Edward Mcguinness

51

Chris Ison on 2nd December 2024

POSTSCRIPT EXTRAORDINARY. Yesterday afternoon the whaler Sisters, Captain Robert Duke, arrived from New Zealand, having left the 28th of January last. … The brig Wellington, belonging to Mr. Joseph Underwood, which was carrying prisoners to Norfolk Island, with the notorious Anthony Best, and other criminals on board, when within two days sail of her destination, was piratically captured by the convicts—the captain, crew, and troops made prisoners—and Mr. Buchanan, the engineer, had his head laid open with a musket. As soon as the vessel was in their possession, the pirates made for New Zealand, where it providentially happened that the Sisters was lying at anchor off the Bay of Islands. We hear that an action commenced between the pirates and the whaler, which lasted for six hours, in which two of the former were killed. Captain Duke then went on board with a flag of truce, and declared if they did not surrender, he would bear down upon them, assisted with 200 or 300 natives, and put every man to death. This had the effect, and the pirates surrendered. Some of them, however, made their escape on shore, but by means of the extraordinary exertions of Captain Duke, assisted by the natives, the whole were soon retaken. The following is a list of the gang which have been brought back to Sydney, on the Sisters—the remainder being on board the Wellington, which was off the heads yesterday evening late, having Anthony Best on board:— John Walton, ex-captain of the pirates; Charles Clay Todhunter, James O'Neal, Henry Drummond, Charles Daley, William Leddington, William Ryan, William Holt, John Jennings, John Lynch, William Webb, Patrick Flannigan, Cornelius Callaghan, John Stewart, Thomas Quinn, Richard Johnson, Thomas Edwards, Edward McGuiness, John Swan, Richard Carter, Thomas Carvell, William Brown, Patrick Geary, James Bennet, John Smith, Thomas Bayley, Edward Colethurst, William Bateman, John McGuinness, Abraham Davis, William Walker, John Boyde. [32 convicts in this list] (Sydney Gazette 10 Feb 1827, p. 2.)

341

Maureen Withey on 12th July 2021

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Edward McGuinness, age on arrival, 19, per Tyne (1819), Tried Dublin City, 1818, 7 years. DOB, 1800, native of Dublin. Farmers boy. ------------------------------------------------------ Colonial Secretary Index. MCGINNIS, Edward. Per "Tyne", 1819. 1823 Dec 17 On lists of prisoners transported to Port Macquarie per "Lady Nelson"; listed as McGuinness and McGuinniss (Reel 6019; 4/3864 pp.97, 456-7) ----------------------------------------------------- Convict Index. Edward McGuinness, Tyne, 1819, Certificate of Freedom, 10 May 1825. 039/3663. Edward McGuinness, Tyne, 1819, Certificate of Freedom, 24 Aug 1826. 107/5624. in lieu of 039/3663. --------------------------------------------------- Friday, Sept 15. Edward McGinness and Thomas Quin were indicted for a burglary in the dwelling-house of Felix McCabe, about the hour of three in the morning of the 10th of September. Peter Butler, a constable, deposed, that about the hour of three in the morning of the 10th of September, he was proceeding, in company with another constable, named Downey, down Market-street, and observing a bench, which usually stood under the verandah of McCabe's house, to be disturbed from its place, he suspected some thing wrong, and, on approaching the house, saw a hole broken through the wall into the shop, and looking about, saw the prisoner McGinness crouched in a corner near the aperture, who was immediately laid hold of by the other constable. Witness then raised an alarm, and called out to McCabe to rise, at the same time desiring him not to open the door, until he had procured a light and searched the house. McCabe accordingly did so, and the other prisoner, Quinn, was found concealed in the shop, near the fire-place. Felix McCabe deposed, that he was alarmed on Sunday morning by the constable calling out that the house was broken into ; he got up, and having procured a light, found the prisoner Quin in the shop ; a hole, large enough to admit a man, was broken through the wall. Michael Downing, a constable, corroborated the evidence of Butler; the prisoner McGinness attempted to wrest the staff from witness ; he made considerable resistance, and did not submit till Butler presented a pistol, and threatened to shoot him ; an iron crow-bar was found on the ground near the prisoner. Guilty—Remanded. Sydney Gazette, 16 Sep 1826. -------------------------------------------------- FRIDAY, SEPT. 22.- This morning the following prisoners received sentence:- Edward M'Guinesss and Thomas Quinn, for burglary.--Death. Sydney Gazette, 23 Sep 1826. ----------------------------------------------------- GOVERNMENT NOTICE. Colonial Secretary’s Office, Feb 20, 1827. ONE HUNDRED POUNDS REWARD. WHEREAS THE FIVE CONVICTED FELONS, whose names are undermentioned effected their Escape from the Phoenix Hulk, at an early Hour in the Morning of Monday last; NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a REWARD of TWENTY POUNDS will be paid for the Apprehension of each of the said Felons, who shall be safely lodged in one of His Majesty’s Goals…. EDWARD M’GUINESS, per Tyne, 1819 Labourer, a Native of Dublin; 26 years of age; 5 feet 5 inches high ; with dark sallow complexion, pock-pitted, black hair, and blue eyes. WILLIAM WEBB, per Mangles, 1820, Cloth-dresser, a Native of Gloucestershire; 30 years of age; 5 feet 7 inches high; with fair pale complexion, brown hair, and hazle eyes. THOMAS QUINN, per Minerva, (3), 1819, Labourer, a Native of Cork City; 24 years of age; 5 feet 3 inches and 3 quarters high; with fair pale complexion, brown hair, and hazle eyes. JOHN LYNCH, per Dorothy, 1820, Labourer, a Native of the County of Kildare;- 27 years of age; 5 ft. 2 inches and a half high; with fair ruddy complexion, flaxen hair, and blue eyes. PATRICK GEARY, or GOW, per Guilford (2). 1816, Blacksmith; 30 years of age: 5 feet 1 inch and 3 quarters high ; with ruddy complexion, brown hair and hazle eyes. By His Excellency’s Command, ALEXANDER M’LEAY. The Monitor, Sydney, 24 Feb 1827. ---------------------------------------------------- Edward M'Guinness, one of the pirates, who, some time since escaped from the hulk, and with whom Chapman lately had a rencontre, was apprehended yesterday, near the Glebe Farm, on the Liverpool Road, by a private in the 57 h Regiment, and one of the mounted police. He was seen coming along the road, about 11 o'clock in the morning, by the soldier, who having been on board the Wellington when she was captured, immediately recognised, and called on him to surrender. M'Guinness replied, he never would surrender so long as he had life and arms, for that he might as well be shot as hanged. One of the mounted police, who was at hand, then came forward, but being without arms, M'Guinness drew a pistol, and said he would shoot him dead if he approached. The soldier, who was armed with a musquet loaded with hail, and five buck shot, again called on him to surrender, which M'Guinness still refusing to do, and being about to present a pistol, the soldier fired, and shot him in the thigh, when he fell, and was conveyed on a car, which happened to be passing at the time, to Sydney. He was obliged to be carried into the Police Office, and presented a most wretched appearance. On his person were found a brace of pistols, heavily loaded, a cannister of powder, and a quantity of balls. It appears that Chapman had positive information that he was in town on Wednesday night, and on the night preceding; that he was about to commit a robbery, and was to return last night, to, Sydney, with the spoils, in which case Chapman had booked him. Sydney Gazette, 4 May 1827.