Old West Gunmen

[Gibson]

These boys began grew up in a den of thieves, murderers, grafters, men of poor moral character. They were reared with neither education nor ant real religious teaching, although it has been related that they were Catholic, probably in name only. Their father, John Clarke was a dyed in the wool criminal that would died in Goulburn Gaol while he was waiting to be tried for the murder of Billy Noonang, an Aboriginal. Their mother, May Connell had three brothers, two of which were likely murders and positively horse thieves and robbers; the third was just a plain cattle rustler and horse thief. So, as you can see, Thomas and Jon Clarke came their murderous ways, honestly. . .

Thomas on left, John on right:



From "Australian Dictionary of Biography" by Nan Phillips

" Thomas and John junior began work as stockmen on unfenced stations and connived with their employers in the widespread cattle-stealing which continued until curtailed by the Registration of Brands Act in 1866. John was released in 1864 after a year in gaol for horse-stealing and in January 1865 their brother James was sentenced to seven years on Cockatoo Island for receiving the proceeds of a mail robbery. In that year Thomas, who was said to have been in Queensland in 1864, was detained in Braidwood gaol while waiting trial for assault and robbery; in October his family arranged his escape. At the inquiry a Goulburn magistrate criticized the lack of staff and security at the gaol, claiming that it was 'of more importance than many other prisons … is in the neighbourhood of Araluen … also of Jingera and other places notorious for cattle-stealing, the former place being the locality of the Clarke family'.

Thomas was joined by several relations and between October 1865 and May 1866 was credited with three charges of horse-stealing, eight robberies including two mails and post offices, the wounding of John Emmett and the murder of Constable Miles O'Grady at Nerrigundah on 9 April. By proclamations issued on 15 May and 5 June Thomas Clarke and Thomas Connell were declared outlaws under the Felons Apprehension Act. In May Thomas Clarke was joined by his brother John and 'no more remarkable confederacy of robbery, violence and murder has ever been known to exist in any civilized community'. Failure to catch Clarke's gang led to public outcry and the colonial secretary, Henry Parkes, sent 'special' police to the Braidwood district in April 1866. They were unsuccessful and soon recalled. In September Parkes secretly appointed John Carroll, a senior warder at Darlinghurst gaol, and three others to capture the Clarkes. Carroll resorted to bribery and arrested Clarke's two sisters, other relations and friends on charges of harbouring, but received little support from the local authorities. In January 1867 Carroll and his party were murdered near Jinden station. The crime was credited to the Clarkes and a Gazette Extraordinary called on officials and settlers to help in catching the gang and offered a reward of £5000 for their capture or £1000 each, with lesser amounts for information. An uncle, Michael Connell, and James Griffen were arrested and charged with the murder, but their release on bail by local magistrates led to an official inquiry in March. Its scathing findings on conniving officials and landowners and the 'complete absence of moral training, education and religious instruction' touched off a newspaper controversy on the culpability of the squatters, the Irish and the small-holders. John Dunmore Lang, a passenger on a mail coach held up near Goulburn on 22 February by Thomas Clarke and his partners, was not molested and his later claim to understand the attraction of such a life to young men added fuel to the arguments by moralists but did not help to catch the bushrangers."

In memory of Constable Miles O'Grady, a constable slain by the Clarke Brothers:

[Gibson]

Without further adieu, here is an account of their capture from the:

The Perth Gazette and West Australian Times of Friday 21 June 1867

[I have fixed format errors as best I could. It is very readable. Enjoy a look back at some villainous fellows]

CAPTURE OF THE BUSHRANGERS

THOMAS AND JOHN CLARKE.

[From the Sydney Morning Herald.]

Particulars respecting the circumstances attendant upon the capture of the notorious " Tommy Clarke" and his brother John, have been furnished to us by local correspondents,

and will doubtless be read with much interest by our readers. On Saturday last, the 27th ultimo, it was first publicly known in Braid-

wood that the Government had raised the reward for the capture of the outlaw, Thomas Clarke, to £1000, and that for the capture of the guilty brother of that desperado to £500 ; and hopes were consequently entertained that with this additional encouragement to prompt action, something decisive would soon be done. These hopes were unexpectedly realized in the afternoon of the above-mentioned day, when a mounted messenger came into the town of Braidwood " in hot haste," and announced that at about daylight on that very morning (the 27th of April) the Jinden police had had an en- counter with the Clarkes, and had wounded one of them. It appeared that on the evening of the day before, the Jinden police had discovered that an isolated hut in the bush (near to the spot where Carroll's party were murdered) was then actually sheltering the Clarkes. The Jinden police, under the command of Senior-con- stable Wright of the Bathurst police, had been for some days previous actively on the look-out for these bushrangers on|the Araluen Ranges, and had tracked the two robbers to their lair. It would seem that the black tracker first noticed the fresh footmarks of two horses, from a careful inspection of which, together with the direction in which these tracks appeared to tend, it was astutely conjectured that they must be the tracks of the two bushrangers. Wright's party accordingly followed the suspicious looking tracks through a very rough line of country (scrubby and stony in its general character) until they came to a steep range. Fortunately for the ends of justice, a light rain was falling all day, and the tracks were thus plainly discernible by the pursuers. All at once the tracker shortly in advance of his four comrades admonished his friends by a gesture to keep silent, and the whole party saw before them at a short distance, a solitary log hut, standing in the midst of a thick scrub, with two horses hob-bled near it. After a short consultation, the police secured the two horses, and on going to reconnoiter the hut had the great satisfaction of seeing that it was tenanted by the Clarkes. As night was coming on fast they prudently resolved not immediately to attack the place, for fear of the two inmates being enabled to effect their escape in the darkness, as might easily have been the case, and as in point of fact did happen on some previous occasion. They, however, carefully watched the hut all night, intending to commence operations at daybreak. Shortly after dawn, John Clarke opened the door of the hut, and was instantly fired upon by the police. The robber was evidently hit, for a scream was heard after the discharge of the firearms, and the door was at once shut. The police then determined to " rush" the hut, but in their attempt to carry it, they were repulsed by the firing from inside, through loopholes made in the slabs. This gave the defending party a great advantage over their opponents, and two of the police party fell, seriously wounded-one being the black tracker, and the other a constable named Walsh, who was wounded in the thigh. The other constables seeing two of their party hors de combat, dispatched one of their party for assistance to carry off the wounded and to pro- cure additional help. The two that remained behind unwounded continued watching the hut, not venturing to approach it again (as they could not tell how many were inside), but resolved, at any rate, that the bushrangers should not escape. Word was quickly sent on from the Jinden station to those of Bollaby and Major's Creek, and Major's Creek to Braidwood. In the skirmish that took place John Clarke was wounded in the right shoulder, the wound received by Constable Walsh, being a slight flesh wound in the thigh. The black tracker who goes by the name of " Sir Watkin," was, we regret to say, severely wounded in the left arm-so much so that amputation will, it is feared be necessary. This, by the way. In due time the Bollaby police reinforcement arrived at the scene of conflict, headed by Sergeant Barnes. On seeing this accession to the number of the attacking party, the outlaw Clarke was heard to say to his brother that more of the " traps" were come-that it was no use any longer to hold out, and that they had better surrender. Suiting his action to his words, Clarke then came out of the hut, and surrendered himself, handing over to his captors his firearms-some of which were loaded. He has since stated that he surrendered so easily in consequence of his brother's wound. The success of the capture astonished all in the district who were aware of the desperate character of the two parties, especially that of Thomas Clarke.

The two captured bushrangers were on Saturday night, the 27th ult., taken to Bollaby ; and thence on to Braidwood on the Monday following. A large concourse of horsemen went out to meet them as they came into Braidwood, and by the time that they reached the gaol (about half-past 2 p. m.), there must have been at least 300 persons present. The two robbers seemed to be quite indifferent to the awful position in which they were placed, smiling with real or assumed carelessness as they were taken through the town. John Clarke had one arm in a sling, and his horse was led by a constable on either side of him. The elder Clarke was handcuffed, and his horse was also led by two troopers. A large body of police well armed, formed the escorting party. The journey was performed without any impediment.

A little after the party escorting the Clarkes, came the wounded black tracker, Sir Watkin, escorted by a trooper, who was leading his horse. The poor fellow had his arm in a sling, and seemed to be faint and in pain; scarcely able to keep his seat on the saddle.

The countenances of both of the two notorious robbers, who have thus been happily captured and securely lodged in gaol, are really not un pleasing in their expression. They both look a little careworn, but nothing beyond what might be expected, when the hardships which they must have undergone during the last eighteen months are taken into consideration. In 1865, the elder of the two brigands made his escape from Braidwood gaol, and was summoned to surrender by the Chief Justice, in due course of law, in the May following. On the 5th of June in that year, the proclamation formally declaring him to be an outlaw was issued against him. Since then in his evil calling as a high wa3,man, he has committed numerous highway robberies, and worst of all, six or seven murders. These the greatest of his crimes, are :-The murder of Noonang the black fellow, for his share in whose death old Clarke (the father) was awaiting his trial when he died in gaol at Goulburn ; the murder of Constable O'Grady at the Gulf, when Fletcher was shot dead [this was the murder for which Thomas Clarke was outlawed] ; then, in January last, the murder of Detective Carroll and his party ; and since (as it is supposed) the murder of his unhappy companion, Billy Scott, whose skeleton is supposed to be that which was lately found in an out of the way place at Manar.

Respecting the death of poor Carroll, a cor- respondent who has communicated to us the foregoing facts, has furnished the following further particulars :-It appears that when Carroll's party came to the place where they were murdered, Thomas Clarke, his brother John, and the bushranger Scott (with some others whose names it is, perhaps, not yet desirable to mention) went and hid themselves amongst the branches and behind the trunks of two very large trees. When Carroll's party came just opposite to them, some of Clarke's gang came out from their cover, and called upon the police to surrender. The detectives attempted to get out their revolvers to fire, but before they could do so the robbers fired a volley at them, when Fegan and McDonell both fell, Fegan, however, still continued to show fight when surrounded by the murderous gang, until a second shot put an end to his sufferings. Before the whole gang could get down from the trees, Carroll and Kenny had managed to make their way to a hut, occupied by a free selector named M'Nally ; and there they kept their assailants at bay as long as their ammunition lasted. When they had fired their last cartridge, they surrendered, and

Thomas Clarke took their arms. He told

Carroll to prepare for death. Carroll asked for mercy, and begged to have his life spared, when Clarke (in an excited tone of voice) asked Carroll if he had shown any mercy to his (Clarke's) mother and sisters. He said as his time had come to have his revenge on him, he would allow nobody to carry it out but himself; and then, in cold blood, he shot his unfortunate victim through the heart. During this terrible scene Kenny was a spectator defenseless, but still undaunted. Clarke, addressing him, when he shot Carroll", said :-" I suppose you also are going to ask for mercy and for your life ?" " Not from such villains as you," was the fear- less answer of poor Kenny, " do I ask or expect for mercy. May God look upon my poor wife and children. Shoot me if you like ; I am ready to die." " I am sorry to have to do it," said Clarke, " as you are such a plucky fellow." And so without another word, he fired into the throat of his second victim at arm's length. Familiarized with the shedding of blood after such acts as these, Clarke now expressed his determination of murdering several parties who had all along freely given utterance to their

abhorrence of him and of his doings. He expressed the same bloodthirsty purposes when he afterwards stuck up Myers s store at Jembaicumbene. On that occasion he declared that

he was very sorry that he had not been fortunate enough to have found the proprietor of that store at home, inasmuch as he had a bullet ready for him, and for his son William. Other parties who had had the courage to denounce this man were also intended victims, especially such as he supposed to have assisted Carroll in carrying out his plan of attack.

[Gibson]

Police Station Office, not sure if it is the exact one where the shackled Clarke Brothers were photographed or not:





The Clarke Brothers were shackled to this very tree awaiting the Steam-packet to take them north to Sydney, where they were to be tried.





Old bushranger wanted posters, note photo of Clarke's on the left:



"Gold Rush Colony":

"List of Offences:

Thomas: exclusive of the 7 murders of which he was suspected, including that of Constable O'Grady, 9 robberies of mails, 36 robberies of individuals including Chinamen, labourers, publicans, storekeepers, tradesmen and settlers,

John's offences in one year numbered 26 and his possible implication in the unexplained murder of four specials. On March 13th 1865, the Araluen Gold Escort was attacked by the gang on the Majors Creek Mountain Road, and four troopers were shot dead. Two of the remaining troopers held off the attack and the gold was delivered to the Bank of New South Wales at Braidwood.

It was stated in evidence that "when Thomas Clarke fired, John Clarke fired immediately afterwards... with the intent to kill and wound the constables...".
The jury took 1 hour and 7 minutes to find both brothers guilty.
Sentencing:

Before passing sentence, Sir Alfred Stephens pointed out that the Clarkes were to be hanged, not as retribution, but because their deaths were necessary for the peace, good order, safety and welfare of society. Their fate was to serve as a warning to others. He then pointed out the list of their offences over the 2 previous years."

[Gibson]

Now, I fully realize that this is cobbled together and not written up in my own corn pone style.

I do this out of ignorance. I am simply ignorant of these guys but they are fascinating as they are so similar to American desperadoes.

Sad that we are all sort of brothers of the gun when we look back from whence we came and the world has and is rapidly replacing our ways, with the ways of the limp wristed punks of modernity.

Sorry. . .

[9.3X62AL]

Sad that we are all sort of brothers of the gun when we look back from whence we came and the world has and is rapidly replacing our ways, with the ways of the limp wristed punks of modernity.

Some kindred words, right there. Fret not, my friend--if you spend much time with our current servicemen and -women, you'll find a large number of folks who are DETERMINED to do the right things for the right reasons. My nephew Ben and son-in-law Eric are two such men, and I find times spent with them and their service buddies to be inspiring and reassuring. If only their civilian leadership had even an iota of their courage and resolve, this country could be great again.

The quality of your texts and info seem to grow as they go--I concur with Waksupi's view that we'll let ya know when to stop. So, DON'T--my main aggravation with a recent internet service collapse here was that I was missing these accounts.

[Gibson]

Some kindred words, right there. Fret not, my friend--if you spend much time with our current servicemen and -women, you'll find a large number of folks who are DETERMINED to do the right things for the right reasons. My nephew Ben and son-in-law Eric are two such men, and I find times spent with them and their service buddies to be inspiring and reassuring. If only their civilian leadership had even an iota of their courage and resolve, this country could be great again.

The quality of your texts and info seem to grow as they go--I concur with Waksupi's view that we'll let ya know when to stop. So, DON'T--my main aggravation with a recent internet service collapse here was that I was missing these accounts.

Dang Big AL! I thought you had r-u-n-n-o-f-t

Tell them to get that stuff straightened out. I count on your support.

[Shooternz]

Thanks for that one Jay, they sure had some nasty dudes in Australia it's like a small America except
in the middle it's a lot drier only habitable around the edges, Robert.

[Gibson]

Hey Robert I am checking out your suggestion. It seems that the guys and over at rugerforum really like reading these sketches.

[Gibson]

The above is von Tempsky. I am going to be working up something on him. That's a promise! His exploits with The Forrest Rangers are nothing short of amazing.

Tonight I begin work on an old subject of interest. The Phantom Killer. We will look at this fellow's chase of the psychopath/sociopath AKA degenerate nut.



The great Ranger: Manuel T. Gonzaullas

[Larry D Barr]

Gibson, I'm the new guy here. Just joined about four days ago and have spent the last four evenings reading your sketches from the first page to the last. Wonderful stuff! Sometimes I think I was born too late...love the Old West and its characters. Hope you don't get banned, since I just found your writing, but if you do I'll go join rugerforum and keep up with the reading. Thanks for all the time and effort you've put into the research and writing of the articles.

[Shooternz]

Well if you do go I will look you up on rugerforum your stories are to good to miss, cheers
robert.

[Gibson]

Robert check you pm for a link.

[Gibson]

Here we go with the old Lone Wolf himself.

He was many things and one of them was a bona fide DANDY. Very sharp dresser. But as the kind of folks we deal with deal in LEAD, his fancy dress bled into Barbecue guns. The man had some fine as frog's hair pistols and revolvers.



From Mike Cox:

"Long-time Ranger Captain Manual T. Gonzaullas, one of Texas’ best-known 20th century law enforcement officers, died at 85 on Feb. 13, 1977 in a Dallas hospital. Old-time Rangers, Department of Public Safety officials, younger officers and many friends packed his funeral service two days later.

Born in Spain on July 4, 1891 to a Spanish father and Canadian mother, Gonzaullas was orphaned by the devastating 1900 Galveston hurricane. He got his first taste of gunfire as a major in the Mexican Army in 1911 and later spent five years as a U.S. Customs border guard. Joining the Rangers in 1920, he served until fired by Gov. Miriam Ferguson in 1933.

Two years later, when the Department of Public Safety was organized, Gonzaullas was hired to set up the new law enforcement agency’s crime lab. In 1940, he opted to return to the Ranger service and soon became captain of Co. B in Dallas. Among numerous other high-profile cases, Gonzaullas spearheaded the investigation into Texarkana’s infamous Phantom Killer murders in 1946. The captain usually prevailed in what he set out to do, but Rangers never apprehended a suspect in the Texarkana slayings. He retired in 1951.

“In my opinion,” his old boss DPS director Col. Homer Garrison said in 1963, “Gonzaullas will go down in history as one of the great Rangers of all time.'"

It just seems kind of cool to refer to this old hell for leather rascal as "El Lobo Solo" but I'll try and refrain myself. We are going to discuss the Texarkana Moonlight murders in the context of M.T. Gonzaullus. Fascinating strange and UNSOLVED case.

A gun attributed to Gonzaullus, my guess is that it was his:















Anecdote of just how big the legend of Lone Wolf grew, from carshow-photos.com:

"One confrontation was amusing and showed the true nature of how strong Gonzaullas' reputation had become.

"Gonzaullas was in a Tyler hotel trying to get some needed rest just past midnight when his sleep was interrupted by a great amount of commotion below. There was loud talking, raucous laughter, boisterous yelling and general racket. Thinking it would soon cease, he laid a pillow over his head, but that had little deadening effect. When it became evident that there would be no immediate letup in the noise, he got out of bed, went to the window and stuck his head out of it, calling to them to "pipe down." Because of impatience, he was sharp in tone.

That did it. Members of the group were incensed that anyone would have the gall to admonish them to be quiet. One of them snarled at him to "mind your own business." That ws no more acceptable to Gonzaullas than his complaint had been to them, so he carried the matter a bit further by offering to come down and force them to stop.

In a bellicose manner, one of the group shouted, "You don't have to come down here. We'll come up there." So, up the stair they tramped in a body and commenced banging loudly on the door to his room. He open the door and admitted them did a double take and recognized him. "My God, boys," he shouted, "it's the Lone Wolf.' Let's scram", and they did just that. The silence that ensued was total."



Stay tuned. . .

[Gibson]

This was a true animal in any sense one can think of he murdered at least five people and attacked eight.

It all began on a late fall evening, February 22, 1946. The young couple were doing what young couple still occasionally do. They were sitting in a lover's lane area. . . "24-year-old Jimmy Hollis and his girlfriend Mary Jeanne Larey, 19, had attended a downtown movie, then decided to prolong the evening with a romantic visit to a secluded lane on the edge of town. They had, according to the story the young woman would later tell authorities, been parked no more than 10 minutes, when a man, his face hidden beneath a white hood, approached the car, pointing a flashlight and pistol at them."

"She would recall the assailant telling her boyfriend, "I don't want to kill you, fella, so do what I say." He then ordered both of them out of the car, angrily demanding that Hollis remove his trousers. Then, with the young man clad only in his boxer shorts, the attacker hit him twice in the head, knocking him unconscious. When Larey tearfully tried to convince the gunman that they had no money, even pulling a billfold from her date's discarded pants to show him, she, too, was struck in the head. Bleeding and dazed, her screams echoed through the woods as the man then sexually assaulted her with the barrel of his gun.

It was when Hollis began to regain consciousness that her attacker's attention was diverted long enough for the young woman to get to her feet and run. The intruder quickly caught up to her and hit her in the head again. "I remember looking up at him and saying, 'Go ahead and kill me,'" she later said. Then, for reasons she would never know, the masked man suddenly turned away and disappeared into the darkness.

Though badly injured, Hollis managed to make his way to a main road and flag down a passing car. Larey, meanwhile, had run to a nearby house, where she pounded on the door until a farmer woke, let her inside, and telephoned the sheriff.

After receiving medical attention--Larey needed stitches to close her wounds; Hollis was hospitalized for several weeks with two severe skull fractures--the victims could only describe their attacker as "thin and approximately 6 feet tall." Neither had recognized his voice or seen the face hidden behind the mask."

So began the bloody reign of terror. He seems to have been moving toward murder but not quite there, YET. Although he certainly may have killed the couple that night had he not sort of lost control of the situation.



Texarkana Gazette, February 23, 1946:




The next couple would NOT be so lucky.

[Gibson]

The town itself was set afire with this incident. The fear was palpable. Then after a month, things calmed just a bit.

It was March 23, 1946 and the end of the world would come for twenty-nine-year-old Richard Griffin and seventeen-year-old Polly Moore, they were dispatched with a .32 Colt pistol.

TruTV:

"On the rainy morning of March 24, one month after the Larey-Hollis attack, a driver on rural Bowie County Highway 67 noticed something strange. A 1941 Oldsmobile was parked about 100 yards off the highway in a grove off adjacent Robison Road; a man seemed to be asleep behind the wheel. This was no place for a tired motorman to pull off the road, not with so many motels and other safer areas within a stone's throw. The driver, thinking he should investigate, approached the vehicle. When he peered inside, he shrieked at what he saw and scooted off to immediately notify authorities.

Bowie County officers converged on the scene. Two dead bodies lay within the auto, both shot in the head. At the wheel was 29-year-old Richard L. Griffin, a recently discharged Navy SeaBee. Lying on the backseat was his girlfriend, Polly Ann Moore, who was a checker at the Red River Arsenal outside of town. Forensic tests would show that the bullets that had killed them were fired from a .32 caliber revolver, possibly a Colt.

Moore had been killed outside the car, evidenced by bloodstains and drag marks. She appeared to have been sexually assaulted. Fingerprints and footprints were hard to trace, as a heavy downpour had washed away both during the night.

From the start, the police were stumped. Joining the investigation with the Bowie County patrol were members from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the city police forces (Texas and Arkansas) and Miller County and adjacent Cass County law enforcement agencies. The FBI was eventually summoned, but they also drew a blank. Motive there was none; Griffin nor Moore had no known rivals; the last time they had been seen alive was at a West Seventh Street café around 10 p.m. the evening they were killed dining peacefully with Griffin's sister, Eleanor.

"Three days after the murder the sheriff's office had already questioned 50 to 60 people about the murder and tracked down about 100 false leads," writes Greg Bischof, Texarkana Gazette staff writer. "The murders remained a baffling mystery, forcing the sheriff's office to eventually post a $500 reward for information. None came."



Newspaper, dallasobserver.com:

"It was not until the first murders occurred," says Texarkana's 71-year-old Dr. James Presley, a lifelong student of the dark episode in his hometown's history, "that people in law enforcement began to put the attack on Mary Jeanne Larey and Jimmy Hollis and the deaths of Griffin and Moore together." Sixteen at the time of the homicides, Presley, author of six nonfiction books, notes that his uncle--Bill Presley--was the Bowie County Sheriff at the time. "He was involved in the investigation from the start. But he rarely spoke about it in his later years. What I was able to determine was that neither he nor anyone else initially thought the first attack was that extraordinary. While Texarkana in the '40s was a great place to live, it did have its share of violent crime--Saturday night shootings, bar stabbings, those sorts of things. So, what happened early on wasn't something that turned the local law enforcement world upside-down."

Couple number three is next.

[waksupi]

When someone intentionally piles up infractions in a short period of time, they will be dealt with. How many infractions and warnings would you like to make for the cut off in a couple hours time? The rules are pretty easy to follow. They are for everyone, not just a chosen few. This is not a permanent ban. Gibson is certainly welcome back, as is anyone after the time is up. We will enforce the rules here. Or we could just step back, and let it become like the Accurate Reloading forum.

[runfiverun]

negative on the accurate forum.

i will say jay was banned willingly.
too bad too,i like him.
but he has his reasons...........

[Wal']

I enjoy the company of men who say & do as they truly feel, Gibo' hope you serve your penance & come back with even more of your locally acquired history, I'm addicted.

Much better than all the required reading I did in my schooling years.

[jmort]

There are many here who hope against hope that Mr. Jay Gibson will return.

[MusicMan]

Any one have a link to where he went? I want to read more from him.