Charles Rutherford (6 September 1869) was an Australian
bushranger
Bushrangers were armed robbers and outlaws who resided in The bush#Australia, the Australian bush between the 1780s and the early 20th century. The original use of the term dates back to the early years of the British colonisation of Australia ...
who, in the late 1860s, went on a crime spree with
Frank Pearson, alias Captain Starlight, in the north-west of
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
.
Rutherford and Pearson raided
station
Station may refer to:
Agriculture
* Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production
* Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle
** Cattle statio ...
s and isolated settlements. During one shootout with the police, Rutherford killed a constable. After Pearson's capture in December 1868, Rutherford remained at large for nine months, eluding the police until he was shot dead while holding up a hotel.
Life
Rutherford's early life is largely unknown, though he is believed to have been Australian-born. He worked as a
stockman and
horsebreaker at
Gunningbar Creek, in the
Central West of
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
. It was here, in September 1868, that he met
Frank Pearson, who lured him into bushranging. The pair began raiding
station
Station may refer to:
Agriculture
* Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production
* Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle
** Cattle statio ...
s, stealing prized race horses in the process.
Arriving at the
Warrego in early October, they held up the Shearer's Inn in
Enngonia, unaware that two constables on their trail had come in earlier for refreshments. A shoot-out ensued; Rutherford shot and killed Constable McCabe while Pearson was wounded in the wrist and shoulder. The bushrangers fled with police and volunteers in pursuit. They continued raiding stations and robbing mail coaches into December. On Christmas Day, the police found Pearson hiding in a cave in the ranges around
Gundabooka. He was arrested and later imprisoned.
Rutherford remained at large, operating in the Lower Darling Region and targeting isolated settlements. In March, in
Booligal, he expressed guilt for his actions, telling one hostage: "I know there's a rope waiting for me, and I don’t care how soon I am shot; I'm sorry for what I've done, but it can't be helped now."
"Rutherford, the Darling Bushranger"
''South Australian Register'' (Adelaide). 1 March 1869. p. 2. Retrieved 12 November 2024. His depredations continued over the next few months, from the Nandewar Ranges to Canonba, and the Government of New South Wales
The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...
offered £100 for his capture.
In September 1869, Rutherford held up the Pine Ridge Hotel, near Warren. He attempted to rob the publican, a man named Beauvais. He attacked Rutherford and, during the scuffle, the bushranger's gun went off and a bullet entered his jaw. He died the following morning.
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rutherford, Charles
1869 deaths
Bushrangers
People from New South Wales