‘Thornton fired at me with his revolver, and I immediately returned the fire, and a general scuffle ensued; I was struggling with Thornton about 20 minutes; he was a very strong man; Constable Shaw charged him in the back with a bayonet, when he fell back from me; there was only a small fire, and no candle until it was nearly all over when I called for a light, and the old man lighted a candle; there were a great many firearms on the bed, all of which were loaded; there was sufficient light in the room for any person outside to see what was going on through the window; I know Thornton some time ago; the deceased is the same person I knew to be Thornton, alias Sydney Jim.’*

^Footnotes

^{* (Hobart) Courier, 1 October 1858, p 3}

‘I am overseer in charge of Mr. Bisdee's station at the Pine Tier; I recollect the 29th September; I was at home on that night; my wife was also at home, and an old man named Hayward; there were three constables in my bed room; Thornton came to my house on that night about 10 o'clock; I was in bed with my wife; there was a knock at the window; I did not answer at first; I answered very sharply the second or third time; some one said get up and open the door; [I] could not say who knocked at the window; I supposed it was Thornton and Stewart who had been before; I got up and opened the door when Thornton and Stewart advanced with their guns cocked…

‘I asked them if they would have some refreshment; they said yes, as they had not anything that day. After a time I asked if they were going to stay all night, as it was time for bed; they said they were going to stay, and told me to get them an opossum rug or two. I told them I had only one and a mattress which I shook down for them; I do not recollect that my wife assisted me; Stewart went to bed with a revolver in his hand; Thornton made off to the bed, and went down on his knee, with a revolver in one hand, and unlaced his boots with the other. After he had gone to bed I thought they might have put their fire-arms under their beds, but I found, they both kept revolvers in their hands; I returned to the bed-room and said to the Sergeant, there is no opportunity but for you and Shaw to charge Thornton, and I and Waller to charge Stewart. The constables at this time were sitting on a small place where my child slept; they stood up with their guns in readiness, and came round by the door of the room where the bushrangers were lying, McIvor a little in advance of the other constables, and in the doorway. He called out, ‘Surrender, men’. I heard the click of a plate, which did not go off. Both the bushrangers were sitting up in their beds with revolvers. The constables fired instantly and made a rush on them ... I caught Stewart by the hand, and Waller assisted. As soon as McIvor fired, Thornton rushed him and caught him by the neck, and said ‘Hold him, dog’ that was, speaking to a big dog he had with him. After that I saw no more, as my back was turned to them. The scuffle lasted about two minutes, not more; all resistance on the part of Thornton ceased, and the constables came to my assistance.’*

_Footnotes

_{* Evidence given by Luke Bradley at the inquest of William Thornton, alias Sydney Jim, reported in the(Hobart) Courier, Wednesday 13 October 1858}

‘The notorious bushranger, Daniel Stewart, alias ‘Wingy’, and his mate, William Thornton, alias ‘Sydney Jim’, have at length been stopped in their career. They were fallen in with at 12 o'clock on the night of the 29th ultimo (Wednesday last), by Sergeant McIvor [sic] and a party of the general Police sent out by Mr. Forster, Inspector of Police, at a hut belonging to Mr. Bisdee, on the Pine Tier, in the Marlborough District.

‘Thornton was shot dead, but the circumstances attendant upon his death have not reached town. ‘Wingy’ was wounded, but in what part of the body has not yet been ascertained here.

‘The apprehending constables, who belong to the Inspector's Reserve Force, have received no injury.’*

_Footnotes

_{* (Hobart) Courier, 1 October 1858, p 3}