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fire in the adjoining dwelling. Their day's work was over. In a later statement, Nathan recollected that a man with a double barrelled shotgun entered the room shouting "Stop or I will fire!" They were ordered to sit with their faces towards the wall. The apparent ring leader was followed by 4 or 5 others. He directed, "Blow their bloody brains out if they stir". The voice appeared to be Yankee German style. Nathan recollected that the leader requested to be introduced to the manager, Mr. Nathan lied and stated that the Manager wasn't in.
Bailey examined the house for a secure place to imprison them and chose the pantry. Unknown to the villains, this pantry contained a concealed door, by which they later effected their escape. Then Obertheur and Bailey entered the adjoining office and removed the pistols, belonging to the bank. They then looked for the safe's keys.
Meanwhile two robbers then went to bank's kitchen, where Mr. George Humphries, the bank's messenger, was nursing his child. His wife was by his side. Firstly a man with a double barrelled shot gun entered and then another by an adjoining door. The wife was told to stand back and was threatened. She was then taken into the parlour, where the other would-be robbers waited. Humphries and his family were placed in the pantry, guarded by 2 men who were ordered to shoot if they emerged. It was then that the robbers discovered the concealed door. It was at this time that Humphries had a bullet fired close to his face by Dietrich Moresman. The robbers soon left the premises empty handed except for the stolen guns, but leaving valuable clues behind.
A claret bottle with distinctive features was discarded by the robbers. This was later recognised by a Tenterfield Inn keeper, who had supplied it to Eggart that same evening. A piece of black cloth with part of an opossum tail, was found 50 yards from the bank. Mary Ann Obertheur linked this to Bailey when subpoenaed to give evidence at the trial of her husband and his associates. One of the guns had been repaired by a local blacksmith. It was left by accident at the bank, by Bailey, and produced as evidence at the trial.
The fiasco continues... The robbers had departed the scene. The police, having been warned in the meantime, warily approached the bank from one direction. The police magistrate, Mr. Buchanan, had also been notified separately, and approached from the opposite direction. In the mist and rain of this winter's night they opened fire on each other. Buchanan sought refuge in the bank's kitchen. The clues soon led to an early arrest.
The most comical situation of all was that the ring leader's wife, Mary Anne Obertheur, obviously fearing perjury charges in court, told the " the whole truth and nothing but the truth". Their fate was sealed.
On the 9th October 1866, all were charged with ROBBERY UNDER ARMS. All were convicted. Obertheur received 10 yrs on the road, Jacob Pietre 3 years hard labour at Darlinghurst Gaol, and his brother William 5 years on the road. Dietrich Moresman was remanded in custody for further trial. John Eggart received 3 years hard labour at Darlinghurst Gaol. Bailey was sentenced to 10 years on the road, despite the fact that he pleaded clemency on account of his wife and 6 children.
Bailey's sentence was cut short by his death on the 22nd June, 1870, at the Parramatta Gaol, from bronchitis and heart failure. He was 41 years old. His burial took place on the 23rd June, at St Patrick's Burial Ground, Parramatta. The above events have lent much romance to Tenterfield's history, and long before Sir Henry Parkes's famous Tenterfield oration took place.
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