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Robbery of Farm of Lieut-Governor Davey by Bushrangers
HOBART TOWN, County of Buckinghamshire, Van Diemen's Land.
Information on Oath of JOHN Peachey, Overseer of His Honor Lieutenant Governor Davey's farm at Carrington Park, Coal River, who saith: About ten o'clock last night, the Eighth of September, 1816, William Wood, a Crown servant, was reading in the front Room of His Honor Lieutenant Governor Davey's house. I was in Bed; there came a knock at the Door. Wood opened the door and a man of the name of George Jones, Bushranger, said, 'How do you do, Wood?' I immediately got up and went into the front Room, where I found five men, Bushrangers, viz. George Jones, Michael Howe, Peter Septon, John Chapman and James Parker; to the best of my belief, each of them had a brace of Pistols and a Musket. I said, well, my lads, what do you want; they said, 'They just called to see me'. I replied, well I suppose you want something to eat; they said, 'Yes', I told them that I had some fresh pork that was dressed; they said, 'No'. Chapman, one of the party, said, 'I must have some of the Ham, which hangs up'; they asked where Manchester (another Crown Servant) was, and said let him get the pan and begin to fry. Michael Howe went in search of Eggs through the Premises, and then asked me for some Spirits, which I gave him; they took some Cream and beam up the Eggs, Cream and Spirits; they ordered me to make Tea, which I did; they then asked me for my Wife's Thread. I brought out my wife's work basket; they asked for some Ammunition. I told them there was a little Powder in the Closet. I went and brought it to them, also two small bags with some leaden Slugs in them; they desired me to tell my wife to get up; their reason for this, as I afterwards found, was to search the Room after my wife got up.  Michael Howe, Peter Septon and George Jones went in and searched the Room; they turned everything out of the Boxes, and took away with them nearly three lbs. weight of the best Green Tea, a small parcel of Sugar, together with thread, Needles, etc.; they also took six bottles of Wine, which my wife had put by in case of illness; they asked me if the Wine was of one sort.
When they came out of the Bed room, they told me what they had taken, which was a few things they stood in need of, but that they had not touched my wearing apparel; they packed up the wine with the other things, as also the remainder of the Ham and two or three loaves of bread in their napsacks; they then asked me for a candle to go to the Servants' house. I gave them one, and they returned back to the house and said there were two or three men absent, and added they must be off. Peter Septon asked me for some Grog, which I gave him, who mixed it with milk, and he then took it over to a sick man named Lucas (another Crown servant) at the men's place; they then took up their napsacks and went away, bidding us all a good night; they left the house but returned immediately, saying they had left three leaden weights on the table; they turned on their way to Stynes and Troy's farm; during the conversation at Tea, they expressed a wish to see the Lieutenant Governor there, as they wanted to have a little private conversation with him. Mich'l Howe desired his compliments to Lieutenant Governor Davey. I had a musket in the House, which John Chapman changed. Michael Howe asked me for my dictionary. I gave it to him, observing to him that it was mine and, as soon as he had done with it, to return it to me; he promised he would.
JOHN PEACHEY