William Thompson

341

Maureen Withey on 25th September 2020

Colonial Secretary Index. THOMPSON, William. Per "Coromandel", 1804; runaway in Van Diemen's Land. 1812 Dec 26 - Petition for mitigation of sentence for capture of John McCabe & John Townsend, bushrangers (Fiche 3171; 4/1848 pp.309-14) ---------------------------------------------------- CAPTURING THE BUSHRANGERS: Petition dated December 20th 1812 from : Thomas Tombs, James Carrett and William Thompson “TO: Major Geils, the 73rd Regiment Commandant of Van Diemens Land The humble Petition of Thomas Tombs, James Carrett and William Thompson, Prisoners for Life,  Most humbly sheweth “That your Petitioners are of that unfortunate description of person named bushrangers who never were guilty of any outrage since their arrival in this country, and whose crime arises in deserting from their Government employ - preferring a life of quiet in the bush to that of Government employ. “That your petitioners at the time of their desertion fled to the western mountains from thence towards Cape Barren and to the straits far from either settlements where, one hundred and eighty miles from this and one hundred from Port Dalrymple and there lived upon the casual supply furnished by their dogs, sooner than interfere with the peaceable and well disposed part of the community. “That your petitioners returning from the Straits towards Oyster Bay fell in with two men collecting seal skins who informed them that they had now a fair opportunity of availing themselves of a Pardon, as there was a proclamation issued by Your Honor for the detention of John McCabe and John Townsend, two most notorious offenders as specified in it. being free of a life which afforded nothing but Emue and Kangaroo and that sometimes a precarious supply, and afraid to return knowing the punishment we deserved, we determined however desperate the attempt to hunt them all over the Island been 9??) our lives bringing them in to obtain that blessing offer (of a pardon) we enquired of the two men, who gave us the information, what part of the country we might go in quest of them - the men replied the last time they were head of, they were at New Norfolk where they were seen by a Government Stock Keeper named King in the act of firing among the Government men. “The step we had before us was a desperate one - how to avoid the soldiers and fall in with them, We however travelled forty miles from the lower part of Oyster Bay towards New Norfolk as necessity required we should keep as clear as possible of the district and at Peopers (?) Plains being after a morning hunt and returning with two kangaroos to when rekindled a fire one of your petitioners (Graved Thompson) fortunately fell in with them - he knew McCabe at Sidney - and after some conversation sought to prevail upon him to join petitioner’s companions which both of them positively refused.  The next day however, your petitioners contrived to fall in with them and found they were well prepared with muskets and ammunition and knowing them to be desperate men and we only three ill provided, it was xx your petitioners should act causiously [sic] we remained with them a few days and found means to divide them when we secured both with kangaroo cord and conducted them to town. Petitioners relying on Your Honour’s proclamation most humbly beg that you will condescend to tend your influence on their behalf with his Excellency the Governor in Chief of New South Wales for which Your Petitioners will ever pray in Duty Bound. Hobart Town December 20th 1812. Signed by Thomas Tombs and the marks of James Carrett and William Thompson.