In early 1839, the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement was about to be “broken up”. Aside from a basic staff and 39 convicts to maintain the place, the inmates and their Regimental masters were preparing to be sent to Sydney. Doubtless there was a great deal of relief on all sides.
Before the breaking-up, a group of prisoners decided to take their chances in the bush, but not without taking some property and Government firearms first. Their adventure took them a hundred miles, and the story even includes George Brown, a notorious convict absconder, who lived with the Indigenous people. The term “Bushranger” in 1839 referred to convict absconders living in the bush. I have transcribed the committal hearing before Sydney Cotton, Esquire, from the Trial Book.
The scenes of the crimes.
A note about the places – the settlement itself was in Brisbane, Cowper’s Plains is now called Coopers Plains, and is a suburb of Brisbane rather than a distant Station. Red Bank is Redbank, near the city of Ipswich. Lime Stone is now Ipswich. Point Danger is on the Southern Gold Coast, and close to the New South Wales border (bottom of map). Also, I have recorded the prisoners’ numbers (#) beside their ship, in case you wish to find details about them in the Chronological Registers of Moreton Bay (State Archives, Qld) – available online.
The information of Thomas Hudson, per ship “Minstrel” #64 (life) taken before me, Sydney Cotton Esquire, one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, in and for the said Colony.
At Moreton Bay on the 14th of February in the year of our Lord 1839, in the presence and hearing of William Covell, alias Campion, per ship “Mellish” #2612 (life), James McKinnon per ship “Marquess of Huntley”# 2713 (14 years) and William Stephen per ship “Blenheim” #2660 (7 years) charged before me the said Justice with being illegally at large with firearms, and robbery, and Edward Mott per ship “Countess of Harcourt” #85 being accessory to the same.
Saith that on the morning of 18th January before sunrise I sent the prisoner “Covell” who is under my charge at the Government Cattle Station at Cowper’s Plains, to look after a strayed steer, by my directions he took with him four rounds of ammunition and a Firelock, belonging to the Government, and he did not return to the Station again.
The information of Lance Corporal John Cannovan, HM 28th Regiment, sworn, saith on the 18th of January last, I was in charge of the Government Sheep Station at Red Bank, about three in the afternoon, the prisoner “Covell” came to my hut with the Fire Lock, and stated he was in pursuit of a lost Bullock, he remained at the Station till the following morning at nine o’clock, when I saw him leave the Station with the Fire Lock and about a quarter of an hour after the prisoner “McKinnon” who was a Watcher at Red Bank, left the place. I never saw him at the Station after that. Informant further states that on the night of the 29th January between the hours of nine and ten o’clock, I was alarmed by the night watchman, “Edward Mott” crying out for assistance.
used may have looked like this.
After hearing the alarm, I went and called Overseer “Allen” and we went together and assisted in securing the sheep, which had broken out of the fold. I heard the watchman singing for about an hour prior to his giving the alarm, it was about half moonlight at this time, I was absent from my hut about ½ an hour and on my return, found the Door and Window open which I had left latched. On entering the first thing I saw was a pair of shoes lying on the cot. The shoes produced now are the same and I am positive either belonged to “Stephen” or “McKinnon”. Both men had been at different times employed about my hut at Red Bank and further examining the hut I found that the undermentioned articles had been taken from it during my absence, viz:
Three pairs of boots and one odd one, one Linen shirt, one pair of Linen trowsers, one Razor, one Knife, Ten round of ball Cartridges belonging to the Government – and three pairs of boots, one razor, one knife, one pair of scissors, one ring, and one “tin pot” belonging to Private John Brown of HM 28th Regiment. Of the articles before the Court, I recognise one knife and one razor belonging to myself. All three prisoners, “Covell”, Stephen and McKinnon, have at different times been employed as watchmen at the Station – Stephen and McKinnon have had frequent access to my huts when doing little jobs about it.
The information of Private John Brown HM 28th Regiment, sworn, saith I am on duty at the Red Bank Station. On the 28th of last month, I came down to Brisbane, I was on duty, and returned on the 30th January. During my absence my hut was robbed of the three pairs of boots, one razor, one pair of scissors, one knife, and one ring belonging to me. I recognise two pair of boots, now produced which I positively swear to, belongs to me.
The information of Constable Robert Wright, sworn, saith I went on duty with the Chief Constable and others in pursuit of Bushrangers, I was left in charge of the boat, with another man at the South Passage, whilst Chief Constable and others went towards Point Danger. On Friday morning the 8th inst., I observed three blacks, swimming across from the main land to where the boat lay. One of these blacks was “George Brown” who informed me the three Bushrangers were upon an Oyster Bank about 6 or 7 miles from the boat, and that he had sent some blacks to induce them to come towards the Beach.
I accordingly went with “Brown” and some blacks to endeavour to secure them, about four miles from the boat, we lay in ambush awaiting the Bushrangers, whom Brown told me must cross that way. In about three hours, the blacks with us reported that they were coming. I allowed them to pass me a few yards when I went forth and gave my Fire Lock to a black and called on these men to surrender as it was no use to resist, as there were others at hand, which they did; and I then put handcuffs upon them and marched them down to the boat. I was rejoined by the Chief Constable on the following day – I found with the Bushrangers the articles now produced viz: two pair of boots, one razor, one knife, two bags, also the mainspring and hammer belonging to a Fire Lock. The prisoners before the Court, namely “William Covell”, William Stephen and James McKinnon, are the men who I apprehended.
The information of Captain William Irvine, HM 28th Regiment, sworn, saith I am Corporal in Charge of the Government Sheep Station at the Lime Stone, and early in the morning of the 18th last the prisoner William Stephen, proceeded as usual in charge of his flock to the Bush, and about 11 o’clock one sheep belonging to that flock returned to the Station, apparently to have been chased by a native dog, in consequence of that, fancying “there was something wrong” the Overseer went to look for the flock he found the prisoner absent since which I have never seen him at the station.
William Covell, William Stephen, James McKinnon, Edward Mott are committed for trial to Sydney.
My first reaction was that I wouldn’t leave any of the blighters alone with firearms, but the nature of guarding sheep and cattle against wild animals and possible poaching required that firearms be close at hand.
The quartet was sent to Sydney, just prior to the larger transports taking the bulk of Moreton Bay prisoners to the capital. They appeared before the Court of Quarter Sessions in Sydney, and the reports are light on detail, but heavy on misspelled names (I imagine Court reporters scribbled down in haste what they heard or thought they heard).
The Court of Quarter sessions.
Four prisoners of the crown, named Cogan, M’Kinnon, Mott, and Stofell, were acquitted on a charge of being illegally at large with fire arms in their possession; Mott and Stofell were found guilty of a larceny, and sentenced two years to an iron-gang.
Australian (Sydney, NSW: 1824 – 1848), Thursday 18 April 1839, page 2
Sources:
Trial Book of Moreton Bay: State Archives of Queensland, Item No. 869682. Images: Davesact.com, davidlevellwordpress.com, auction.catawiki.
Moreton Bay and More 
Hi, I would like to contact you, but cannot find any way to do this on your contact page, so I thought I would leave a reply. There is a remarkably similar story to this one, but at a later time, when the Moreton and Darling Downs was settled, around 1842-43. In that case the bushranger’s name was either “Selby” or “McKennon”. Some various renditions of an account of a murder of a hawker’s son at Canal Creek, near present day Leyburn, has been repeated in several news articles through time. But I have been unable to find an official mention to confirm the validity of the incident. I have also been unable to find Campbell’s original article in the newspapers from the time. I only know about it from second-hand reports which mention Campbell’s article as their source. Also, the dates vary between 1842 and 1843 in the accounts and the names of the bushranger varies from “unnamed” to “Selby” to “McKennon”. The story also involves Captain Irving of the 28th. The pioneer Billy Gray had no faith in the legitimacy of the murder at all and believed Campbell must have been mistaken, however Gray did not seem to be aware that Russell had also provided an account of the murder in his book published in 1888. Moreover Russell claims that he helped in the apprehension of the villain! The historian Maurice French has been able to find a single contemporary newspaper clipping which briefly mentions that a man named McKennon had been charged for firearms offenses in the bush and for the murder of a young man named Kelly who had been traveling overland with his family. This gives some credence to the story. The article says McKennon was being sent by ship to NSW to face trial, but after that no further trace of the man can be found. It is as if he disappears from the records. I can email you all of the details. If you could try contacting me through Facebook, that would be greatly appreciated.
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