James Bell aka Jemmy the Whisperer
- Biographical Information
The following contains biographical information for Frederick Ward's bushranger accomplice Jemmy the Whisperer, who was a member of Fred's second gang in late 1865 along with Patrick Kelly. Details of Jemmy's proper name and later conviction were discovered by Jane Smith who is writing a children's book about Thunderbolt.
Copyright Carol Baxter 2011
James Bell arrived Oriental Queen/Red Jacket 1864; Born Ireland, Catholic; Fencer; age 35; 5’ 4½”, Brown hair, grey eyes, R & w, second finger left hand dislocated, 2 teeth upper jaw deficient, left leg has been broken[1]
Late Oct 1865: Thunderbolt joined by ‘Jemmy the Whisperer’; Jemmy was first mentioned in a Police Gazette report published on 13 Dec 1865 as having accompanied Thunderbolt & Kelly in crimes committed between 8 and 30 Dec 1865, but he was most likely in the 7 Nov bushranging spree as well; description 1865-66: about 30 years of age and seemingly a Londoner, 5'/1" - 5'/4" tall, grey eyes, sallow countenance, fair/light hair inclined to curl, light straggling beard and moustache, and a slight limp; had a beautiful singing voice and a favourite song, The Unfortunate Man. ‘Jemmy/Jimmy the Whisperer’ aka ‘Flash Jimmy’ aka ‘Little Jemmy/Jimmy’ was already on the run from police when he joined Thunderbolt, having at Walgett on 10/11 Dec 1862 shot and wounded Constable Rayfield who was attempting to arrest his friend Patrick McManus for horse stealing; the pair escaped and stole additional horses until McManus was apprehended around Aug 1863 (sentenced to 10 years on the roads); nothing is then heard of Jemmy the Whisperer until he joined Thunderbolt[1a]
Oct 1865-Jan 1866: See Timeline: 1865 - Second Gang for details of the gang’s activities
Mid-Jan 1866: Kelly and Jemmy headed south-west to the Narrabri district then their crime spree followed a big loop south to Coolah, east to Murrurundi and back up to Moree, then west to the Collarenebri district, as follows; 13 Jan 1866: robbed Turrawan Hotel (15 miles from Narrabri); 14 Jan: reached Gulligal (near Boggabri) and robbed the mailman heading for Wee Waa as well as others including Thomas P. Panton, claiming that Thunderbolt and a mate were at hand if they needed assistance; late Jan: seen skulking near the Talbragar River (near Coolah) where the Tamworth police closed in on them; 27 Jan: robbed the northern mail between Merriwa and Murrurundi, and also William Pugh’s Pine Ridge Hotel near Murrurundi; 1 Feb: stuck up Davis’ Currabubula pub; 8 Feb: robbed hawker J.M. Goldman about five miles from Goorallie station (Gurley near Moree); mid-Feb: police discover ‘Thunderbolt’s camp’ on Barwon River, containing hard-ridden horses including one stolen from Mr Bagot’s on 27 Dec, and the gang flee (NB. This was undoubtedly Jemmy & Kelly’s camp as they were in the vicinity whereas Thunderbolt was not)[2]
Mar 1866: Jemmy the Whisperer was on his own after Kelly’s apprehension. May 1866: stole Senior Constable Norris’ horse at Barraba; 23 May 1866: with two other armed men bailed up hawker, Henry Joseph, at Oakey Creek near Bingara (one man initially thought to be Thunderbolt but the description doesn’t match); 6 Jun 1866: with two others robbed Richard King of Eulowrie then John Arndell of Rocky Creek, both near Bingara[3]
NB. The Tamworth Examiner reported on 16 Jun 1866 that the bandit was ‘Jemmy the Whisperer’ not ‘Bandy-Legged Jemmy’ as initially thought; this indicates that the ‘Jemmy the Whisperer’ and ‘Bandy-Legged Jemmy’ were two separate men and that references in published works to Fred’s accomplice as ‘Bandy-Legged Jemmy’ are inaccurate
28 Mar 1882 James Bell alias Jemmy the Whisperer, the last of Thunderbolt’s gang, captured at the Springs by Senior-Constable Lynch of Goodooga on a charge of horse-stealing at Goulburn two years previously. “Walgett: Bell is well-known in the Liverpool Plains and Gwydir districts from his connection with several sticking-up cases, being the last of Thunderbolt’s gang. He was recognised today as the man who shot Constable Raefield at Walgett sixteen years ago. He had been the supposed ringleader of a set of horse stealers in this district, for many years evading the police. Constable Lynch deserves great praise for his well-planned and courageous capture.” He was remanded to Goulburn and committed for trial at Goulburn Sessions; Quarter sessions on 7 Aug 1882 noted that his case had been postponed to next session[4]
Oct 1882 Warrant issued by Boggabri Bench for arrest of James Bell alias Jemmy the Whisperer charged with armed robbery of George Humphries at Gulligal on 14 Jan 1866[5]
12 Oct 1882 Goulburn Circuit Court on 12 Oct 1882 noted that Bell’s case was remanded to next Circuit Court[6]
19 Dec 1882 Tried at Goulburn Quarter Session on 19 Dec 1882 and sentenced to 2 years hard labour at Goulburn Gaol [7]
Sources
[1] NSW Police Gazette 1865 p.451, 1866 pp.203 & 252; Sydney Morning Herald 24 Jan 1866 p.7, 6 Feb 1866 p.4; Maitland Mercury 6 Mar 1866 p.1. Re Jemmy & McManus: NSW Police Gazette 1862 p.270, 1863 pp.58, 59 & 268, 1864 p.166; Brisbane Courier 2 Nov 1863 p.3; Sydney Morning Herald 7 Apr 1864 p.5; Maitland Mercury 7 Apr 1864 p.2
[2] NSW Police Gazette 1866 pp.27, 45, 61, p.71, p.88 & 396; Argus 17 Jan 1866 p.5; Hobart Mercury 30 Jan 1866 p.3 (from Tamworth Examiner 20 Jan); Sydney Morning Herald 24 Jan 1866 p.7 (abridged from Tamworth Examiner 20 Jan), 30 Jan p.4, 6 Feb p.4, 9 Feb p.5 (from Tamworth Examiner 3 Feb); Maitland Mercury 30 Jan 1866 pp.2 & 3(x3), 1 Feb p.4, 6 Feb p.3, 22 Feb p.2; Brisbane Courier 3 Feb 1866 p.6; Armidale Express 3 Feb 1866 p.2, 24 Feb p.3 (from Tamworth Examiner 17 Feb)
[3] NSW Police Gazette 1866 No.23 (6 Jun 1866) p.203, No.28 (11 Jul 1866) pp.252-53; Sydney Morning Herald 25 Jun 1866 p.3; Armidale Express 9 Jun 1866 p.3 (from Tamworth Examiner 2 Jun), 16 Jun 1866 p.4 (from Tamworth Examiner 9 Jun), 23 Jun p.4 (from Tamworth Examiner 16 Jun)
[4] Maitland Mercury 30 Mar 1882 p.5 (x2); NSW Police Gazette 1882 pp.142, 195, 355
[5] NSW Police Gazette 1882 p.379
[6] NSW Police Gazette 1882 p.416
[7] NSW Police Gazette 1883 p.7
Late Oct 1865: Thunderbolt joined by ‘Jemmy the Whisperer’; Jemmy was first mentioned in a Police Gazette report published on 13 Dec 1865 as having accompanied Thunderbolt & Kelly in crimes committed between 8 and 30 Dec 1865, but he was most likely in the 7 Nov bushranging spree as well; description 1865-66: about 30 years of age and seemingly a Londoner, 5'/1" - 5'/4" tall, grey eyes, sallow countenance, fair/light hair inclined to curl, light straggling beard and moustache, and a slight limp; had a beautiful singing voice and a favourite song, The Unfortunate Man. ‘Jemmy/Jimmy the Whisperer’ aka ‘Flash Jimmy’ aka ‘Little Jemmy/Jimmy’ was already on the run from police when he joined Thunderbolt, having at Walgett on 10/11 Dec 1862 shot and wounded Constable Rayfield who was attempting to arrest his friend Patrick McManus for horse stealing; the pair escaped and stole additional horses until McManus was apprehended around Aug 1863 (sentenced to 10 years on the roads); nothing is then heard of Jemmy the Whisperer until he joined Thunderbolt[1a]
Oct 1865-Jan 1866: See Timeline: 1865 - Second Gang for details of the gang’s activities
Mid-Jan 1866: Kelly and Jemmy headed south-west to the Narrabri district then their crime spree followed a big loop south to Coolah, east to Murrurundi and back up to Moree, then west to the Collarenebri district, as follows; 13 Jan 1866: robbed Turrawan Hotel (15 miles from Narrabri); 14 Jan: reached Gulligal (near Boggabri) and robbed the mailman heading for Wee Waa as well as others including Thomas P. Panton, claiming that Thunderbolt and a mate were at hand if they needed assistance; late Jan: seen skulking near the Talbragar River (near Coolah) where the Tamworth police closed in on them; 27 Jan: robbed the northern mail between Merriwa and Murrurundi, and also William Pugh’s Pine Ridge Hotel near Murrurundi; 1 Feb: stuck up Davis’ Currabubula pub; 8 Feb: robbed hawker J.M. Goldman about five miles from Goorallie station (Gurley near Moree); mid-Feb: police discover ‘Thunderbolt’s camp’ on Barwon River, containing hard-ridden horses including one stolen from Mr Bagot’s on 27 Dec, and the gang flee (NB. This was undoubtedly Jemmy & Kelly’s camp as they were in the vicinity whereas Thunderbolt was not)[2]
Mar 1866: Jemmy the Whisperer was on his own after Kelly’s apprehension. May 1866: stole Senior Constable Norris’ horse at Barraba; 23 May 1866: with two other armed men bailed up hawker, Henry Joseph, at Oakey Creek near Bingara (one man initially thought to be Thunderbolt but the description doesn’t match); 6 Jun 1866: with two others robbed Richard King of Eulowrie then John Arndell of Rocky Creek, both near Bingara[3]
NB. The Tamworth Examiner reported on 16 Jun 1866 that the bandit was ‘Jemmy the Whisperer’ not ‘Bandy-Legged Jemmy’ as initially thought; this indicates that the ‘Jemmy the Whisperer’ and ‘Bandy-Legged Jemmy’ were two separate men and that references in published works to Fred’s accomplice as ‘Bandy-Legged Jemmy’ are inaccurate
28 Mar 1882 James Bell alias Jemmy the Whisperer, the last of Thunderbolt’s gang, captured at the Springs by Senior-Constable Lynch of Goodooga on a charge of horse-stealing at Goulburn two years previously. “Walgett: Bell is well-known in the Liverpool Plains and Gwydir districts from his connection with several sticking-up cases, being the last of Thunderbolt’s gang. He was recognised today as the man who shot Constable Raefield at Walgett sixteen years ago. He had been the supposed ringleader of a set of horse stealers in this district, for many years evading the police. Constable Lynch deserves great praise for his well-planned and courageous capture.” He was remanded to Goulburn and committed for trial at Goulburn Sessions; Quarter sessions on 7 Aug 1882 noted that his case had been postponed to next session[4]
Oct 1882 Warrant issued by Boggabri Bench for arrest of James Bell alias Jemmy the Whisperer charged with armed robbery of George Humphries at Gulligal on 14 Jan 1866[5]
12 Oct 1882 Goulburn Circuit Court on 12 Oct 1882 noted that Bell’s case was remanded to next Circuit Court[6]
19 Dec 1882 Tried at Goulburn Quarter Session on 19 Dec 1882 and sentenced to 2 years hard labour at Goulburn Gaol [7]
Sources
[1] NSW Police Gazette 1865 p.451, 1866 pp.203 & 252; Sydney Morning Herald 24 Jan 1866 p.7, 6 Feb 1866 p.4; Maitland Mercury 6 Mar 1866 p.1. Re Jemmy & McManus: NSW Police Gazette 1862 p.270, 1863 pp.58, 59 & 268, 1864 p.166; Brisbane Courier 2 Nov 1863 p.3; Sydney Morning Herald 7 Apr 1864 p.5; Maitland Mercury 7 Apr 1864 p.2
[2] NSW Police Gazette 1866 pp.27, 45, 61, p.71, p.88 & 396; Argus 17 Jan 1866 p.5; Hobart Mercury 30 Jan 1866 p.3 (from Tamworth Examiner 20 Jan); Sydney Morning Herald 24 Jan 1866 p.7 (abridged from Tamworth Examiner 20 Jan), 30 Jan p.4, 6 Feb p.4, 9 Feb p.5 (from Tamworth Examiner 3 Feb); Maitland Mercury 30 Jan 1866 pp.2 & 3(x3), 1 Feb p.4, 6 Feb p.3, 22 Feb p.2; Brisbane Courier 3 Feb 1866 p.6; Armidale Express 3 Feb 1866 p.2, 24 Feb p.3 (from Tamworth Examiner 17 Feb)
[3] NSW Police Gazette 1866 No.23 (6 Jun 1866) p.203, No.28 (11 Jul 1866) pp.252-53; Sydney Morning Herald 25 Jun 1866 p.3; Armidale Express 9 Jun 1866 p.3 (from Tamworth Examiner 2 Jun), 16 Jun 1866 p.4 (from Tamworth Examiner 9 Jun), 23 Jun p.4 (from Tamworth Examiner 16 Jun)
[4] Maitland Mercury 30 Mar 1882 p.5 (x2); NSW Police Gazette 1882 pp.142, 195, 355
[5] NSW Police Gazette 1882 p.379
[6] NSW Police Gazette 1882 p.416
[7] NSW Police Gazette 1883 p.7