He was of a light, fair
complexion, with reddish hair. He told me to "stand in
the Queen's name! You are my prisoner." I said "Very good,
Sir." Up came more troopers. I cannot say how many.
Believe about twenty or thirty. I said, "Very well,
gentlemen (!) don't be in a hurry, there are plenty of
you," and then the young man struck me on the head with
a crooked knife, about three feet and a half long,
in a sheath. I fell to the ground. They then fired
at me, and rode over me several times. I never had
any hand in the disturbance. There, that's all.
Ballaarat, Dec. 11, 1854.
- - -
FIRST CASE of an inquest which has taken place since
the massacre of the memorable 3rd. The evidence as to
the murder of Powell (writes 'The Argus' express
correspondent) is but a specimen of the recitals heard
on every hand of the reckless brutality of the troopers
that morning.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
The death of deceased, Henry Powell, gold-digger, was
caused by sabre cuts and gun shot wounds, wilfully
and feloniously, and of their malice aforethought
inflicted and fired by ARTHUR PURCELL AKEHURST, Clerk
of the Peace, Ballaarat bench, and other persons unknown.
The jury return a verdict of Wilful Murder against
A. P. Akehurst and other persons unknown.
The jury express their condemnation of the conduct of
Captain Evans, in not swearing deceased at the time
of taking his statement after having been cautioned
by Dr. Wills of his immediate danger. The jury
view with extreme horror the brutal conduct of the
mounted police in firing at and cutting down unarmed
and innocent persons of both sexes, at a distance from
the scene of disturbance, on December 3rd, 1854.
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;
