164:. 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
136:. 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
131:
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
86:
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
159:
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
99:
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
147:, 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
958:
116:. 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
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62:. 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
1423:
214:
411:
1022:
74:. The cattle thief Readford did not use a pseudonym himself and had no connection with Captain Starlight until the author indicated a possible influence.
1006:
82:
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
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180:. 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.
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where they split up and went their separate ways. Pearson travelled north, robbing several stations along the way before heading toward
188:
On 22 December 1899, Pearson died after accidentally swallowing cyanide. He was drunk and mistook it for his medicine. He is buried in
239:
168:
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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Pearson claimed he was the inspiration for a fictional figure of the same pseudonym: the character
Captain Starlight in
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State of the Record Volume 1 Number 3 2002 (Newsletter of the State
Records Office of Western Australia)
325:
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112:
and were making a purchase at the
Shearer's Inn when Pearson and Rutherford entered the inn yelling
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where, as Major
Patrick Frances Pelly he was employed on the recommendation of the WA Premier, Sir
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104:. Two police constables, McCabe from New South Wales and McManus from Queensland, set out from
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218:. Vol. LXX, no. 2109. New South Wales, Australia. 8 December 1900. p. 1353
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623:
510:
133:
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679:
664:
587:
500:
117:
63:
284:
Captain
Starlight: the strange but true story of a bushranger, impostor and murderer
108:
to catch the bushrangers but became lost. The Police patrol stopped for supplies in
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729:
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505:
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260:
143:
According to legend, In 1884 bushrangers stopped at the local police station in
795:
719:
454:
209:
40:
368:
1381:
805:
790:
44:
1054:
966:
959:
The Life and
Adventures of John Vane, the Notorious Australian Bushranger
515:
759:
151:. However it is known that Pearson was active in the area at the time.
140:, Parliamentary Speaker of the time, may have influenced the decision.
338:
83:
427:
423:
132:
small cave, weakened from lack of water and badly bitten by
1419:
Australian people convicted of murdering police officers
1341:
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1233:
910:
878:
871:
845:
829:
783:
652:
601:
565:
534:
493:
477:
461:
1454:Prisoners sentenced to death by New South Wales
215:The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser
1449:People convicted of murder by New South Wales
439:
39:(c. 1837–22 December 1899) was an Australian
8:
409:Historical tour guide to Karrakatta Cemetery
1023:Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road
365:"South Australia Police Historical Society"
128:, 70 km (43 mi) south of Bourke.
875:
446:
432:
424:
226:– via National Library of Australia.
1424:Australian prisoners sentenced to death
1007:Bushranger's Ransom, or A Ride for Life
201:
367:. Sapolicehistory.org. Archived from
210:"Starlight, in "Robbery Under Arms.""
7:
1039:Frank Gardiner, the King of the Road
286:. Newport, NSW: Big Sky Publishing.
951:The Girl Who Joined the Bushrangers
178:Western Australia Geological Survey
237:Police Deaths in NSW: McCABE, John
14:
624:Frank McCallum (Captain Melville)
390:Captain Starlight: Man of Mystery
176:, as a clerk-accountant with the
328:State Library of South Australia
1015:Captain Midnight, the Bush King
919:Bushranging in North Queensland
1444:Burials at Karrakatta Cemetery
1434:Accidental deaths in Australia
1280:True History of the Kelly Gang
1223:True History of the Kelly Gang
326:Bushrangers at Overland Corner
259:. Qppha.com.au. Archived from
1:
1079:The Shadow of Lightning Ridge
991:A Tale of the Australian Bush
1264:Three Years with Thunderbolt
938:(by Charles MacMahon) (1907)
700:Frank Gardiner–Ben Hall gang
927:The Story of the Kelly Gang
1470:
29:Frank Pearson (drag queen)
25:Frank Pearson (footballer)
18:
983:Attack on the Gold Escort
309:"William Munnings Arnold"
1095:When the Kellys Were Out
1087:The Gentleman Bushranger
946:(by J and N Tait) (1907)
395:18 February 2011 at the
242:19 February 2011 at the
145:Barmera, South Australia
106:Walgett, New South Wales
56:'s novel, of 1882–1883,
21:Frank Pearson (baseball)
19:Not to be confused with
1207:The Outlaw Michael Howe
901:Jim Jones at Botany Bay
634:St Kilda Road robberies
414:12 October 2009 at the
138:William Munnings Arnold
102:Bourke, New South Wales
1215:The Legend of Ben Hall
43:, operating under the
999:Ben Hall and His Gang
894:The Wild Colonial Boy
837:John Francis Peggotty
725:James Alpin McPherson
192:, Western Australia.
16:Australian bushranger
1143:The Glenrowan Affair
1127:When the Kellys Rode
552:Dignum and Comerford
307:Smith, Jane (2015).
282:Smith, Jane (2015).
1439:Deaths by poisoning
1151:Captain Thunderbolt
770:Captain Thunderbolt
644:John "Rocky" Whelan
371:on 23 November 2008
339:"Captain Starlight"
190:Karrakatta Cemetery
1358:Ballad for One Gun
1248:Robbery Under Arms
1183:Robbery Under Arms
1159:Robbery Under Arms
1071:Robbery Under Arms
943:Robbery Under Arms
935:Robbery Under Arms
246:The Thin Blue Line
59:Robbery Under Arms
48:Captain Starlight.
1396:
1395:
1392:
1391:
1241:Jerilderie Letter
887:Streets of Forbes
821:Captain Starlight
583:Lawrence Kavenagh
363:Charlie Tredrea.
343:Captain Starlight
313:Captain Starlight
162:St. Helena Island
126:Mount Gunderbooka
1461:
876:
816:Captain Moonlite
593:William Westwood
521:Alexander Pearce
448:
441:
434:
425:
418:
406:
400:
387:
381:
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378:
376:
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349:
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317:
316:
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297:
279:
273:
272:
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268:
263:on 17 March 2012
253:
247:
234:
228:
227:
225:
223:
206:
149:Captain Moonlite
72:Captain Midnight
66:, and primarily
1469:
1468:
1464:
1463:
1462:
1460:
1459:
1458:
1399:
1398:
1397:
1388:
1374:The Last Outlaw
1337:
1299:The Bushrangers
1286:
1229:
1199:The Proposition
1103:Trooper O'Brien
1047:The Lady Outlaw
906:
872:Popular culture
867:
858:Patrick Kenniff
841:
825:
811:Johnny Campbell
779:
670:Clarke brothers
648:
629:George Melville
597:
561:
547:Jack the Rammer
530:
489:
473:
457:
452:
422:
421:
416:Wayback Machine
407:
403:
397:Wayback Machine
388:
384:
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257:"Frank Pearson"
255:
254:
250:
244:Wayback Machine
235:
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186:
166:South Australia
157:
97:
80:
54:Rolf Boldrewood
32:
17:
12:
11:
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1336:
1335:
1334:(1978 musical)
1327:
1319:
1311:
1307:The Kelly Gang
1303:
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1195:
1187:
1179:
1175:Mad Dog Morgan
1171:
1163:
1155:
1147:
1139:
1131:
1123:
1115:
1111:The Bushranger
1107:
1099:
1091:
1083:
1075:
1067:
1063:The Kelly Gang
1059:
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1043:
1035:
1027:
1019:
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863:Jessie Hickman
860:
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853:Jimmy Governor
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695:Frank Gardiner
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636:
631:
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614:George Francis
611:
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511:Thomas Jeffrey
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64:Henry Readford
15:
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1267:(1905 memoir)
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937:
936:
932:
929:
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921:
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916:
915:
913:
909:
903:" (ca. 1820s)
902:
898:
895:
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799:
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788:
786:
782:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
750:Frank Pearson
748:
746:
745:George Palmer
743:
741:
740:John O'Meally
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
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701:
698:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
680:Patrick Daley
678:
676:
675:Larry Cummins
673:
671:
668:
666:
665:Mary Ann Bugg
663:
661:
658:
657:
655:
651:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
619:Henry Garrett
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
606:
604:
600:
594:
591:
589:
588:Daniel Priest
586:
584:
581:
579:
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539:
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533:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
504:
502:
501:Matthew Brady
499:
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480:
476:
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344:
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293:9781925275308
289:
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119:
118:Darling River
115:
111:
107:
103:
94:
92:
90:
85:
77:
75:
73:
69:
65:
61:
60:
55:
50:
49:
46:
42:
38:
37:Frank Pearson
34:
30:
26:
22:
1409:1830s births
1380:
1372:
1364:
1356:
1348:
1329:
1321:
1313:
1305:
1297:
1283:(2001 novel)
1278:
1275:(1991 novel)
1272:Our Sunshine
1270:
1262:
1259:(1905 novel)
1254:
1251:(1882 novel)
1246:
1221:
1213:
1205:
1197:
1189:
1181:
1173:
1165:
1157:
1149:
1141:
1135:Captain Fury
1133:
1125:
1117:
1109:
1101:
1093:
1085:
1077:
1069:
1061:
1053:
1045:
1037:
1029:
1021:
1013:
1005:
997:
989:
981:
973:
965:
957:
949:
941:
933:
925:
917:
896:" (ca. 1830)
889:" (ca. 1865)
755:John Peisley
749:
730:Moondyne Joe
705:John Gilbert
639:Owen Suffolk
609:John Francis
578:George Jones
542:Edward Davis
526:John Tennant
506:Jack Donahue
485:Michael Howe
404:
385:
373:. Retrieved
369:the original
358:
346:. Retrieved
342:
333:
321:
312:
302:
283:
277:
265:. Retrieved
261:the original
251:
232:
220:. Retrieved
213:
204:
187:
174:John Forrest
158:
142:
130:
113:
98:
88:
81:
71:
68:Thomas Smith
57:
51:
47:
36:
35:
33:
1429:Bushrangers
1414:1899 deaths
1326:(1942 play)
1318:(1905 play)
1315:Thunderbolt
1310:(1899 play)
1302:(1834 play)
975:Thunderbolt
784:1870s–1880s
765:Harry Power
715:John Kerney
573:Martin Cash
557:Ribbon Gang
469:John Caesar
455:Bushrangers
1403:Categories
1342:Television
1234:Literature
1031:Dan Morgan
879:Folk songs
796:Steve Hart
735:Dan Morgan
720:Fred Lowry
690:John Foley
196:References
155:Later life
78:Early life
41:bushranger
1382:Wild Boys
1350:Ned Kelly
1331:Ned Kelly
1323:Ned Kelly
1256:Stingaree
1191:Ned Kelly
1167:Ned Kelly
1119:Stingaree
806:Ned Kelly
801:Dan Kelly
791:Joe Byrne
775:John Vane
685:John Dunn
134:bull ants
122:Pooncarie
95:Notoriety
45:pseudonym
1366:Ben Hall
1055:Moondyne
967:Moonlite
710:Ben Hall
516:Musquito
412:Archived
393:Archived
375:19 March
267:19 March
240:Archived
222:21 April
120:to near
110:Enngonia
70:, alias
760:Sam Poo
660:Bluecap
348:9 April
114:Bail Up
1385:(2011)
1377:(1980)
1369:(1975)
1361:(1963)
1353:(1959)
1243:(1879)
1226:(2019)
1218:(2016)
1210:(2013)
1202:(2005)
1194:(2003)
1186:(1985)
1178:(1976)
1170:(1970)
1162:(1957)
1154:(1953)
1146:(1951)
1138:(1939)
1130:(1934)
1122:(1934)
1114:(1928)
1106:(1928)
1098:(1922)
1090:(1921)
1082:(1920)
1074:(1920)
1066:(1920)
1058:(1913)
1050:(1911)
1042:(1911)
1034:(1911)
1026:(1911)
1018:(1911)
1010:(1911)
1002:(1911)
994:(1911)
986:(1911)
978:(1910)
970:(1910)
962:(1910)
954:(1909)
930:(1906)
922:(1904)
290:
89:Arnold
84:London
1291:Stage
846:1900s
830:1890s
653:1860s
602:1850s
566:1840s
535:1830s
494:1820s
478:1810s
462:1700s
184:Death
170:Perth
27:, or
911:Film
377:2012
350:2016
288:ISBN
269:2012
224:2021
1405::
341:.
311:.
212:.
91:.
23:,
899:"
892:"
885:"
447:e
440:t
433:v
379:.
352:.
315:.
296:.
271:.
31:.
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