William Gale

341

Maureen Withey on 30th April 2020

GOVERNMENT NOTICE, No. 149, Colonial Secretary's Office, June 9,1834. The undermentioned persons have been sworn in Special Constables, to be employed in the Principal Superintendent's department in charge of convicts removed to and from the interior: Joseph Armitage, per Persian; David Hillyard, Aguilar; Thomas Green, William Glen Anderson; Joseph Simmonds, ditto; William Gale, Moffatt; Bernard Cahill, ditto. By His Excellency's command, J. BURNETT. Hobart Town Courier, 13 June 1834. -------------------------------------------------- Tasmanian Conduct Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-16$init=CON31-1-16p142 990. William Gale. Per Moffatt , 9 May 1834. Tried at Lancaster 12 Aug 1833, Life. Transported for stealing a mare. Gaol report, not known orderly. Married, Wife Ann at native place, Liverpool. Surgeon’s Report, Behaved well. Sept 18 1835, Fighting in the ward, Reprimanded. Sept 18 1840 (? date not clear) Misconduct in committing an assault on W. Stevens, 14 days cells on B & W. Feb 9 1841. Constable/Misconduct- admonished, T.L. 8.6.1841. Mar 16 1842. T.L. Misconduct in overstaying his pass to Hobart Town- Repd. Feb 10 1843. T.L., Drunk using obscene language, fined 5/-. Recommd to the Queen for a C.P. 19 Jun 1844. Appd March 1845. Extended to Aust. Colos. 2/9 /1845. -------------------------------------------------- The Colonial Times (Hobart), 23 July 1839, reports that on Tuesday July 16 1839, at Hobart Town, two men named Samuel Scholfield and Thomas Husband were tried for stealing from Messrs Thomas and Co. and William Gale gave evidence in the case as follows: “The following evidence is very important in the case:- William Gale.-I am employed as a constable, at the Penitentiary, and reside in Argyle-street, about 200 yards from Schofield, and adjoining the residence of Husband, I know both the prisoners; on Tuesday the 25th June, I met Schofield, in Brisbane-street; he asked me if I would buy some small articles; I said, not now, I only bought bricks and mortar; on the Thursday following, I again met him having understood in the interim, that he was in the employ of Mr. Thomas, I asked him what he had to sell, and he said a few pounds of candied peel ; I replied that would not suit me, when he said, that he should have some tea on Saturday night, which came from Mr. Thomas's, but, that he could not leave the store until ten o'clock that night ! I told him that 1 should be on duty then, but, that I would meet him on Monday night ; I told Mr. Swift what had occurred, and he directed me to purchase what he had to sell; on Monday night, about eight o'clock, I met Schofield at the Man-o'-war public-house, and from thence I proceeded, accompanied by him, to his own house; he told me he had some tea, which he said he had procured from Mr. Thomas's; he went up stairs and brought down some tea in a white cloth; he said there were 16 lbs. weight; he also brought down some candied peel in a brown paper bag, weighing, as he said, 6 lbs; I gave him one pound note and three dollars for the articles ; I took the tea and peel to Mr. Swift; the tea weighed only ll ¼ lbs. and the peel 5 ½ lbs. (tea produced) this looks like the same sort; a day or two after this transaction I met Schofield, and told him that he had overcharged in the tea at Is. 6d. per lb.; he said no, it was 20d.; I replied, it might be so ; I told him I was going to buy a green silk shawl for my wife; he told me not to do so, for he thought he could get a couple of silk shawls from Mr. Thomas's; I met him again on Sunday week last, and he told me that he had not been able to get anything, as Mr. Thomas was taking stock; he told me he had some nutmegs for sale, and gave me one as a sample; I have had no conversation with him since; Scofield’s wife told me to bring back the cloth which contained the tea. Cross-examined by Mr Stewart.- I am a constable at the Prisoners' Barracks; I am a prisoner, holding no indulgence; I am promised my emancipation when I am due for my ticket-of-leave; I have known Scofield for 15 mouths; he must have known me to be a constable, and with that knowledge he came to me and asked me to purchase these things; this is the first transaction I ever had wit'h him; I earned the money with which I paid for the things; I hold the Governor's permission to work four days in the week for myself; I told Scofield that I was going to purchase a shawl fur my wife, and he told me to wait ; I told him I should not have money enough to buy any more things, as I intended to buy a good warm shawl for my wife who was ill ; I told Mr. Swift before I bought the tea; there was a person named Ayers present when Schofield came for me at the Man-o'-War; the articles were purchased on Monday the first July, I received them about 8 o'clock in the evening, and delivered them to Mr. Swift about 9 o'clock; I had no conversation with him previous to this; he came to me and asked me to buy sundry articles, which afterwards proved to be stolen ; I never saw Husband in Schofield's house, nor speaking to him. Colonial Times (Hobart), 23 July 1839.