John Francis was arrested for pick-pocketing in Sheffield, England, on 30 December 1843, convicted and sentenced to ten years' transportation and sent to Hobart Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) on board the ship Maria Somes, arriving on 30 July 1844.
In 1847, Francis was arrested as one of a number of men suspected of robbing the premises of Hobart merchant Charles McLachlan, but was released after turning Queens evidence.
After being returned to McIvor to identify four other accused bushrangers, Francis' brother committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor on the way back to Melbourne on 23 August.
According to popular legend they escaped on the Madagascar , which went missing on her voyage for London, and were involved in a mutiny to steal the gold and murder the remainder of the ship's passengers and crew.
It appears more likely that the additional men were those arrested on George Francis's evidence but were released after his suicide, and that the ship was lost by natural hazards of the sea.