Joseph Ellis

Walter E. Pidgeon, Illustration from The Eureka Stockade by Raffaello Carboni, Sunnybrook Press, 1942, offset print.
Art Gallery of Ballarat, purchased 1994.

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

... Patrick Sheady, Joseph Ellis, Pergo, a Spaniard, and Romeo, an Italian, were brought up. Mr. Dynam was sworn to act as interpreter for Romeo. Pergo's case was conducted by the Bench in French. Michael M'Adam, private of the 40th, saw Sheady taken "convanient" to a tent 200 yards from the stockade, J. F. Tulkin, a trooper, saw Romeo taken out of a tent about 150 yards from the Eureka stockade. He said as he went along towards the Camp, "thank God, I have escaped with my life this morning. I'll tell all I know of this."

Trooper Mainger : Saw Romeo taken, about 150 yards behind the stockade. I saw many running towards a tent from the one next to which con-stable O'Connor brought out Romeo with bloody hands.

Sergeant King gave the same evidence.

Revel, of the mounted 40th, was riding with others past the stockade. Several shots were fired at them. Saw Ellis with a gun. Saw him fire, and fired at him in return. On his return, saw Ellis in the act of getting over the stockade; cut at him; thought he had killed him, and saw no more of him till he saw him prisoner.

Ellis maintained that he was innocent; wished the trooper who had taken him to be called, he did not know his name, but believed he was a sergeant, and knew he was "fresh looking." All the sergeants who were in the neighbourhood were called, and though they were all "fresh-looking," the particular one did not appear. He called Edward Ingram, his mate, who deposed that Ellis went to bed on Saturday night, and got up next morning to see the cause of the firing. They were plumbers and glaziers, and had been at work till six o'clock on Saturday evening. In the morning they went with others on the hill to see what was the matter. When the troopers came in sight, Ellis, who was frightened, went away, and was captured. With difficulty witness himself escaped. He could bring two other witnesses to corroborate these statements. Witness and his mate had been "always the other way."

Patrick Lynot, private 40th, saw Romeo in the stockade. He was armed and much agitated, looking to the right and left as if for a way of escape. Has no doubt about his identity. Saw Sheady come out of his tent about 508 yards from the stockade ; is convinced he only came out to see what was doing.

William Murrell, corporal 40th, saw Pergo, the Spaniard, at 100 to 150 yards from the stockade. He was near a tent, and had no arms.

Ellis called Mr. Morgan, auctioneer, who testified that the prisoner had been working for him for three weeks ; had received his wages on Saturday evening, about six o'clock. Prisoner was very industrious. Did not attend the meetings. Was always at his work and had not lost an hour in the three weeks.

Sheady, Pergo, and Romeo were discharged. Ellis was remanded till Monday, that the other witnesses for the defence might appear. ...

Further Reading

Corfield, J.,Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.

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