John Vane (16 June 1842 – 30 January 1906) was an Australian bushranger who joined with John Gilbert's gang for a short period during 1863. He rode with Gilbert, Ben Hall, John O’Meally and his friend Mick Burke, all of whom eventually met violent deaths.Certain websites make statements such as: "John Vane was the only member of the gang of 1863 to survive", which is not correct; other members of John Gilbert and Ben Hall's gang during 1863 (prior to Vane joining), such as Patrick Daley, Henry Gibson and John Jamieson, did not meet with violent deaths. Burke, who had been Vane's childhood friend, died in a violent gun-fight at 'Dunn's Plains', near Rockley. Vane managed to avoid the fate of his companions when he gave himself up. In 1905 Vane collaborated with author and newspaper editor, Charles White, in recording his recollections of the period he spent as part of the bushranging gangs led by Gilbert, Hall and O'Meally. Vane's biography, edited by White, was published in 1908 (two years after Vane's death).
Biography
Early life
John Vane was born on 16 June 1842 at Jerrys Plains on the Hunter River, the fifth-born of the children of William Vane and Ann (née Miller). In about 1848 William and Ann Vane and their growing family relocated to the Kelso parish near Bathurst, and soon afterwards to 'Teasdale Park' station (south-east of Carcoar).Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 12-14. William Vane found work on pastoral runs, primarily employed as a timber cutter and splitter.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), page 16. In 1850 the family were living on Hanrahan's station at the Weddin Mountains to the west of Grenfell and the following year at 'Kempfield' station in the Trunkey Creek district where they remained for about five years. During the period at 'Kempfield' young Johnny worked as a shepherd, looking after a flock of sheep on the unfenced run. Vane later claimed it was with his wages as a shepherd that enabled his father to pay the deposit on a block of land in the Trunkey Creek district.
In 1856 fourteen year-old John Vane was apprenticed to a blacksmith and wheelwright in Bathurst, where he remained for two years. Having grown "tired of confinement and monotonous work on low pay" Vane "'cleared out' for the Turon gold diggings", about 30 miles north-east of Bathurst, where he found work at good wages.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), page 14. By the early 1860s Vane was working for Mr. Murray and his partner, in charge of a bullock team carrying goods between Orange and their pastoral station on the Lachlan River.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 15-16.
After returning to his parents' farm near Trunkey Creek, Vane joined up with several other young men of his acquaintance, including Mick Burke and Mick's cousin Jim Burke, and engaged in 'cattle duffing' in the hilly country west of Trunkey Creek where strayed and unbranded cattle could be found. On their first venture into cattle stealing Vane and his companions gathered a mob and drove them to Neville (then known as 'Number One') from where they were sold “to different parties in the district” for an average of £5 per head.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 16-20.
Armed robbery
Vane's first foray into armed robbery is recounted in his biography written with Charles White. He describes how he and Jim Burke, after selling a mob of cattle they had rounded up, were "drinking and otherwise amusing ourselves" at Thomas Chesher's public house near 'Teasdale Park' station (about half-way along the road between Trunkey Creek and Blayney); they noticed a Chinese man riding past the inn along the road towards Bathurst, probably having come from the Trunkey diggings. On a whim Vane grabbed the landlord's revolver from the bar and a box of caps (though without ammunition) and he and Burke then rode after the man and bailed him up with the unloaded weapon. The man claimed to have no money, but eventually they found a bag hidden in the horse's tail containing a £5 note and two ounces of gold, which the two young lawbreakers stole and then returned to the hotel.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 21-24.
On the Thursday evening, 12 February 1863, three men with their faces blackened arrived at Michael Boyce's inn at Long Swamp, 12 miles from Rockley, and held up the publican, his wife and customers Joseph Sergeant and his wife. One of the men was armed with a revolver and the occupants were robbed of eleven shillings and sixpence.Robbery Under Arms, Yass Courier, 5 September 1863, page 4.Bathurst Quarter Sessions, Empire (Sydney), 2 October 1863, page 2; abridged from the Bathurst Free Press. In his biography John Vane claims it was he and Jim Burke who, unarmed, tried to rob Boyce's public-house, but those present "soon saw that we did not mean anything serious" and invited them to join the group in a game of cards.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 24-25. However, Boyce reported the robbery to the Bathurst police and after investigations were undertaken, three young men from the district were charged with the crime – John Vane's brother Billy, Jim Burke and George Chesher – each of them identified by an accomplice, John McKellar, who agreed to testify against the others. A warrant was also issued for John Vane's arrest as he had been identified by Joseph Sargeant as being involved in the robbery. William Vane, James Burke and George Chesher were indicted for the robbery at Boyce's public-house and tried in the Bathurst Quarter Sessions on 24 September 1863. The evidence against the three was dependent on McKellar's testimony, but as a result of a lack of supporting evidence and the other witnesses being unable to identify the prisoners, they were all acquitted.The Bushrangers: Breaking Up of the Gang. Surrender of Vane, Empire (Sydney), 24 November 1863, page 2; reprinted from the Bathurst Times.
John Gilbert's gang
Vane spent the next several months "dodging about keeping out of the way of the police", which included a period in the Abercrombie Mountains camped at Pound Creek, where his friends kept him "supplied with provisions and information".Vane & White (ed.) (1908), page 35. In late July 1863 Vane visited the Cowra district where he stole six horses. On his return to Number One with the horses he received a message, conveyed by a boy and sent from the bushranger, John O'Meally, asking if Vane could meet with him and John Gilbert at Milpost Creek (about ten miles from Number One). Vane had previously met O'Meally on a number of occasions when he was droving cattle near the Weddin Mountains. When he met with O'Meally and Gilbert at Milpost Creek, during the course of the conversation they asked Vane to join them, to which he agreed.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 53-54.
Several days later O'Meally questioned Vane about the location of the bank at Carcoar. O'Meally, who was unfamiliar with the township, was mainly concerned with being able to reach the bank without passing by the police station. In the middle of the day on Thursday, 30 July 1863, Gilbert and O'Meally were thwarted in their attempt to rob the Commercial Bank at Carcoar, the pair abandoning the attempt when the alarm was raised before they could carry out the robbery. Vane was not involved in the actual attempt, as he was considered to be too well-known in the township.Attempt to Rob the Bank at Carcoar – A Store Stuck Up at Caloola, Empire (Sydney), 4 August 1863, page 2; reprinted from the Bathurst Times, 1 August 1863.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), 'Chapter XII. Attack Upon the Carcoar Bank', pages 58-65.
On Friday, 31 July 1863, Gilbert, O'Meally and Vane arrived at the store belonging to "Alick the Greek" on Mountain Run Creek near the Abercrombie River, two miles from Trunkey Creek. Vane remained a short distance away while Gilbert and O'Meally demanded money from the storekeeper and his wife. The Greek storekeeper managed to escape, leaving his wife to deal with the bushrangers; after a search of the premises only fifteen shillings was found. From there the gang rode towards Trunkey Creek where they stuck up Stapleton's public-house, including a crowd of miners assembled at the premises. They also robbed stores belonging to Robert Jamison and Mr. Dominique. It was recorded that the robberies were carried out with "considerable violence".More Sticking Up, Sydney Mail, 15 August 1863, page 3; reprinted from the Bathurst Free Press, 8 August 1863.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 54-57.
After these events the gang camped in the Carcoar district “and kept quiet for a time”, during which they made contact with Michael Burke, a friend of Vane's since childhood. Gilbert and O'Meally made it known they "would give a couple of pounds for two good horses in good condition" and Mick Burke offered to steal horses from the stables at Thomas Icely's 'Coombing Park' estate near Carcoar. Being aware that the groom at 'Coombing Park' kept a gun in the harness-room, Burke told them "he ought to have a revolver when he went to the place", to which O'Meally responded by handing him a gun. On the evening of 2 August 1863 Burke and "another lad" visited Icely's stables. As Burke was leading out two horses he was seen by the groom (known as "Charley the German"), who fired at him; Burke fired his revolver in return, hitting the groom in the mouth. When he delivered the horses the next day Burke, having “shot a man”, asked to join the gang.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 66-71.Bathurst, Kiama Independent and Illawarra and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 11 August 1863, page 3.
It was decided to split the gang and focus on the mail coaches on separate roads, with Vane and Burke to go to the Cowra district while Gilbert and O'Meally remained in camp to attend to the Carcoar to Bathurst road. On their way Vane and Burke stuck up some Chinese miners on the Abercrombie River, obtaining a small amount of gold dust. They camped near the road between Carcoar and Cowra to await the mail coach. Vane left to attend to some personal business and was delayed in returning, to find Burke had stopped the coach himself, but managed to get only £3 from the passengers.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 72-73. After a week they rejoined their companions in the Carcoar district. During their absence, on 6 August 1863, Gilbert and O'Meally had attempted to bail up the Carcoar to Bathurst coach, but were surprised to find it contained a police escort conveying prisoners to Bathurst. In the ensuing gunfight one of the policemen was wounded.Desperate Affray With Bushrangers, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 August 1863, page 5; reprinted from the Bathurst Times of 8 August 1863.
Police activity increased after the attack on the coach near Carcoar, with every road “being watched closely by the police”. It was decided for this reason to re-locate to the Young district to join up with Gilbert and O'Meally's comrade, Ben Hall.Vane & White (ed.) (1908), pages 78-79.
Young district
On 13 August 1863 "a band consisting of four finely mounted robbers, headed by Gilbert" was seen in the neighbourhood of Marengo, 15 miles east of Young.Marengo, Yass Courier, 19 August 1863, page 2. Gilbert, O'Meally, Vane and Burke joined with Ben Hall at his campsite on 'Mimmegong' station (now known as 'Memagong'), west of Young. In his biography Vane states that, from when the bushrangers met up, Hall "became our leader".Vane & White (ed.) (1908), page 80.