Bushranger Harry Power (Henry Johnson)

Details of a confrontation between bushranger ‘Harry Power’ and a police constable at King Parrot (Strath Creek), were hot news in 1870 in the Alexandra Times newspaper.
“Power the bushranger has been kicking up a wonderful hubbub amongst us for the last few days,” wrote the Times’ Yea correspondent in the March 4 issue.
“On Sunday last the excitement was intense. A messenger arrived in the township about noon in great haste from Doyle’s at King Parrot, with the news that the bushranger and a constable had each ther bailed up behind trees close to Doyle’s house, and were.exchanging shots, and that
Doyle had Power’s horse locked up in his stable.
“A party of horsemen, who were
riding, between Yea and King Parrot, met the messenger, and upon receiving his intel ligence, started off at full speed to the as sistance of the policeman, and upon nearing the supposed scene of action, they heard shots fired in rapid succession in a gully about half a mile from the road. “Fully believing that the shots were being fired by Power and the policeman the horsemen, three in number, being, unarmed galloped off in the direction of the firing, with the
intention of keeping out of the reach of gun shot, and watching the bushranger until the police would arrive from Yea.
“But, much to their surprise, instead of Power and a constable shooting at each other from be hind trees, they came upon a man quietly shooting pigeons.
“It was not until late in the day that the real facts of the sticking up
were obtained.
“T’hey are as follows:- A mounted constahle was on his way from Broadford to Yea leading two horses.
“When about a quarter of a mile on the Yea side of Doyle’s, he was pounced upon by the bushranger, who covered him with his double-barrelled gun, and demanded the con stable to throw down his arms, which de mand he at once acceded to, without any attempt to resist.
“After possessing himself of the constable’s revolver, he ordered him
to return the same way that he had come, which order was at once obeyed by the un fortunate policeman.
“The next person that came this way was Mr F. McKenzie, Sheep Inspector, who was on his way down from Wanregarwan to Kilmore.
“This gentleman was also ordered to stop, and the bushranger fancying his horse batter than his own, took possession of it, but kindly offered his own in exchange, which offer Mr McKenzie de clined.
“Power then immediately made off, and has not since been heard of, although police are scouring the country in all direc tions.
“He stuck up several waggoners near Avenel, and took, from them about £30.
“His main object in sticking up at King Parrot seems to have been to provide himself with a fresh horse, as he did not subject Mr McKenzie to an examination, or molest him in any other way than taking his horse. “It is strange that he did not take one of the Government horses from the constable, as they were far superior animals to the one he took from Mr McKenzie; his objection to them must, have been on account of the Crown brand. So much for Mr Power, who is certainly leading the.police a merry-dance again.”
FindAGrave.com says Henry Johnson (or Johnstone) was born in Waterford, Ireland, in 1820.
“He was working as a labourer in a mill at Ashton (near Manchester in England), but at 21 years of age he was sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing a pair of shoes.
“He arrived on the ship Isabella to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in 1842.
“After five years he was granted a ticket-of-leave and came over to the Colony of New South Wales, where he worked as a cattle drover.
“Eventually he made it to Geelong (then still part of NSW, today Victoria), where he settled as a horse dealer.
“In 1855, Henry was at Daisy Hill, in the Maryborough district, probably visiting one of his half-sister’s when two troopers asked him for the receipt of the splendid horse he was riding.
“Although Harry later produced a receipt for the animal, he spurred his horse and after exchanging a shot with the police managed to lose them.
“He was arrested at Yarrawonga and on September 26, sentenced to 13 years jail.
“Some of his time was spent on the prison hulks, and on October 26, 1856, he was involved in an incident which led to the death of Constable Owen Owens by a convict named ‘Melville’, and the death of a sailor named Turner.
Eight convicts were charged with the murders, including prisoner number 2643, Henry Johnstone. He was found not guilty.
“Harry received his ticket-of-leave on March 25, 1862, and he headed for the Geelong district.
“Nothing more was heard of him until June 1863, when he turned up at Middle Creek (between Wooragee and Wodonga), and stayed with Mrs Joanna McKay of the Middle Creek Hotel.
“While there, he stole a horse belonging to the El Dorado Station. He was charged on December 17, and sentenced to 12 months jail.
“The law had not finished with Harry, as a horse stolen from Wodonga station had turned up at Harrietville.
“The trail led to Harry, who was brought before the Beechworth Court on February 19, 1864, and he was once again found guilty.
“Harry’s past had also caught up with him, and the court was told of the sentence at Maryborough and that he was a ticket-of-leave holder at large. Harry was sentenced to seven years on the roads.
“On February 16, 1869, Harry absconded from a bridge building gang near Pentridge Prison and after stealing a horse, escaped into the Dande-nong Ranges.
“While in Pentridge, he had met two brothers, Thomas and John ‘Jack’ Lloyd from Greta in north-eastVictoria.
“They were the uncles of Ned Kelly and were serving five-year sentence seach for cattle stealing. “Shortly after his escape, Harry turned up in the north-east visiting his old inmates under the alias of ‘Harry Power’.
“He was introduced to the Lloyds’ brother-in-laws, John and James Quinn, who owned Glenmore Station on the Upper King River near Whitfield.
“Because of its remoteness, Harry set up a permanent camp on the steep hill at the back of Glenmore Homestead, now known as Power’s Lookout, and richly rewarded the brothers for harbouring him.
“From this point Harry became a full time bushranger, who was responsible for numerous hold-ups and robberies, for stealing horses, and bailing up mail coaches.
“He was not only an excellent bushman and horseman, but also a great showman who boasted about his exploits, and liked to sing:
“We might sing of young Gilbert, Dan Morgan, Ben Hall,
but the bold, reckless robber surpasses them all.
The pluck that’s in
Power is past all belief.
Daring highwayman!
Professional thief!”
“Although he never committed a murder, and he very seldom took money from the poor, he possessed an extremely violent temper.
“Ned Kelly (who was barely15 when Power introduced him to the life of crime), described how much he had been frightened of him.
“Ellen Kelly, who despised Power, called him a “brown-paper bushranger”, but he was indeed the most notorious bushranger in Victoria’s colonial history, who taught Ned Kelly how to survive and elude the police.
“Harry Power eventually dropped Ned (so he said), calling him a coward, and pursued his “career” alone. “Ned said that he left Power after he lost his temper, because he was frightened of him.
“Ned’s was probably the more accurate account but his actions did not save him from being arrested in May 1870 for assisting Power, and despite his feelings he didn’t betray his “teacher” – someone else did.
“Harry felt safe in his gunyah above the Quinns’ homestead, because they had several dogs and a noisy peacock, who would notify them of any strangers in the area. “Finally, the Quinns had had enough of Power and with a £500 reward on offer, it didn’t take much persuasion of ‘Jack’ Lloyd to lead the police to Power’s hideout.
“Harry was arrested in June 1870, tried and sentenced to fifteen years, which he served on the prison hulk Success and in Pentridge.
“He was convinced that it was Ned Kelly who had “dobbed him in”, but this was not the case.
“When he was released in 1885, he went to live with his half-sister in Brighton.
At that time the Government decided to sell the hulk Success, which was converted to a floating museum, with ‘Old Harry’ being employed there as the main attraction. One of the most surprising things about ‘Old Harry’ was the fact that his mother was transported to Van Diemen’s Land only six months after he was, and with her had been sent three daughters and a son, who were placed in an orphanage until her release.
“When Harry moved to Victoria, they all followed and the authorities never knew of their family connection until one of them, Margaret Slater, penned a letter on March 14, 1877, trying to get Harry released from jail into her care.
“Many of Harry’s movements were as a direct consequence of keeping in touch with his family, which he continued right up until his death.
“On Saturday, October 10, 1891, Harry arrived at Swan Hill by train in order to visit his nephew and most likely his half-sister, living out towards Ultima.
“He stayed at the White Swan Hotel, but made no mention of why he was really there.
“He was last seen alive on Monday when he purchased a bottle of English Ale.
“The following Sunday the steamer Rothbury found his body floating about 10 miles downstream from Swan Hill.
“Following an inquest he was buried in a paupers grave, identity unknown.
“But a report forwarded to the Chief Commissioner resulted in the authorities forming the consensus, that the once notorious bushranger, Harry Power, was now dead.”