Tantanoola Tiger 1911 page 2

To speak of the recent discoveries of wholesale sheep stealing in the Tantanoola district of South Australia as a solution of the mystery of the famous Tantanoola tiger implies some confusion in the minds of those responsible for the statement. It is something like 20 years ago since the "tiger" scare was at its height, and over a decade of quiescence has naturally blunted the recollection of the circumstances which gave rise to the sensation. Though there may have been instances then in which sheep disappeared completely as in the cases now disclosed, these were very infrequent compared with the cases in which the mangled carcases of sheep and other animals were found lying in the fields. For the most part the animals appeared to have been killed in a spirit of pure wantonness, inconsistent in this respect, as in others, with the idea of human agency. Neither the skins nor any part of the beast which would be commercially valuable were removed, but many of the slaughtered sheep and calves had their tongues dragged out which seemed to imply, on the part of the slayer, an epicurean taste similar to that of the fox. The fearsome destroyer was, of course, seen - usually late at night - by scores of more or less trustworthy witnesses. Many of them were above suspicion of deliberate falsification, but their excited imaginations were a fatal bar to their accuracy of observation, for severally they described a whole menagerie that never was on sea or land. There were two reasons why the mysterious animal became a "tiger." A name had to be found, and this had the merit of being alliterative, while a further justification - probably thought of later - was the positive statement of old residents that a travelling menagerie had been wrecked on the coast near Beachport about 30 years earlier, and a tiger had escaped the death by drowning that overtook all the other animals. The popular belief was that the beast which wrought havoc amongst the flocks and herds was the result of a union between this and some native animal. Many parties were organised to hunt the tiger in the dense ti-tree scrub, to be found in parts of the district, but no success at- tended them for three or four years. Eventually, however, a settler named T. Donovan, tracked and killed with a rifle, a huge, ungainly yet swift-moving animal which might well have been responsible for all the properly authenticated exploits of the famous tiger. This was about 14 years ago, on the river Nelson just over the Victorian border, and about 30 or 40 miles from Tantanoola. The beast had a massive frame, set on strong legs, and though fully twice the size, appeared to have something in common with both the dingo and the fox, as well as certain characteristics distinct from either. The animal was stuffed and placed on exhibition in Mount Gambier, the public being charged for admission. It was taken to Adelaide subsequently for exhibition, but Donovan was a better huntsman than a showman, and installed his capture in an obscure room in a back street. This, combined with the fact that the work of preservation had been in- differently done, was responsible for the exhibition being a lamentable failure. Thus the famous "tiger" came to an ignominious end, only to experience, several years later, a resurrection no less inglorious.

There have (writes the Millicent correspondent of the "Advertiser" on Saturday) been no fresh developments in connection with the remarkable secrets revealed by the party of snipe shooters who visited the teatree scrub south of Tantanoola early last month. Detective Allchurch returned from a brief visit to Adelaide last night, and is picking up the remaining links in a strong chain of evidence. Interest in the discoveries is becoming keener as the enormity of the crimes which have been perpetrated becomes more apparent. Several attempts have been made to estimate the number of sheep which have fallen beneath the onslaughts of the "tiger." The exact total will never be known, but that it is little short of a thousand is reasonably certain. According to the statement of a youth who will appear as the chief witness for the Crown, the "business" has averaged 20 skins a week during the three months preceding the discovery of the slaughtering pens. Among the heaviest losers are Messrs. C. Kiely, J. Chant, J. C. A. Nitschke, and the owner of the Coola station (Mr. T. C. Ellis). The shortage in the flocks of those gentlemen alone would probably aggregate a thousand sheep, and enough is known of the "tiger's" movements to assume that he is capable of explaining where most of the missing sheep have gone. It is consistently rumored that a special detective is investigating a case in the Hundred of Kongorong where, not very far from the "tiger's" regular haunts, a grazier found 200 of his sheep without their wool, a brand having been painted on them when they were shorn. The story of the crimes is bound to be thrilling. It should read like a page from Boldrewood's account of the exploits of the Marstons in the early days of Australia's history. The preliminary hearing of the charge against Robert Charles Edmondson will take place on Wednesday next at Millicent.

BROWNE, THOMAS ALEXANDER (1826-1915), pastoralist, police magistrate and gold commissioner, but best known as novelist 'ROLF BOLDREWOOD', was born on 6 August 1826 in London.

Robbery Under Arms is deservedly an Australian classic since the story telling is superb, the simple, direct style holds a vivid use of the bush vernacular by Dick Marston as the narrator, and the characters are vital, especially old Ben Marston, 'iron-bark outside and in', and the Marston brothers, described by Henry Green as 'the first thoroughly Australian characters in fiction'. A romantic spirit is skilfully combined with realistic detail, with most of the incidents based on actual events, e.g. the cattle robbery follows the lifting of about a thousand head by Readford from Bowen Downs station in 1870. Terrible Hollow is drawn from a sunken valley reported in the Gwydir district, whilst Starlight is a composite figure created from several bushrangers and a gentlemanly horse-thief called Midnight. The story contains weaknesses and inconsistencies in Warrigal's speech and Rainbow's star, but the stock criticism of Dick's 'moralizings' is mistaken, since Dick regrets only his folly, not any wrongdoing. The defects are minor in what Dr Thomas Wood calls 'a classic, which for life and dash and zip and colour — all of a period — has no match in all Australian letters'.

What delights the Australian boy more than to read a book wherein are related stirring bushranging incidents of the early colonial days? Rolf Boldrewood's vivid descriptions of the holding up of stations and mails, cattle-stealing exploits, encounters between police and bushrangers, and their dashing rides for justice and liberty, set the nerves tingling with excitement and wonderment. Such episodes have hitherto been regarded as events of the sensational pioneering period. During the past few days however, Australians have been made to realize that the day of romance is not dead. "The Tantanoola tiger" and his comrades have for several years apparently been weaving a network of sensational stories for our future novelist. The "Terrible Hollow" remained a secret for many years before prospectors for gold chanced upon the path of entrance. The chambers of horrors on the shores of Lake Bonney also existed for a long period before being unexpectedly discovered by a party of snipeshooters, whose attention was arrested by the stench of carcases of slaughtered sheep. The recent revelations are in contrast to most of the incidents of the "Star light" days. There were no revolver duels, nor breakneck gallops through the scrub. However, Detective Allchurch has done his share to recall the past, and incidentally to perpetuate his memory. Disguised as a tramp, he loitered about the locality and visited camps occupied by the suspects; and the Tantanoola Hotel rocked with laughter when the disreputable 'Weary Willie' arrested a well-known local resident - Charles Edmondson— upon a charge of sheep stealing. The trial of Edmondson, which will begin at Millicent to-day, should provide some of the most interesting "copy" which has fallen to the lot of Australian journalists for years. Special arrangements have been made to secure reports of the Court proceedings for The Evening Journal and The Register.

The Millicent "Times" of January 10 publishes a long article descriptive of the recently discovered hiding place of the mysterious "Tantanoola tiger," which for so many years committed depredations among the district flocks. The paper says:-

A Popular Resort.

On Sunday drags and vehicles conveyed scores of sightseers from Millicent, and in the locality of the find there were quite 200 people during the afternoon. Camera fiends were conspicuous. Postcard views, of the "tigers" lair are selling like the proverbial hot cakes, and commercial travellers make it their first business on arrival in the town to enquire for photographs in fulfilment of commissions received from friends in Adelaide and Melbourne.

More Corrals Found.

Detective Allchurch has been pushing his enquiries untiringly at Tantanoola. On Saturday, accompanied by Mounted-Constable Mowbray and Mr. S. Mohr, he found five other corrals all similar to but smaller than the original find. In these the bodies of slaughtered sheep were found, and the usual wires, with skins drying on them, were a feature of each enclosure. For some days the detective has been acting on "information received," and that information is of a rather startling nature. One of the finds was a shearing pen a few yards away from the big slaughtering yards, and in this, it is alleged a thousand sheep were to be shorn next year. The sheep were to be brought down from Coola, and after disposing of them the thieves proposed to "turn the game up" so far as this district was concerned, and to shift into the Pinnaroo country. One of the chief causes of dissatisfaction with the present theatre was the presence of those tiny red spiders which are responsible for the well-known "tea-tree itch." The thieves are said to have suffered tortures at the hands of these invisible insects and, indeed, al- most every visitor to the locality has suffered for a day or two afterwards from the well-nigh maddening irritation following upon an attack of red spiders. Amongst the several discoveries, bearing on the case which have been made of late may be mentioned the burial ground of a sheepdog, which is alleged to have played an important part in the raids. A dead bullock was also found, and this, it is stated, was slain in order that passers by might be to believe it was the cause of the small arising from the dead sheep. A fine pony stallion belonging to Mr. Chant has also been discovered in an advanced stage of decay, and its death, it is asserted was due to a bullet wound deliberately inflicted. Messrs James Chant and J. C. A. Nitschke have apparently lost hundreds of sheep between them, and theirs are not the only flocks which have been molested. Detective Allchurch has been too busily occupied to search the scrub thoroughly, but he believes that the tea-tree swamps along the shores of Lake Bonney are literally honey- combed with ingeniously concealed enclosures.

An Island in the Scrub.

A Tantanoola correspondent states that on Saturday the authorities went out and discovered other places in the tea-tree used for the slaughter of sheep, and took possession of five more skins. Within a chain of the first yards discovered is another in the heart of the scrub, but no track has been hewn into it, as it was evidently not quite ready for use. In this yard there is a shed, and the tea-tree is packed so as to make the yard nice and dry. Since the tea-tree has been explored an island has been found within 15 yards from the first corral, but evidently the "tiger" has missed it. Had he known of the existence of this he could have carried on his work of slaughtering and skinning without being in a quagmire all the time.

Preparations for Defence.

The Tantanoola correspondent of the "Border Watch," Mount Gambier, gives these additional facts:-

In a corner of Mr. J. C. A. Nitschke's paddock a place has been found where sheep have been slaughtered, and in several nooks in the tea-tree sheep have been driven to the shelter and evidently shot. In one place 11 carcases were found; in another five; and in another three. Some had been skinned, while others had been allowed to rot where they fell. Mr. James Chant, sen., has obtained possession of six more skins. The five-year-old bullock and the two-year-old filly had evidently been shot. These animals were probably disturbed at the smell of blood, and galloped round in such a way as to cause suspicion to passers-by, for the place is near a road that has been a deal frequented by people inspecting the German Creek land lately allotted. It is possible, however, they had been destroyed near the scene so that the smell from them would prevent people searching for any other reason for the stench. There is a charred space in the densest part of the growth, near the original find, where a rough shed was being constructed for future operations, and where sheep could be shorn and the wool kept dry until the opportunity for removal came. The culprits must have been planning work for next season. Knives used in the slaughter were found by the police, and also clothes covered with grass. On Sunday last a number of ladies waded through the slush and mire, and stood amidst the rotting carcases. The police secured photo graphs of the slaughteryard, with the wool in a stack, and skins hung on the wires, for the purpose of evidence, but the wool and skins have been removed. On Sunday an enterprising photographer, hung some sheepskins on the wires, and thus secured realistic negatives. Near the yards a discovery was made which occasions serious thought as to how far the thieves would have gone if driven to bay. A tussock had been improvised as a seat, with a tea-tree bough to hide the marksman, and in front of the seat a forked stick was driven into the ground to act as a rifle rest. The position is such as to give a clear view of the road the approach to the yard.