrider for nine years. He served his time there and received his Ticket-Of-Leave, continuing his work and striking up a relationship with a Bessie Clifford with whom he shared a house. Around this time he became involved with a rustler named John Boodie who asked for his assistance in branding some cattle. Boodie who had a station on Liverpool Plains, asked Cash to assist him and his brother to brand some cattle which, unknown to Cash, had been stolen. While the branding was in progress two strangers came along, remained a few minutes, and departed. Upon Boodle informing him that the strangers knew the cattle were stolen, and that transportation to Norfolk Island was the penalty for this crime, Cash decided to leave for Van Diemen's Land. He sailed in the barque Francis Freeling for Hobart Town, and arrived on 10 February 1837. Whether Cash did or didn't know the cattle were stolen doesn't matter. They were observed branding the cattle and Boodie admitted to Cash they were not his. Fearful of his freedom, Martin and Bessie decided to quickly sell up and move to Tasmania for a new start. They sailed aboard the Francis Freeling' on the 10th. February 1837, exactly seven years after Cash arrived at Botany Bay. After a few months in Hobart the couple moved around southern Tasmania finding work at various properties as farm workers until Cash again got into trouble with the police and was sentenced to another seven years for stealing from his employer. He escaped briefly but was recaptured and an additional 18 months was added to his sentence. Undeterred, he escaped again and this time nearly made it to Melbourne with Bessie before he was again captured and another 2 years was added. He now faced over 10 years in prison and was considered a difficult prisoner. He was transferred from Hobart to Port Arthur, on the Tasman Peninsula south-east of Hobart and a maximum security prison. Notorious for its harsh conditions and considered escape-proof, it could only be reached by ship or a narrow isthmus across which fierce dogs were chained within a few inches of one another and armed guards were posted. The waters both side were dangerous and shark infested (or so the prisoners were told), and escape was impossible. At Port Arthur Cash met and became friendly with Lawrence Kavenagh and George Jones and they planned an elaborate escape which they achieved on 26th December 1842 by tying their clothes to their heads and swimming across the 'shark infested' waters. They immediately turned to bushranging and sought out properties of the rich, homesteads, hotels and unsuspecting travellers creating fear and consternation across the the state. They were involved in several dramatic shoot-outs which only enhanced their notorious reputation. Their staus grew amongst the lesser classes whom they left alone, and their deeds were seen musch as a Robin Hood adventure, where they took from the rich, but didn't distribute to the poor. They earned the nicknames of 'Cash, Kavenagh and Jones' or Cash & Co. (These days it might be 'Cash & Carry'). The police were desperate to catch them and restore order. Word reached Cash that his beloved Bessie was having an affair with a Joe Pratt and he determined to go into Hobart and kill them both. Whether this was an elaborate trap set by the police or not it drew Cash and Kavenagh to the city on the evening of the 29th August 1843. They dressed as sailors to avoid detection, but were soon recognised. Kavenagh was injured in the ensuing fight and Cash ran into Melville St where he not only encountered the Prisoners Barracks, but Police Constable Peter Winstanley, who came out of the Old Commodore hotel to see what the commotion was. In his attempt to halt the fleeing and armed Martin Cash he was fatally shot. Other police, and several civilians eventually restrained Cash after a fierce battle and he appeared before Justice Montagu on the 14th. of September where both he and Kavenagh were sentenced to death. Within an hour of their being sentenced, both were reprieved and re-sentenced to imprisonment on Norfolk Island, an isolated penal settlement east of Sydney in the Pacific Ocean. Kavenagh was eventually hung after another abortive escape attempt, but Cash seemed to see the error of his ways and resolved to become a model prisoner. In 1852 he was appointed a 'Trustee' and given the responsibility of overseeing other prisoners. On the 24th of March 1854 he married a local woman, Mary Bennett. who worked as a domestic servant to one of the government officials. When convict transportation ceased in 1853, a decision was made to close Norfolk Island and Cash received a 'Ticket-Of-Leave' on the 19th. of September. He and Mary moved back to Hobart where he took up a post as gardener at the Government Domain in preference to that of Constable. In 1855 they had a son, Martin, and on the 24th of June, 1856 he was granted a conditional pardon which was confirmed as a full pardon on the 11th. July 1863. He was now 55 years of age and a free man. For the next four years they lived in New Zealand where they did fairly well and, upon returning to Hobart, they bought 60 acres at Glenorchy on the banks of the Montrose Creek. It was while retired here that Cash wrote his memoirs published under the title of 'Martin Cash, the bushranger of Van Diemans Land in 1843'.

341

Maureen Withey on 26th July 2024

Tasmanian Records. Conduct Record: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON31-1-8/CON31-1-8/CON31-1-8_00093_L No 2604. Martin Cash. Larceny. Stealing eggs and other articles … See record for full details. In margin: July 1 1840, Ext 2 years. June 2 1842, Ext 2 years. S. Court 6 Sept 1843, to be hanged and dissected. To be sent to Norfolk Island for 10 years, Memo dated 6 Dec 1844. (In pencil) (T33 or) 133 on new book. Martin Cash, convicted of stealing six eggs, value 1s., and other articles, the property of William Bedford. Sentence— 7 years transportation. Cornwall Chronicle, Launceston. 28 March 1840. Martin Cash, whose name must be as familiar as household words to the old residents of Tasmania is engaged writing a historical narrative of his life, which he intends, if possible, to have published to the world. The career of Cashis so well known and his reformation from the career of crime to his recent condition of honesty and independence, that the narrative will be read with considerable interest by all those who have any desire to become acquainted with the career of Martin Cash. The Cornwall Chronicle, 28 Oct 1865. DEATHS. CASH.- On Sunday, 26th August, at his residence, Glenorchy, Martin Cash, aged 67 years. His funeral will take place THIS DAY, 30th inst, at half-past two o'clock, from Mr. Samuel Weir's, Lord Rodney Hotel, New Wharf, where the remains have been removed for the convenience of friends wishing to attend, all of whom are respectfully invited. Mercury (Hobart), 30 Aug 1877. DEATH OF MARTIN CASH. Few of our old colonists who have passed away have left behind such a career as Martin Cash, whose decease was announced in our issue of yesterday; few, indeed, could boast of a life of such excitement, such narrow escapes, and deeds of such a desperate nature as Cash. He was born in the Town of Enniscorthy, Wexford,- Ireland, in the year 1810 and though his father had comfortable means, Martin'seducation was much neglected, owing, by. his own account, to his great waywardness. He was sentenced to seven years' transportation for wounding a rival in a love affair, and arrived in Sydney on the 10th February, 1828, where he became the assigned servant to Mr G. Bowman, of Richmond, from whom, however he escaped, and arrived in Hobart Town in the Francis Freeling, on the 10th February, 1837. He remained but a short time out of the clutches of the law, and after having received several sentences effected his escape from Port Arthur, together, with Jones and Kavanagh, at the close of the year 1842, when he became the head of a band of men, who were the terror of the colonist, and the heroes of a number of exploits unparalleled perhaps in the history of any other Australian bushrangers, and as an instance of their assurance, - we quote the following memorandum forwarded by them to the Governor of the colony:- " Messrs Cash, & Co. beg to notify to His Excellency, Sir John Frankin and his satellites, that a very respectable person named Mrs Cash is now falsely imprisoned in Hobart Town, and if the said Mrs Cash is not released forthwith, and properly remunerated, we will, in the first instance, visit Government House, and, beginning with Sir John, administer, a wholesome lesson, in the shape of a sound flogging, after which we will pay the same currency to all his followers. Given under our hands, at the residence of Mr Charles Kerr, at Dunrobin,  Cash, Kavanah, Jones." . A reward of £200 was offered for the capture of Cash, which was effected under circumstances of a most sensational nature, near the Commodore Inn, in Brisbane-street, in 1843. Cash had come down to town, and, having been recognised, ran at full speed down Murray-street, turning into Melville-street, but still pursued by a number of people finding that resistance was comparatively useless, Cash turned and fired two pistols, and one of his pursuers fell mortally wounded. The bushranger, after a time, slipped and fell, and was, of course, arrested, tried, and sentenced- to death for the murder of Winstanley, but sentence was commuted, and Cash was sent to Norfolk Island, where he stayed until that establishment was abandoned as a convict settlement. Upon his return to Hobart Town, Cash was appointed to take charge of the Government Gardens, which appointment he resigned; and after spending four years in New Zealand, where he saved a little money, Cash determined to return to the some of his many exploits, and accordingly, he purchased a farm at Glenorchy, where he remained for many years, continuing, his labours as a farmer up to the time of his death. Since his liberty was restored to him, Cash, has been a hard working and well-conducted man, having had no heavier charge proffered against, him than drunkenness. In 1870 Cash published a small volume, containing a faithful account of his exploits, while a bushranger under arms in Tasmania, and now that he has passed away, this volume of thrilling adventures will doubtless be read with interest by many people in the colony , here the scenes of his adventures were laid. Tribune, (Hobart) 29 Aug 1877.

341

Maureen Withey on 26th July 2024

Irish Convict Database by Peter Mayberry. Martin Cash, age on arrival, 18, per Marquis of Huntley (2) 1828. Tried 1827, at Wexford, 7 years for House breaking. DOB, 1810, native place, Wexford. single, Catholic. Trade, Farm Boy.

221

D Wong on 5th March 2020

‘Gentleman Bushranger’ Martin Cash was easily one of Australia’s most considerate criminals. Cash was originally sent to Sydney from Ireland in 1827 for shooting a rival suitor in the buttocks. After serving seven years, he left for Tasmania as a free man only to be charged shortly after with theft and sentenced to a further seven years at the Port Arthur Penal Settlement. During one escape attempt, Cash joined forces with experienced bushrangers George Jones and Lawrence Kavanagh to form a gang called ‘Cash & Co.’. Together, they stole from wealthy settlers and inns without violence, earning them the title of ‘Gentlemen Bushrangers’. Cash died in his bed at age 69.

42

Tim Flynn on 28th April 2016

Convict Constable Awarded Free Pardon for Capturing Martin Cash the Bushranger Famous Bush Ranger Character in “Part an Irishman” by T.S.Flynn http://www.amazon.com.au/Part-Irishman-Regiment-TS-Flynn-ebook/dp/B01D5LBJZ0?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0