Martin Cash
By Veronica
Martin Cash
This is the place for YOU to know more about Martin Cash. You can learn loads of things about him. He was quite a complicated man. So lets read on about him!
Cash's Childhood
One day (which is on the 10th of October), Martin Cash was born. His parents were George and Margaret Cash. He was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland. When he was just 18, he had a crush and relationship on/with a girl, Mary. He was a young farm boy then. Unfortunately, he found Mary seeing another guy, Jessop, together. Martin was brimming with anger. With his fury, he carried a gun and shot Jessop through a window, leaving Jessop with a wound on his chest. Housebreaking was the first crime he committed. As a result, Martin Cash was transported to Sydney for that. This wasn't a good start to Martin's end of his childhood.
Bushranging Career
In 1837, Martin was charged with stealing cattle. He claimed it was Bessie Clifford a.k.a. Mrs Cash because she was really attracted to Martin and people knew that, so everyone started calling her Mrs Cash. Actually, Martin committed the crime. However, Mr and Mrs Cash fled their colony, settling in a new place they called home, Cambelltown, Van Diemen`s Island (now, known as Tasmania). The next thing he knew was that he was accused of stealing farm-produce eggs. Consequently, he was sentenced to 7 years of cruel working. Cash escaped but was luckily (not for himself) recaptured. Then he was given an additional 2 years on top of his sentence. The sentence was in Port Arthur, near Hobart. He was known as a `gentlemen bushranger` but many say he does not deserve this reputation; being like Robin Hood robbing only the rich families.
Lucky Escapee
When Martin Cash had a sentence at Port Arthur, he became friends with 2 bushrangers from NSW. The 2 friends were George Jones and Lawrence Kavanagh. They offered to teach him the art of bushranging, in return for his help to escape the prison. They made a deal. They had to do some very unusual things to escape without being re-recaptured. For their escape, the amigos swam across an inlet naked, being aware not to alarm any of the guard dogs. They stole food and clothing from a nearby hut and crept past a second army of guards and finally accomplished their mission escaping the mainland. Martin was known to have escaped that very prison twice.
The Trio
The trio: Martin Cash, George Jones and Lawrence Kavanagh, committed further crimes and robberies. They were able to arm themselves and stock up food. The trio constructed a fort of logs and earth for protection. Soon joined them there was Mrs Cash. After even more robberies, the colony panicked because all the vacant police officers and troops searched the bush with black trackers in an attempt to locate the outlaws.
Notorious?
Martin wasn't as popular as Ned Kelly but he was still very wanted by the police and troopers. Only between 1840-1843 that Mr Cash was notorious. I bet that there was a file full of Martin's crimes. He sure didn't keep a low profile. He was a troublemaker and committed many crimes. Even one when he was just 18!
Profession
Martin Cash's life started as a farm boy. He grew up to be a quite notorious bushranger after his consequence of housebreaking and becoming a convict. He was a murderer and was captured for that. Luckily, he escaped so he was a prisoner, but is a prison escapee as well. People sometimes named him the 'Cash Company'. One of his crimes was stealing cattle so that makes him a cattle thief. In Martin`s life, he was also market gardiner. He wrote a journal about his life. That also adds to Martin's list of profession, memoirist. Martin's life had such talent and skills. What an exciting life he had!
Unfortunately yet Fortunately
Sadly, Martin Cash's life came to an end. He died. He was the only bushranger to die in his own bed. Also, he was the lucky one in two bushrangers that didn't die violently. He couldn't stand the fact that his heart was broken for the second time. The dreadful day for Martin was on the 27th of August in 1877 Glenorchy, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. And this is Martin Cash's life, 1808-1877. And remember, Knowing is Growing!