Obituaries Australia

The public of this Colony are very ready to blame the Press for their mis-statement of facts, which charge, to be allowed rational, must include the principle that editors know what passes out of their own studies, by intuition. No one acquainted with real circumstances of the murder of Mr. Campbell, has either written to or called on any one of the editors, though several such persons have been in Sydney, and must be well aware of the public anxiety on this head. This incident is characteristic of the Colony.

A man who was an eye-witness, gave the following account to a friend of ours, on whom we can rely.

A prisoner, assigned to an old man between Liverpool and the Cowpasture-river, stole a gun and pistols and some ammunition. He robbed Mr. Park, of Sydney, but not Mrs. Lowe, of Bringelly. He went into the hut of Mr. Mowatt's men, after the robbery of Mr. Park, and after knocking down some nails in his boot, proceeded on his way. The men in the hut suspected him, and one of them, with the overseer (who took a loaded blunderbuss with him), went after him, overtook him, and ordered him to surrender. He presented his piece. The overseer put his hand on the cock of the blunderbuss to cock it, but found the cock had fallen off in the way. He let the man go, but raised a hue and cry. This was heard by Mr. Campbell, who took his loaded gun, and by crossing over a certain piece of ground, came upon the highwayman quickly. He ordered him to surrender. The man presented his piece, and said, if Mr. C. proceeded, he would fire. Mr. C. could have fired, but went straight towards him to seize him. The man fired, and when Mr. C. fell forward, his head was not many feet from the murderer. The latter fled and went to a constable's house in the neighbourhood. The constable was from home. He had his pistols, but no gun, and he asked the servant, a prisoner, for some powder. The latter advised him to return to his master. The murderer threatened. The prisoner, suspecting the pistols were not loaded, seized him, and a struggle ensued. A little boy who had a tomahawk in his hand, came to see what was the matter. The servant grasped the tomahawk, struck the murderer with it, and he surrendered. The constable returned shortly afterwards, and found the murderer already in handcuffs. This is the account we have received, and we feel little doubt but that it will prove substansively correct.