Daniel ‘Mad Dog’ Morgan 2010 Christina Chong Society & Environment 5/31/2010 In the 19th century bushrangers were classified as robbers. They settled in areas like bush and forests as their base. Most of the bushrangers were convicts from Britain who have escaped from assigned penal colonies in NSW and Van Diemen’s Land (currently known as Tasmania). By 1850’s an increase of ambush and robbery began because of the gold rush. The last bushranger had disappeared by 1880. Most bushrangers were not shot by police but were hung for their punishment in front of crowds so they could be ashamed and embarrassed.
The bush ranger that I have chosen is Daniel Morgan also known as Mad Dog or ‘Daniel Mad Morgan. The son of Jack Fuller, a costermonger (street seller), and Katherine “Kate “Owen, a prostitute was born in 1830 and died on the 9th of April 1865. He was given the nickname of Mad and Mad Dog because of his sudden mood swings. Daniel Morgan attended the Catholic School at Campbellton. I chose to do Daniel Morgan because his name (including “Mad Dog”) sounded very interesting and appealing to research and do my report on.
His history was quite interesting to me during his teenage life and what he had to go through during the 1800’s and how life was different to what is was then and now. There were also quite a few resources about Morgan in the library as there were not enough computers for everyone, so he was an easy bushranger to get information from let alone from books. Daniel Morgan was born in 1830 and died on the 9th of April 1865. He was the son of the A scruffy beard; he walked differently to everybody else since he had knocked knees.
Morgan went to the Catholic School at Campbellton. During his teenage years he went to Berrima Gaol for 6months after he assaulted a police officer as well as being a pick-pocket. Back in the 1800’s mental illnesses was recognized but never diagnosed; they didn’t have medication or therapy for mental illnesses like we do now so everyone just had to put up with Morgan’s sudden big mood swings; Hence the reason why they call him Daniel “Mad Dog” Morgan. When Morgan grew up he changed his name from Daniel Fuller to Daniel Morgan after the famous pirate Henry Morgan.
No one liked Morgan; he was always stealing farm stocks like: * Horses * Cattle He lived his life on gambling, brawls and stealing things. In his life time (1830 – 1865) he shot dead at least 5 police officers: * Sergeant McGinnerty * German Bill * Sergeant Thomas Smyth * And believed 2 other police officers He seems to shot people for no apparent reason, lit huts or hay barns/shed for revenge or money, stole horses for a good “run away” The main and most infamous crimes that Morgan had committed were either: * Robbery * Murder * Revenge * Assault * Pick-Pocket Morgan Goes on Rampage
An increase in numbers of settlers and gold meant that more robbed huts going on. With Morgan and his companion, German Bill, camping outside in the bush while robbing settlers and gold diggers huts. Then… like all bushrangers they need a fine, working horse and so that’s what Morgan exactly did. He stole one of Thomas Evans fine horse. Mad Dan’s Mood Swings On June 1864, Sergeant McGinnerty and Constable Churchley were riding along the road from Tumbarumba to Piney Ridge, when suddenly Morgan shot Sergeant McGinnerty dead. Constable Churchley panicked and rode back to get help.
When he came back, with other officers they found Sergeant McGinnerty lying on the side of the road and Morgan nowhere to be seen. He then went to a pub and brought everyone a drink, but then a work member said something that might of mad him mad and shot him wounding him very badly. He immediately ordered the overseer to find a doctor but instead his mood changed one again and shot the overseer as he was riding away. The worker survived but the overseer was very badly shot, for a few days Morgan sat right beside him but he died few days later. The Peechelba Raid Before his death he raided the Peechelba Station, which belongs to Mr.
McPherson. He lined everyone up and ordered some tea and prisoners, so he called them, to play music and keep him company; he was quite talkative at the time, talking about his childhood and parents. Morgan allowed one of the nurses to go to the nursery and attend an infant but instead she crept outside and told Mr. Rutherford, who was Mr. McPherson partner that lived on the same property; Mr. Rutherford told a worker to alert the police. By dawn the party of police was hidden among the bushes waiting to ambush Morgan. When he came out to the stockyard to select a horse to ride away with… Morgan’s Death (9th April 1865) when Peechelba stockmen named John Quinlan, fired. Morgan was shot in the back, near the shoulder blade, the bullet shot out the other end through the wind pipes. He didn’t die at the scene but he did die hours later. Morgan’s body was out on display for public at the Wangaratta. People took photos and turned them into postcards, doctors even shaved some of his hair off Morgan’s beard and kept it as a souvenir, others snipped of pieces of clothing or hair. Eventually his head was cut off and was sent to Melbourne University to create a death mask, while the rest of his body was buried at the cemetery in Wangaratta.
Directed by| Philippe Mora| Produced by| Jeremy Thomas Richard Brennan| Written by| Margaret Carnegie Philippe Mora| Starring| Dennis Hopper Jack Thompson David Gulpilil Frank Thring Michael Pate| Music by| Patrick Flynn| Cinematography| Mike Molloy| Editing by| John Scott| Distributed by| Troma Entertainment| Release date(s)| 1976| Running time| 99 minutes| Country| Australia| Language| English| The Impact that Morgan had on Australia and/or Australians that Philippe Mora directed a movie called “Mad Dog Morgan” and his adventures; starring Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson and David Gulpilil.
Daniel Mad Dog Morgan was after all just a bushranger that was forced to become a bushranger after being a hunted man, but I guess that was his problem and the way he was brought up. Then again life was pretty tough and rough in those time… Websites: http://www. cap. nsw. edu. au/bb_site_intro/stage2_Modules/bushrangers/bushrangers. htm http://www. adb. online. anu. edu. au/biogs/AS10351b. htm http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0074836/ Books: The Lure of Gold by Pamela Graham Britannia Encyclopedia, letter B
