2-316 (Text)

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Death of Wilson, Bushranger, and Capture of his Party.
The career of the notorious bushranger Wilson, who has so long infested the northern districts, has at length been put an end to.
It appears that a party of mounted police, consisting of Sergeant Giles, one corporal, and four privates, were in pursuit of the gang of depredators for a long period, when the sergeant resolved to divide his party, and send Corporal Worsley and troopers Joyce and Maher to the ranges, at the head of the Clarence River, while he, with the other two troopers, proceeded to the Darling Downs, where a robbery had been just before committed. The prudence of this step was apparent from the fact that Worsley and his party came up with Wilson and his gang, and that in a very sharp affray Wilson was killed, and one of his companions wounded, and that another of the gang is in custody.
The details of the affray will be gathered from the following letter from the corporal to the commandant of the mounted police, showing that the conduct of the police appears to have been exceedingly meritorious for the perseverance with which they pursued the lawless scoundrels.
"Yulgillar, 15th of May, 1846.
"Sir, - I beg to state for your information that on the 7th of May, we were informed that the bushranger Wilson and his party, of whom we were in pursuit, had robbed the station of Mr Bloxsome, of Rostion. The next morning we went after them, and took an aboriginal black with us to track; we got on it on the morning of the 9th, and followed them over mountains, and through scrubs, so thick, that we were obliged to cut our way through them with our knives.
'We fell in with them on the morning of the 12th. at half past eight o'clock; we saw their fire from the ridge where we were on; I dismounted the men, as I would have been heard with the horses, from the bank of the creek upon which they were, being very hard and scrubby.
"As we came up the bank they were prepared; I ordered them to lay down their arms, but they refused to do so. The bushranger Delaney, whom we captured, being behind a tree, five yards from the bank, with a double-barrelled piece, he fired at, but missed me; when seeing Wilson with a blunderbuss and spring-bayonet attached, presented, and a double-barrelled gun at his knee, I fired at him, but missed, when Delaney rushed on me, and caught me in his arms round the body; I then ordered trooper Joyce, as he was close by to do his duty, which he did, and shot him through the shoulder-blade; I then seeing trooper Maher in front of Wilson, without any covering ran immediately to his assistance, when Wilson fired his blunderbuss at Maher, and shot him in the fleshy part of the thigh, and lodged thirteen buckshot in him, as he was making for cover. Maher then fired his piece and put a ball in his left elbow. Wilson then ran with his double-barrelled piece still in his hand, Maher followed and knocked him down with the butt of his carbine, which broke; he got up again and made an effort to cross the creek; I drew my pistol and shot him through the left side. Trooper Maher not being able to move, I went to see after the other two bushrangers, that we had not seen, as they had got into the scrub when we first challenged. At this time the affray was over, having lasted one hour. Wilson was severely wounded, but lived to half-past three.
"I then mustered all I could find in the camp, consisting of eighteen stand of arms, six horses, four saddles, two pack-horses, with a quantity of ammunition and other baggage.
"Having one dead and two wounded men, and not knowing where we might find a station, I thought it best to remain all night, as we should have to go all over the mountains.
"On the morning of the 13th, we started and made an out station of Mr Ogilvie's, on the Clarence River, about twelve miles distance, where I left the wounded in charge of trooper Joyce, and proceeded to the head station for assistance. Next morning I returned with a dray, when Joyce reported that one of the bushrangers, who had escaped, was lurking in the vicinity, where a shepherd brought him some meat to detain him until I should come back. I then rode off, and apprehended him in a gully, about three-quarters of a mile from the station, with a double-barrelled gun in his possession.
"We brought the dead and wounded on the dray to the head station, where J. Melton, Esq, J.P, had arrived in the absence of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who had been sent for, but was out in pursuit of the party we had taken.
"We could get no medical aid up to the present, but I proceed to-morrow to New England for Dr Frail, who is the nearest medical gentleman to this place Trooper Maher is not mortally wounded, neither is prisoner Delaney, but they are not in a fit state to be removed. Mr Melton took down the depositions to-day, the 15th, when we interred Wilson.
(Signed) Corporal Worsley,
Mounted Police."