John Peisley (bushranger)

[3] In the period 1846 to early 1848 a series of incidents occurred that resulted in the father of the family, Thomas Peisley, being sentenced to seven years hard labour and incarceration in Darlinghurst Gaol.

The consequences of the prolonged absence of their father, husband and provider, and the perceived injustice of the events, had a profound effect on the Peisley family, particularly young Jack who was in his mid-teens at the time.

After searching for the animal, in October 1846 he enquired of the poundkeeper at Carcoar, Charles Spink, who told him he had a young bull answering the description which had been impounded from Icely’s 'Coombing Park' property by the overseer, John Kater.

In about mid-1847 Thomas Peisley was informed that Kater, Icely’s overseer, had sent some strayed cattle to the pound, but had detained one of their number (the young bull in question).

The letter sets out in detail the sequence of events leading to Peisley’s conviction, paying particular attention to the question of whether Icely’s brand was on the young bull that was the subject of the trial.

The point was made: “I should here remark that upwards of two hundred individuals examined the bull during the course of the trial, none of whom could discern Mr. Icely’s or any other brand than my husband’s thereon”.

On Thursday, 19 February 1852, at the Bathurst Assizes he was charged with stealing a horse belonging to Thomas McKell of Grubbingbong, 14 miles from Carcoar, for which he pleaded not guilty.

Several witnesses for the prosecution, in describing the brands on the horses, gave conflicting accounts and in the end the jury acquitted the prisoner of the charge “without leaving the box”.

[19] After that Peisley was again brought forward, and discharged “upon his own recognizances” to appear when called upon, to answer the charge for which the jury were unable to make a decision about his guilt or innocence.

In later years Clarke would be achieve considerable notoriety as the bushranger Frank Gardiner, but in the mid- to late-1850s he was serving time at Cockatoo Island for horse and cattle stealing.

The description of Peisley printed in the Police Gazette was as follows: “26 years of age, 5 feet 8½ inches high, pale complexion, flaxen hair, bluish grey eyes, long featured, nose a little pockmarked with scar on bridge, … top of middle finger of left hand disfigured, … arms and legs hairy”.

Although the identity of the perpetrator was often not established, Peisley’s name was frequently invoked, to such an extent that he achieved considerable notoriety in a short space of time.

[34][36] The correspondent from Tuena to the Goulburn Herald commented that "the district around is… in a state of more insecurity, than at any previous period for some time past, bare-faced robberies, and sticking up, seem to be the rule and not the exception"; Jack Peisley "in concert with other villains been robbing right and left".

[37] On Saturday, 23 March 1861, Richard Cox, an officer of the Bank of New South Wales, while travelling from Louisa Creek to Tambaroora (north of Hill End), was fired upon by two armed men and robbed of his horse, together with £565 in £5 and £1 notes as well as silver and gold coins.

[38] In mid-July 1861 Troopers Evans and McBride captured John Cosgrove, whose name had been “mentioned freely for some time in connexion with the notorious Peisley and there can be no doubt that they are mixed up in some way or another”.

Cosgrove was found “lying half drunk before the fire” at the house of a man called Clayton at Long Range near Rockley (west of Oberon).

Calling himself Frank Jones he opened a butcher shop at Spring Creek, Lambing Flat, but was arrested in May 1861 on a cattle-stealing charge and committed for trial but allowed bail.

The taller of three (possibly Peisley) ordered the men to “stand and strip”, forcing the travellers to remove their clothing from which the bushrangers gathered £12 in notes, £5 in gold and a 15 shillings in silver.

[55][56] On August 2 a large group of Chinese were stopped and robbed about two miles from Bigga on the road to the Fish River by four armed men, one of whom was identified as Jack Peisley.

In reference to the allegation that it was he who had rescued Gardiner from police custody, Peisley enigmatically declared that he "will never be tried" for that act, "in the light in which it is represented", adding "nor did I ever fire at Trooper Hosie".

[60][61] On Wednesday evening, 30 October 1861, two masked and armed men, the taller of whom was later identified as Peisley, entered the house of James Eldridge at Cook’s Vale, on the road from Goulburn to Tuena, demanding money.

[64][65] On Wednesday, 15 January 1862, constables Morris, Murphy and Simpson, who had been “scouring the Abercrombie country in search of Peisley” were heading towards Bigga when the bushranger met them, mounted on a well-bred horse.

Several shots were fired in his wake, one of which passed between the reins and the horse’s neck, prompting Peisley to call back, “that was a good one” as he rode away.

[66] In January 1862 it was reported that Jack Peisley was still at large, “and is like to remain so for some time, as neither constables nor troopers seem able to apprehend him, although he is seen daily not many miles from the scene of the murder”.

Carroll set off in pursuit, but the bushranger had a superior horse; as he began to lose ground the policeman discharged his single-shot pistol, without effect, but continued the chase.

[68][54] It was believed Peisley was making his way to Victoria, but rather than heading south towards the border he turned back through the ranges to Mundarlo, arriving there in the early afternoon.

The next day McKenzie, “not relishing the company of his guest any longer”, escorted the prisoner on the mail-cart to Gundagai with the assistance of Beveridge and Mr. Stephen of Tarcutta.

[70] At the Carcoar Court House on Wednesday, 12 February 1862, Jack Peisley was brought before the Bench of Magistrates, charged with the wilful murder of Thomas Benyon at Bigga.

[47] An Aboriginal man, Jackey Bullfrog (alias Flash Jack), was hanged alongside Peisley for the murder of William Clarke in December 1861 at Condobolin.

He recounted at length the events leading to his fight with Benyon, as well as more general comments about his bushranging career, claiming that "he looked upon himself as the most honorable man that ever took [to] the bush under arms".