John Wilson

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 8th June 2020

The following notice appeared in the Courier (Tasmania) on 20 June 1846: REWARD - CONDITIONAL PARDON! Police Department, 13th June, 1846. Whereas the Convicts William Driscoll, per " Norfolk,'' and John Wilson, per " Persian," whose personal descriptions are inserted below, absconded from Port Arthur on or about the 13th of December last, and are now illegally at large ; and there is great reason to suppose that these runaway Convicts have committed various felonies whilst so at large: this is therefore to give notice, that I am authorised by the Lieutenant-Governor to offer the reward of n recommendation to Her Majesty's mercy for a Conditional Pardon available in the Australian Colonies and New Zealand to any Convict who shall, by information or otherwise, be the means of apprehending the said felons or either of them. FRANCIS BURGESS, Chief Police Magistrate. ------------------------------------------------ From Port Arthur, on the 13th December last. 1037 William Driscoll, per " Norfolk," tried at Middlesex S., Peace, 17th June 1833. 14 years, and Supreme Court, Hobart. 24th October, 1833, life, top-sawyer, 5 feet 2. complexion florid, hair light brown, eyes blue, age 25, native place St. Giles', London, 2 pigeons compasses rose shamrock thistle M. Connor fish wreath of laurels W. D. bust of a woman on right arm, a full rigged ship on left arm, ring on second finger right hand. Reward, £2 or such lesser sum as may be determined upon by the convicting Magistrate. 1146 John Wilson, per " Persian," tried at Lancaster, 30th April, 14 years, and Supreme Court, Launceston, 6th January, 1840, death recorded, commuted to life, factory-boy, 5 feet 3½, complexion dark, hair dark brown, eyes grey, age 32, native place Layland, Lancashire, J. W. sun moon 7 stars mermaid on right arm, half moon cross anchor J. W, inside left arm, ring on middle finger left hand. Reward £2, or such lesser sum as may be determined upon by the convicting Magistrate. -------------------------------------------------- William Driscoll was nicknamed Dido. -------------------------------------------------- APPREHENSION OF " DIDO."-This bushranger, who with his companion Wilson, has committed numerous robberies in various parts of the country, and for a considerable time most successfully eluded the police, has at last been apprehended. Information reached town, that he was stopping at a hut in Prosser's Forest, about fifteen miles from Launceston, on the east side of the North Esk. Mr. District Constable Davis with constables Wills, Sullivan, Jones, and Carrigan, started on Wednesday evening for the spot, and arrived there about one o'clock in the morning. Every precaution was adopted in approaching the hut, which reached, the men were stationed at the door and window. As no signs were observed of any person being in or about the hut, it was for some time doubted whether the object of their pursuit had not again eluded them, but at last, the creaking of a bedstead gave token of life within, and Mr. Davis instantly burst open the door. Dido sprung from his bed, and fell on his knees in the centre of the hut. No Richard the third ever awoke from ominous dream with more apparent horror. He begged for mercy, was secured without resistance, and arrived in town on Thursday morning. Near him on the floor were found a double barrelled piece loaded, and also a loaded pistol. From his person were taken, a silver watch, which has been recognized as that stolen on the high road from Mr. Rees and a penknife; his clothes are also supposed to have belonged to Mr. Rees, or Mr. Stevenson. On Thursday, Dido was brought up before Mr. Tarleton ; he said he was transported in the name of William Driscoll, but his Christian name was Timothy; he was originally transported for fourteen years, but had received a colonial sentence for life. Mr. Tarleton made an observation about the folly of prisoners taking to the bush, to which Driscoll replied, he was as happy as the day was long, and could have lived all his life in the bush, and upon the luxuries of the country, if he had not been betrayed. Every man he said had his foolish five minutes, and his five had proved fatal to him. He ought not to have trusted any man, for he had seen enough of the world to know better. However, he said, " what is to be, will be; yesterday, at this time, I was a free man." The prisoner spoke firmly, but civilly, and hoped Mr. Tarleton would not consider he had been insolent. He was remanded to goal for a week to allow time for getting the witnesses in the clearest cases. The circumstances which led to his apprehension are stated to be these:-During his lawless career he had been harboured by a man in the bush, who suspecting that his guest had grown too intimate with his wife, became jealous, and resolved to avenge himself by delivering up the prisoner. For this purpose he several times sought for Burbidge, an old shipmate, being desirous that he should have the credit of the capture; in the meantime Mr. Davis having heard that the man possessed the secret of the prisoner's whereabout, succeeded in getting it out … ... it stung with bitter mortification; declaring that nothing but cruel treachery should ever have made him a prisoner again. Respecting Wilson he was communicative, but little dependence can be placed upon his story. He says, they quarrelled about Christmas, that Wilson shot at him, and took his arms from him ; that he was for three days without them, and Wilson then gave them up again, and they parted. He says, also, that Wilson has a nice plot of ground in cultivation, some sheep, plenty of flour, tea, sugar, &c., and is so cautious in his movements that he is not likely to be apprehended. When absent for any time from his rendezvous, he watches upon his return sometimes for a week, before he again takes up his abode there. The Government reward for the apprehension of Driscoll is £25,and a conditional pardon. Mr. Rees also offered a reward of £5 for the recovery of his watch. Driscoll states that lie has been about sixteen times in Launceston, disguised, since he absconded, and was drinking about town during the whole of Christmas-day. He complains of having been " becussed" upon this occasion, and that he has never been well since. The double-barrelled piece found in his possession was stolen from Mr. Ball's shepherd. Launceston Examiner, 30 Jan 1847.