175:. It was while in prison here that Pearson boasted that he was the inspiration for Boldrewood's Captain Starlight. While in prison he met fellow prisoner Major Patrick Edward Pelly and, from his release, Pearson adopted that name. Upon his release from St Helena, Pearson was re-arrested, tried at Toowoomba, and imprisoned (again as Frank Gordon) in the Toowoomba Gaol for another three months. As Patrick "Frank" Pelly he lived in
147:. Constable McCabe had died from his injury in November and Pearson was charged with murder. Committed for trial on 4 January 1869 Pearson was found guilty at trial on 3 May 1869 and sentenced to death. The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment and he was released in 1884 after fifteen years. The commutation of his sentence was controversial. There is some evidence to suggest that
142:
A police party tracked
Pearson to Mount Gunderbooka but he eluded them in the thick scrub of the mountain. Based at the foot of the mountain and stationing men at the waterholes to prevent Pearson from access to water, the party chased him for three days before capturing him on Christmas Day, in a
97:
and that he had arrived in
Australia in 1866. Later he claimed to be from America; he also told friends that he was born in Mexico of a Spanish mother and Irish father. He used so many aliases that his origins are obscure; however, he may have been connected to a family with the surname
170:
Pearson returned to
Queensland and in 1887 was arrested for forgery and false pretences, under the name of Frank Gordon (alias Dr Lamb), tried in Rockhampton and sentenced to a year in prison in Brisbane. He was admitted to Boggo Road Gaol and shortly afterwards, transferred to
110:
In
September 1868, as Doctor Frank Pearson, he teamed up with stockman Charley Rutherford and robbed the shop, the Yarrambah Post Office, and Angledool Station in New South Wales before heading to Enngonia also in New South Wales, some 100 km (62 mi) from
158:, where they locked the police in their own cells. The leader of the gang then rode his horse into the bar of the Overland Corner Hotel and carved his name into the wall. No trace remains of the name and his identity is disputed with some claiming it was
127:. Both constables opened fire hitting Pearson in the arm and wrist while Pearson returned fire hitting McCabe in the chest. The two bushrangers then fled to Belalie where they stole fresh horses before continuing down the
969:
961:
1429:
73:. Boldrewood, who presumably had some insight into the matter, denied the claim and stated that the character was a composite of several bushrangers of the era, including
78:
1464:
1459:
422:
85:. The cattle thief Readford did not use a pseudonym himself and had no connection with Captain Starlight until the author indicated a possible influence.
93:
Pearson's early life is a mystery as he gave a range of different versions of his background. In his earlier prison records he claimed he was born in
1434:
191:. In Perth he often related elaborate and false stories of his past as a major in the British army and a member of the Russian Czar's bodyguard.
225:
1033:
135:
where they split up and went their separate ways. Pearson travelled north, robbing several stations along the way before heading toward
1017:
199:
On 22 December 1899, Pearson died after accidentally swallowing cyanide. He was drunk and mistook it for his medicine. He is buried in
250:
179:
for around two years, working as a drover. He is not known to have committed any serious crimes during this time. In 1896 he moved to
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953:
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63:
Pearson claimed he was the inspiration for a fictional figure of the same pseudonym: the character
Captain Starlight in
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624:
410:
State of the Record Volume 1 Number 3 2002 (Newsletter of the State
Records Office of Western Australia)
1161:
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755:
685:
654:
132:
39:
35:
336:
993:
765:
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120:
123:
and were making a purchase at the
Shearer's Inn when Pearson and Rutherford entered the inn yelling
1105:
1097:
183:
where, as Major
Patrick Frances Pelly he was employed on the recommendation of the WA Premier, Sir
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31:
1217:
985:
911:
745:
700:
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629:
319:
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811:
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115:. Two police constables, McCabe from New South Wales and McManus from Queensland, set out from
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8:
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229:. Vol. LXX, no. 2109. New South Wales, Australia. 8 December 1900. p. 1353
200:
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1113:
567:
69:
400:
1266:
1251:
1041:
897:
831:
593:
298:
295:
Captain
Starlight: the strange but true story of a bushranger, impostor and murderer
119:
to catch the bushrangers but became lost. The Police patrol stopped for supplies in
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826:
750:
531:
159:
1309:
1057:
868:
680:
557:
426:
407:
254:
176:
271:
154:
According to legend, In 1884 bushrangers stopped at the local police station in
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1073:
873:
863:
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1065:
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379:
128:
74:
1282:
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740:
649:
516:
184:
970:
The Life and
Adventures of John Vane, the Notorious Australian Bushranger
775:
725:
583:
479:
806:
730:
465:
162:. However it is known that Pearson was active in the area at the time.
151:, Parliamentary Speaker of the time, may have influenced the decision.
51:
1392:
816:
801:
349:
55:
977:
526:
770:
94:
434:
143:
small cave, weakened from lack of water and badly bitten by
1430:
Australian people convicted of murdering police officers
1411:
1465:Prisoners sentenced to death by New South Wales
226:The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser
1460:People convicted of murder by New South Wales
450:
50:(c. 1837–22 December 1899) was an Australian
420:Historical tour guide to Karrakatta Cemetery
1034:Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road
376:"South Australia Police Historical Society"
373:
139:, 70 km (43 mi) south of Bourke.
457:
443:
237:– via National Library of Australia.
1435:Australian prisoners sentenced to death
1018:Bushranger's Ransom, or A Ride for Life
14:
1412:
438:
378:. Sapolicehistory.org. Archived from
317:
292:
221:"Starlight, in "Robbery Under Arms.""
1050:Frank Gardiner, the King of the Road
297:. Newport, NSW: Big Sky Publishing.
962:The Girl Who Joined the Bushrangers
189:Western Australia Geological Survey
24:
248:Police Deaths in NSW: McCABE, John
25:
1476:
635:Frank McCallum (Captain Melville)
401:Captain Starlight: Man of Mystery
187:, as a clerk-accountant with the
339:State Library of South Australia
1026:Captain Midnight, the Bush King
930:Bushranging in North Queensland
464:
413:
1455:Burials at Karrakatta Cemetery
1445:Accidental deaths in Australia
1291:True History of the Kelly Gang
1234:True History of the Kelly Gang
394:
367:
342:
337:Bushrangers at Overland Corner
330:
311:
286:
270:. Qppha.com.au. Archived from
260:
241:
213:
13:
1:
1090:The Shadow of Lightning Ridge
1002:A Tale of the Australian Bush
206:
165:
88:
1275:Three Years with Thunderbolt
949:(by Charles MacMahon) (1907)
711:Frank Gardiner–Ben Hall gang
105:
7:
938:The Story of the Kelly Gang
10:
1481:
40:Frank Pearson (drag queen)
36:Frank Pearson (footballer)
29:
1352:
1301:
1244:
994:Attack on the Gold Escort
921:
889:
882:
856:
840:
794:
663:
612:
576:
545:
504:
488:
472:
320:"William Munnings Arnold"
1106:When the Kellys Were Out
1098:The Gentleman Bushranger
957:(by J and N Tait) (1907)
406:18 February 2011 at the
253:19 February 2011 at the
194:
156:Barmera, South Australia
117:Walgett, New South Wales
67:'s novel, of 1882–1883,
32:Frank Pearson (baseball)
30:Not to be confused with
1218:The Outlaw Michael Howe
912:Jim Jones at Botany Bay
645:St Kilda Road robberies
425:12 October 2009 at the
149:William Munnings Arnold
113:Bourke, New South Wales
1226:The Legend of Ben Hall
54:, operating under the
1010:Ben Hall and His Gang
905:The Wild Colonial Boy
848:John Francis Peggotty
736:James Alpin McPherson
203:, Western Australia.
27:Australian bushranger
1154:The Glenrowan Affair
1138:When the Kellys Rode
563:Dignum and Comerford
318:Smith, Jane (2015).
293:Smith, Jane (2015).
1450:Deaths by poisoning
1162:Captain Thunderbolt
781:Captain Thunderbolt
655:John "Rocky" Whelan
382:on 23 November 2008
350:"Captain Starlight"
201:Karrakatta Cemetery
1369:Ballad for One Gun
1259:Robbery Under Arms
1194:Robbery Under Arms
1170:Robbery Under Arms
1082:Robbery Under Arms
954:Robbery Under Arms
946:Robbery Under Arms
257:The Thin Blue Line
70:Robbery Under Arms
59:Captain Starlight.
1407:
1406:
1403:
1402:
1252:Jerilderie Letter
898:Streets of Forbes
832:Captain Starlight
594:Lawrence Kavenagh
374:Charlie Tredrea.
354:Captain Starlight
324:Captain Starlight
173:St. Helena Island
137:Mount Gunderbooka
18:Captain Starlight
16:(Redirected from
1472:
887:
886:
827:Captain Moonlite
604:William Westwood
532:Alexander Pearce
459:
452:
445:
436:
435:
429:
417:
411:
398:
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391:
389:
387:
371:
365:
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328:
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309:
308:
290:
284:
283:
281:
279:
274:on 17 March 2012
264:
258:
245:
239:
238:
236:
234:
217:
160:Captain Moonlite
83:Captain Midnight
77:, and primarily
21:
1480:
1479:
1475:
1474:
1473:
1471:
1470:
1469:
1410:
1409:
1408:
1399:
1385:The Last Outlaw
1348:
1310:The Bushrangers
1297:
1240:
1210:The Proposition
1114:Trooper O'Brien
1058:The Lady Outlaw
917:
883:Popular culture
878:
869:Patrick Kenniff
852:
836:
822:Johnny Campbell
790:
681:Clarke brothers
659:
640:George Melville
608:
572:
558:Jack the Rammer
541:
500:
484:
468:
463:
433:
432:
427:Wayback Machine
418:
414:
408:Wayback Machine
399:
395:
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383:
372:
368:
358:
356:
348:
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335:
331:
316:
312:
305:
291:
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268:"Frank Pearson"
266:
265:
261:
255:Wayback Machine
246:
242:
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197:
177:South Australia
168:
108:
91:
65:Rolf Boldrewood
43:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1398:
1397:
1389:
1381:
1373:
1365:
1356:
1354:
1350:
1349:
1347:
1346:
1345:(1978 musical)
1338:
1330:
1322:
1318:The Kelly Gang
1314:
1305:
1303:
1299:
1298:
1296:
1295:
1287:
1279:
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1255:
1248:
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1206:
1198:
1190:
1186:Mad Dog Morgan
1182:
1174:
1166:
1158:
1150:
1142:
1134:
1126:
1122:The Bushranger
1118:
1110:
1102:
1094:
1086:
1078:
1074:The Kelly Gang
1070:
1062:
1054:
1046:
1038:
1030:
1022:
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1006:
998:
990:
982:
974:
966:
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923:
919:
918:
916:
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884:
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874:Jessie Hickman
871:
866:
864:Jimmy Governor
860:
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837:
835:
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773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
706:Frank Gardiner
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
678:
673:
667:
665:
661:
660:
658:
657:
652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
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625:George Francis
622:
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571:
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524:
522:Thomas Jeffrey
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75:Henry Readford
26:
9:
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1278:(1905 memoir)
1277:
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948:
947:
943:
940:
939:
935:
932:
931:
927:
926:
924:
920:
914:" (ca. 1820s)
913:
909:
906:
902:
899:
895:
894:
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875:
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870:
867:
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849:
846:
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839:
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828:
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823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
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803:
800:
799:
797:
793:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
761:Frank Pearson
759:
757:
756:George Palmer
754:
752:
751:John O'Meally
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
691:Patrick Daley
689:
687:
686:Larry Cummins
684:
682:
679:
677:
676:Mary Ann Bugg
674:
672:
669:
668:
666:
662:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
630:Henry Garrett
628:
626:
623:
621:
618:
617:
615:
611:
605:
602:
600:
599:Daniel Priest
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
585:
582:
581:
579:
575:
569:
566:
564:
561:
559:
556:
554:
551:
550:
548:
544:
538:
535:
533:
530:
528:
525:
523:
520:
518:
515:
513:
512:Matthew Brady
510:
509:
507:
503:
497:
494:
493:
491:
487:
481:
478:
477:
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471:
467:
460:
455:
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437:
428:
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409:
405:
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397:
381:
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345:
338:
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325:
321:
314:
306:
304:9781925275308
300:
296:
289:
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263:
256:
252:
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228:
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216:
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186:
182:
178:
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161:
157:
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150:
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140:
138:
134:
130:
129:Darling River
126:
122:
118:
114:
103:
101:
96:
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
71:
66:
61:
60:
57:
53:
49:
48:Frank Pearson
45:
41:
37:
33:
19:
1420:1830s births
1391:
1383:
1375:
1367:
1359:
1340:
1332:
1324:
1316:
1308:
1294:(2001 novel)
1289:
1286:(1991 novel)
1283:Our Sunshine
1281:
1273:
1270:(1905 novel)
1265:
1262:(1882 novel)
1257:
1232:
1224:
1216:
1208:
1200:
1192:
1184:
1176:
1168:
1160:
1152:
1146:Captain Fury
1144:
1136:
1128:
1120:
1112:
1104:
1096:
1088:
1080:
1072:
1064:
1056:
1048:
1040:
1032:
1024:
1016:
1008:
1000:
992:
984:
976:
968:
960:
952:
944:
936:
928:
907:" (ca. 1830)
900:" (ca. 1865)
766:John Peisley
760:
741:Moondyne Joe
716:John Gilbert
650:Owen Suffolk
620:John Francis
589:George Jones
553:Edward Davis
537:John Tennant
517:Jack Donahue
496:Michael Howe
415:
396:
384:. Retrieved
380:the original
369:
357:. Retrieved
353:
344:
332:
323:
313:
294:
288:
276:. Retrieved
272:the original
262:
243:
231:. Retrieved
224:
215:
198:
185:John Forrest
169:
153:
141:
124:
109:
99:
92:
82:
79:Thomas Smith
68:
62:
58:
47:
46:
44:
1440:Bushrangers
1425:1899 deaths
1337:(1942 play)
1329:(1905 play)
1326:Thunderbolt
1321:(1899 play)
1313:(1834 play)
986:Thunderbolt
795:1870s–1880s
776:Harry Power
726:John Kerney
584:Martin Cash
568:Ribbon Gang
480:John Caesar
466:Bushrangers
1414:Categories
1353:Television
1245:Literature
1042:Dan Morgan
890:Folk songs
807:Steve Hart
746:Dan Morgan
731:Fred Lowry
701:John Foley
207:References
166:Later life
89:Early life
52:bushranger
1393:Wild Boys
1361:Ned Kelly
1342:Ned Kelly
1334:Ned Kelly
1267:Stingaree
1202:Ned Kelly
1178:Ned Kelly
1130:Stingaree
817:Ned Kelly
812:Dan Kelly
802:Joe Byrne
786:John Vane
696:John Dunn
145:bull ants
133:Pooncarie
106:Notoriety
56:pseudonym
1377:Ben Hall
1066:Moondyne
978:Moonlite
721:Ben Hall
527:Musquito
423:Archived
404:Archived
386:19 March
278:19 March
251:Archived
233:21 April
131:to near
121:Enngonia
81:, alias
771:Sam Poo
671:Bluecap
359:9 April
125:Bail Up
1396:(2011)
1388:(1980)
1380:(1975)
1372:(1963)
1364:(1959)
1254:(1879)
1237:(2019)
1229:(2016)
1221:(2013)
1213:(2005)
1205:(2003)
1197:(1985)
1189:(1976)
1181:(1970)
1173:(1957)
1165:(1953)
1157:(1951)
1149:(1939)
1141:(1934)
1133:(1934)
1125:(1928)
1117:(1928)
1109:(1922)
1101:(1921)
1093:(1920)
1085:(1920)
1077:(1920)
1069:(1913)
1061:(1911)
1053:(1911)
1045:(1911)
1037:(1911)
1029:(1911)
1021:(1911)
1013:(1911)
1005:(1911)
997:(1911)
989:(1910)
981:(1910)
973:(1910)
965:(1909)
941:(1906)
933:(1904)
301:
100:Arnold
95:London
1302:Stage
857:1900s
841:1890s
664:1860s
613:1850s
577:1840s
546:1830s
505:1820s
489:1810s
473:1700s
195:Death
181:Perth
38:, or
922:Film
388:2012
361:2016
299:ISBN
280:2012
235:2021
1416::
352:.
322:.
223:.
102:.
34:,
910:"
903:"
896:"
458:e
451:t
444:v
390:.
363:.
326:.
307:.
282:.
42:.
20:)
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