WILLIAMS, Coroner.
- - -
Mind, good reader, the above is a legal document.
After my trial, on my way to Ballaarat, I met in Geelong the identical
Akehurst, cracking some nuts with (I mean, speaking to) some young ladies.
I DESPAIR OF THIS COLONY.
May it please HER MAJESTY to cause inquiry to be made into the character
of such that have branded the miners of Ballaarat as disloyal to their QUEEN.
Chapter LXII.
Tempora Nostra.
The following documents are put in here as evidence of 'our times.'
II. Document.
BALLAARAT.
THE STATEMENT OF FRANK ARTHUR HASLEHAM.
(Now lying wounded at Ballaarat.)
"Whereas I, Frank Arthur Hasleham, a native of the good town of Bedford,
and son of a military officer, to wit, William Gale Hasleham, who bore
His Majesty's commission in the 48th Foot at Talavera, and afterwards
retired from the 6th veteran battallion:
"Whereas I, the aforesaid, having, in my capacity of newspaper correspondent
at Ballaarat, shown, on all proper occasions in general, so especially
during the late insurrectionary movement here, a strong instinctive leaning
to the side of law, authority, and loyalty, was, on the morning of the
3rd instant, fired at and wounded at a time when the affray was over,
and the forces with their prisoners were on the point of returning to the camp,
and in a place whence the scene of action was invisible, and when
no other bloodshed had taken place;
"On these considerations I desire to make on oath the following statements
of facts as they occurred, and as witnessed by others:-
"Shortly after daybreak in the morning mentioned, my three mates and myself
were aroused from sleep by the fire of musketry, a great proportion
of the balls whistling over our tents. The tent is pitched on a rising ground
about 500 yards south of the stockade; the tent and stockade, each situated
on an eminence, are separated by a large gully running east and west,
and comprising in its breadth nearly the whole of the distance above specified.
Considerably alarmed at the continuance of the firing, we at last got up
and went outside, thinking to find a place of shelter of comparative security.
After I had gone outside the firing gradually fell off, the stockade
was unoccupied, the insurgents' flag was struck, and whatever fighting
was then going on was confined to the further slope of the hill on which
the stockade was situated. As some desultory firing was still going on,
I advanced about fifty yards down the gully, in order to insure safety
by getting upon lower ground; by this time, with the exception of
an occasional cheer from the military or police, everything was perfectly
quiet, and from where I stood neither soldier nor trooper was to be seen.
A few minutes after a small detachment of mounted police made its appearance
on the hill, and drew up in a line on the either side of the stockade,
the officer in command appeared to be haranguing them. I was standing
about three hundred yards from them, several other people being near at hand.
I saw three troopers leave the ranks and advance towards me; when one of them
who rode considerably ahead of the other two arrived within hailing distance,
he hailed me as a friend. Having no reason to think otherwise of him,
I walked forward to meet him. After he had lured me within safe distance,
namely about four paces, he levelled his holster pistol at my breast
and shot me. Previous to this, and while advancing towards each other,
he asked me if I wished to join his force; I told him I was unarmed,
and in a weak state of health, which must have been plain to him at the time,
but added that I hoped this madness on the part of the diggers would soon
be over; upon that he fired."
- - -
The trooper be d - - d; but I congratulate poor Frank, of the good town
of Bedford, for 'this madness on the part of the diggers' procuring him 400
pounds sterling from Toorak; so that he can afford to spare me the trouble
of encroaching any further into his 'statement.' Great works!
III. Document more important, by far.
On the 28th November, when some military and ammunition came on the ground,
the detachment was set on at Eureka, near the site of the stockade,
and in the hubbub consequent the troops were somewhat at fault,
and the officer in command called at the London Hotel to inquire the way
to the Camp. The owner of the hotel, Mr. Hassall, on being asked,
came out of his establishment to point out the way to the officer in command
of the detachment, while so doing he received a ball in his leg, and was
for a while laid up by the wound. After a long time of suffering,
and a great loss of money directly and indirectly, he applied
for compensation - with what success may be seen from the following letter
just come to hand:-
- - -
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Melbourne, 26th October, 1855.
Gentlemen. - The memorial of the miners on behalf of Mr. B. S. Hassall,
wounded during the disturbances at Ballaarat, having been by the governor's
directions referred to the board appointed to investigate such claims,
the board reported, that from the evidence, it appears impossible Mr. Hassall
could have received his wound from the military, and that they could not see
anything to justify their recommending any compensation for him.
His Excellency cannot therefore entertain the petition as he has not power
to award compensation except on the recommendation of the board.
