John Mitchell

51

Chris Ison on 20th June 2026

Escape of John Mitchell from Tasmania 1852 [ The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859) View title info Thu 22 Dec 1853 Page 3 ] ARRIVAL of MR MITCHELL, THE STATE PRISONER, AT SAN FRANCISCO. WE alluded yesterday, says a Californian paper, to the arrival of John Mitchell, the Irish convict, at the San Francisco. It appears that he arrived there, with his wife and family, in the Julia Ann, American barque, on the 12th October, and intended shortly to proceed to New York. The person who assisted him in his escape from Van Diemen's Land (Mr. P. L. Smyth of New York went thither with the express mission of favouring the escape of the Irish state prisoners. After Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Smyth left the police-office at Bothwell, Mr. Smyth changed horses and coats with Mr. Mitchell, and then they parted and rode different ways through the forest. Bothwell is the central police district of the Island, and between it and the sea extend several lines of police stations, to all of which intelligence was instantly conveyed by mounted express constables. Mr. Mitchell remained six weeks after that day in the island without being able to get on board a ship, though one was immediately placed at his service by a patriotic shipowner of Sydney. After many hundred miles riding, and in several disguises, he at length got off under an assumed name in a British vessel, which at Tahiti was fortunately overtaken by the American barque Julia Ann, bearing his wife and family, under Mr. Smyth's escort, to San Francisco. At Tahiti, Mr Mitchell was transhipped, and arrived as above stated. We understand, says the Alta California of the 15th October, that the distinguished refugee, John Mitchell, has, at the solicitation of his friends, concluded to delay his departure for the Atlantic until the first of November, and that preparations are in progress to give him a complimentary dinner some time next week.