Lawrence Cummins (1843 – 1909), known informally as Larry Cummins, was a bushranger who operated primarily in the districts surrounding the Abercrombie River (in the central west of New South Wales between Bathurst and Goulburn). In July 1863 he participated in the Mudgee mail robbery led by Fred Lowry and John Foley. Soon afterwards Cummins and his younger brother John carried out several robberies. They were identified and John Cummins was apprehended; he was accidentally shot and killed while being escorted by police constables (probably by Larry Cummins in an abortive attempt to free his brother). Three weeks later Cummins was captured with his associate Lowry, in an encounter with the police which resulted in Lowry’s death. Cummins was sent to Berrima Gaol in late 1863, from where he escaped in November 1866 with another prisoner. From December 1866 to April 1867 Cummins carried out a series of audacious robberies. In April, during an attempted robbery of Webb's store on the Fish River in company with John Foran, he received a wound in the face from birdshot. He was captured soon afterwards and sentenced to thirty years hard labour and sent back to Berrima Gaol.
Cummins was released from prison in January 1876 after his sentence was controversially reduced by the Robertson government (with the official sanction of the colonial Governor). After his release Cummins left the colony and lived in Victoria using the name 'James Long', where he married and had a family. Lawrence Cummins (as James Long) died at Wodonga in October 1909.
Biography
Early life
Lawrence Cummins was born on 12 June 1843 at Yalbraith, eight miles north-west of Taralga in the Goulburn district, the son of Joseph Cummins and Mary (née Ryan). His parents were both from county Tipperary in Ireland; they were married in 1838 at Holycross. Joseph and Mary Cummins emigrated to Australia aboard the Portland, arriving at Sydney in March 1841. They were living at Cobbitty near Camden soon afterwards and by 1843, when Lawrence was born, the family had settled at Yalbraith.Family records, per Ancestry.com.
Lawrence was the second eldest child of the family, having three brothers and five younger sisters.
Lawrence Cummins married Bridget Francis in October 1861. Cummins was aged eighteen and Bridget was fifteen when they married. Bridget Francis was from an established family in the Abercrombie River district, north of Crookwell.Gemmell-Smith, page 51. By the time of her marriage in 1861 both of Bridget’s parents had died. Larry's father, Joseph Cummins, died in October 1862. The couple’s first child was born in December 1862 on the Bolong River (which flows north into the Abercrombie River).
Mudgee mail robbery
By July 1863 Cummins had joined up with the bushrangers Fred Lowry and John Foley. Late in the morning of Monday, 13 July 1863, Cobb and Co.’s Mudgee mail coach was held up by Fred Lowry and John Foley. Larry Cummins was also involved, though not directly; he probably had the role of keeping watch on the road during the robbery.Gemmell-Smith, page 52. The coach had left Mudgee the previous evening with one passenger, Henry Kater, the accountant of the Mudgee branch of the Australian Joint Stock Bank. Kater had charge of a parcel of bank-notes amounting to £5,700. Along the way the coach picked up another passenger, Mrs. Smith, the wife of an inn-keeper at Ben Bullen. At the time of the robbery the coach was ascending the steep rise known as ‘Big Hill’, sixteen miles from Bowenfels. Lowry and Foley came down the hill on horseback and bailed up the coach-driver and Kater, who was walking alongside the coach because of the steep incline. The coach-driver was ordered to drive into the bush.The Mudgee Mail Robbery, Sydney Morning Herald, 25 August 1863, page 5.The Mudgee Mail Robbers, ‘Australian Bushranging: The Early Days: Chapter XV’ by Charles White, Richmond River Express and Tweed Advertiser, 9 October 1903, page 3. When they were off the road the accountant, Kater, was robbed of a revolver and a gold watch and chain. The mail-bags were taken down from the box and the letters opened, looking for cash and valuables. When the parcel of bank-notes was discovered Kater told them the notes would be useless, as they were old and were being taken to Sydney to be destroyed, to which one of them responded, "Never mind, we can make a bonfire of them". Before they left the robbers told the coachman to unharness the horses, who were then driven into the bush as the bushrangers departed.Robbery of the Mudgee Mail, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 July 1863, page 4.
After the bushrangers had left Henry Kater and the coach-driver, William Tinker, went to try and catch the horses, but without success. When they returned Mrs. Smith told them she had seen "a third man follow in the direction the bushrangers had taken".The Mudgee Mail Robbery, Sydney Morning Herald, 4 August 1863, page 2. Kater eventually made his way to Hartley and reported the robbery, after which four mounted police set off to search for the offenders.
The identity of the Mudgee mail bushrangers was not determined immediately. Soon afterwards the police arrested three suspects, but when the coach-driver and passengers gave evidence they did not recognise them as the men who robbed the coach, they were discharged. Eventually it was determined that two of the offenders were the wanted men, Frederick Lowry and John Foley (both of whom were later found with bank-notes from the robbery in their possession). Cummins' role in the robbery was determined after his later capture in the company of Lowry. The full list of issuing banks and serial numbers of the stolen bank-notes was published (taking up nearly three entire newspaper columns), together with an offer of a £500 reward from the bank, to anyone "who will give such information a will lead to the conviction of the offenders, or the recovery of the said notes".Robbery of Bank Notes, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 July 1863, page 8.
The shooting of John Cummins
On 26 July 1863 just after sundown, Larry Cummins and his younger brother John (aged eighteen) arrived at Norman McKinnon’s farm at Richlands (six miles north of Taralga). With their faces blackened they rode up to the house, dismounted and, each presenting a pistol, ordered McKinnon and his brother to "bail up". With no money in the house the brothers took possession of a whip, bridle, a pair of saddle-bags and a girth-strap before departing.Criminal Side, Goulburn Herald, 26 September 1863, page 2.
On Thursday morning, 6 August 1863, two policemen, Senior-constable Murphy and Constable Molloy, went to the hut of Mrs. Cummins at Menangle Creek, near Bolong in the Crookwell district, in search of her two sons, Larry and John Cummins, who were suspected of having robbed dwellings near Taralga (including McKinnon's farmhouse at Richlands). While searching the farm buildings they found John Cummins hiding in the loft. Murphy was in the process of ascending to the loft in order to apprehend him when Cummins fired twice at the constables. The policemen took cover and returned fire, after which the young man surrendered. The police saddled one of the family’s horses for Cummins and proceeded towards Binda, Murphy leading the prisoner’s horse and Molloy a few yards in the rear. When they had covered about eight miles a gunshot was suddenly fired from the bush beside the roadside, which hit the back of Cummins’ head behind his ear. John Cummins fell forward, "gave one groan" and died. The policemen did not see the shooter but heard the sound of a horse galloping away. It was assumed that the shot was intended for Constable Murphy, who was abreast of the prisoner (on the opposite side from where the shot came). It was speculated that the person who fired the shot was the dead man’s elder brother, Lawrence Cummins.A Bushranger Shot Dead, Goulburn Herald, 8 August 1863, page 2.Telegraphic Intelligence, Yass Courier, 8 August 1863, page 2.
Captured with Lowry
Early on Saturday morning, 29 August 1863, four policemen arrived at Thomas Vardy’s public-house (the Limerick Races Inn) at Cook’s Vale Creek, about 20 miles north of Crookwell. They had arrived as a result of information received and strongly suspected that Frederick Lowry was present within Vardy’s public-house. Senior-sergeant Stephenson positioned Constable Herbst and Detective Camphin at the rear and front of the house before he and Detective Sanderson rode up, dismounted and went into the bar. Stephenson asked the publican if he had any strangers in the house, to which Vardy answered "yes" and nodded his head towards the room they were in. Stephenson went to the parlour-door leading to the room and, finding it locked, he "knocked and asked for admittance". Receiving no reply, the policeman declared that if the door was not opened, he would break it open. A shot was then fired from inside which went through the door and wounded Stephenson’s horse tethered outside. Stephenson went outside and moved his horse; as he returned to the house, the parlour-door suddenly opened and Fred Lowry emerged with a revolver in each hand, calling out "I’m Lowry; come on ye b------s, and I’ll fight ye fair". Standing about five yards apart the two men exchanged gunshots, resulting in the bushranger receiving a wound in the throat. Sanderson assisted in dragging the bushranger into the yard where he was handcuffed and subdued.Capture and Death of Lowry, the Bushranger, Goulburn Herald, 2 September 1863, page 2.
Leaving Sanderson in charge of the prisoner Stephenson and Detective Camphin proceeded to the room in which Lowry had stayed, where they found Larry Cummins in bed (but wearing his shirt and trousers). There was a revolver on the washstand, capped and loaded and within reach of the bed. Cummins was brought to the yard and handcuffed. A search of the room revealed £164 in notes later identified as being stolen from the Mudgee mail in mid-July. Senior-sergeant Stephenson also arrested the publican, Thomas Vardy, his two step-sons and three others who were on the premises, all of them later charged with "harbouring bushrangers and with being accessory to robberies after the fact".
The policemen secured horses and a dray to convey the severely wounded Lowry to Goulburn. They arrived at Woodhouselee on nightfall, sixteen miles from their destination. Having determined the dray-horses would not reach Goulburn, Stephenson decided to stop at Pratton’s public-house and despatched a messenger to Goulburn for a doctor. Lowry died at about six o’clock on Sunday morning, 30 August. The policemen, with Lowry's body and Cummins in handcuffs, travelled to Goulburn later that morning.
Armed robbery conviction
At Goulburn Larry Cummins was remanded in custody on charges of armed robbery and the murder of his brother. On Monday evening, 7 September 1863, a public meeting was held in the Mechanics’ Institute in Goulburn for the intention of initiating the presentation of a testimonial to Sub-inspector Stephenson (recently promoted) and his men, "for their courageous conduct in the capture of the bushrangers Lowry and Cummins". One speaker called attention to "the courage displayed by Mr. Stephenson" when, after capturing Lowry, "he proceeded to apprehend Cummins, a man looked upon as even more desperate, and as a perfect fiend".Testimonial to Sub-inspector Stephenson, Goulburn Herald, 9 September 1863, page 2.