While George covered the police, Mathew and John unloaded the ten strong boxes from the roof of the coach. After securing the police to the wheels of the coach they apologised for the shooting, justifying it as self-defence.
‘Rest assured you will be caught and hanged for this outrageous and brutal crime,’ said the Police Commissioner.
John approached the commissioner and looked into his cold dark eyes. ‘If your man hadn’t tried to kill us he’d still be alive.’
The Banshees mounted their horses and led away their packhorses, which were struggling with the weight of the strong boxes, filled with gold.
They arrived at the cave an hour later and proceeded to break open the boxes. They were delighted at what they found.
Retirement
It’s not at what age you retire it’s when you have sufficient funds
Chapter 11
The decision was made to bury eight of the ten boxes in the cave, so it would be less conspicuous returning to town. When the first box was taken from the mine shaft and assayed, one of the Banshees would return for the next box this procedure would continue until all the gold had been legitimised by the Gold Commissioner. Mathew estimated it would take twelve months at least before all the booty had been assayed.
The Banshees resumed their street clothes, staggering their return over the next four hours. Mathew was the first to return to the hotel, carrying a strong box. He hid it in the stables until his two friends returned with the other box. They agreed to meet at the hotel the following night to discuss their plans for the future. John was quite shaken up by the shooting of the constable.
When Mathew went down to the breakfast room in the morning, the place was abuzz with talk about the robbery and how a policeman had been murdered.
The hotel proprietor agreed with his guests, condemning the vile act and suggesting that these murderous thieves should all be hanged.
The entire town of Ballarat was talking about the heinous crime including the diggers on the goldfields.
At 7 pm John and George arrived at the Golden Nugget and proceeded immediately to Mathew’s suite. It was a strange atmosphere. On the one hand, they were euphoric with the amount of gold they had amassed from the robbery and on the other hand they were distressed that Reilly had been killed.
‘Gentlemen we have obtained £47,467 (£47,467 equates to $4,000,000 in 2016) in the three bail ups we have conducted this year apart from George’s flesh wound we have all come out of our adventures unscathed,’ Mathew said. ‘My strong recommendation is we retire, disbanding the Banshees forever more. We will naturally launder the gold through the regular channel, and when that exercise is completed, we get on with our normal lives; all very wealthy men.’
‘I agree entirely. We quit while we are ahead,’ said George.
‘What about you, John? You seem very pensive,’ said Mathew.
‘I agree now is the time to call it quits. I’d like to donate £2,500 (£2,500 equates to $190,000) to the widow of Constable Reilly. At least it should help her raise her two children.’
‘I think we should all contribute, John. It wasn’t your fault,’ said Mathew.
An anonymous donation was made to Reilly’s widow via the Victorian Police.
George and John continued the charade of working the mine for the next twelve months. They had become known as the most successful gold miners on the Ballarat goldfields.
One night a week, usually Friday, John would partake in a poker game at the Golden Nugget. He continued his winning ways and although he did suffer some significant losses he was well up overall.
The Golden Nugget continued to prosper with Mathew being regarded as one of Ballarat’s most esteemed businessmen.
1 August 1858
Mathew was enjoying his dinner in the hotel’s dining room with a young woman, Elizabeth Gallbally, who was visiting from Melbourne. She came from one of Melbourne’s richest and distinguished families which had developed large cattle and sheep properties in the Gippsland area. Mathew had been introduced to Elizabeth by his good friend the Chief Magistrate of Victoria, Sir William Foster Stawell. The two men had met at a race meeting at Flemington Racecourse and later purchased a yearling filly together.
The publican heard a woman yelling in the reception area. He excused himself to determine what the fuss was all about.
‘Madam, what on earth is the matter?’
‘There’s a woman being attacked in the room next to mine! You need to save her or I’m sure she will be murdered.’
‘What room number are you in?’
‘I’m in 206 and she’s in 208.’
Mathew moved fast. ‘Harry, take this lady into the saloon bar and give her a drink to calm her down. Sam, come with me.’ He went to his office, opened the safe and took out his Hollis & Sheath pistols. He gave one to Sam, his senior porter. As they climbed the stairs to the second floor, they could both hear the screaming coming from room 208.
‘Open the door or we’ll break it down!’ yelled Mathew.
There was no response.
‘Sam, break down the door.’
Sam stepped back and took a flying leap at the hotel room door, hitting it hard. He was thrown back against the opposite wall. He got back up and was about to try again when Mathew stopped him. ‘You’ll never do it Sam I’ll shoot the lock.’
Mathew aimed the pistol and fired at the lock, shattering it and leaving the door ajar. The two men raced in, pistols drawn, only to find a young woman on the bed with two babies still connected by their umbilical cords.
‘My God, are you all right, madam?’
The woman gasped and tried to sit up. ‘I think so… how are my babies?’
‘Well, they’re crying; that’s a good sign.’ Mathew hoped that was right.
‘Can I see them, please?’
Mathew picked up one baby at a time, one boy, one girl and placed them on the young woman’s chest.
‘They’re beautiful, thank you.’
‘Sam will stay with you. I’ll go and get someone that will be able to help you. What’s your name?’
‘Annabelle.’
‘You’ve done very well Annabelle. I won’t be long.’
Mathew went downstairs and instructed one of the waitresses to call on Doctor Higgins to come quickly to check both the mother and her babies.
The doctor arrived thirty minutes later. He examined Annabelle first and then the twins. Having satisfied himself that all three were well, he severed the cords and cleaned the babies.
‘Well, young lady, where is the father?’ asked Doctor Higgins.
‘He died in a mining accident three months ago.’
‘Oh, I am sorry to hear that. How are you going to support these children?’
‘I can’t. I’m going to put them up for adoption.’
‘That is a shame but practical nonetheless. I can help you arrange the adoption if you like.’
‘Thank