Martin Cash Research Paper

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Martin Cash Early Life Martin Cash was baptised on the 10 October 1808 at Enniscorthy, County Wexford in Ireland. He was George and Margaret Cash, and came from a rather wealthy family. He was literate and had a reasonable education. However, his father was indolent and the boy's education was often neglected. Until Cash was 18, he worked as a farm labourer next door. He also began courting the young woman who lived there, Mary. Mary earned a living by making straw hats and bonnets, and her family also borrowed money from his. One day, Cash saw a rival suitor, named Jessop, embracing Mary. Cash claimed that he shot the man through the window, however, was charged for housebreaking, and sentenced to 7 years transportation. After being imprisoned in Cork gaol for six months, Cash boarded the Marquis of Huntley with 170 other convicts, and sailed from Cook Harbour to Sydney town. Convict Life On the 10th February 1828, Cash arrived in Australia. He was assigned to Mr G. Bowman of Richmond in Hunter Valley, which is 150 km north west of Sydney. For nine years he worked as a stockman, and received his ticket of leave. At that time, he assisted another farmer, John Boodle, with branding stolen cattle, which was unbeknownst to him. When he realised, he decided to flee to Tasmania, and convinced Bessie Clifford, the wife of another man, to come with him. On the 10th of Febraury 1837, they boarded the ship, Francis Feeling. In Tasmania, Cash worked around at multiple farms. In 1840, he was arrested for stealing six eggs valued at a shilling from W. Bedford of Campbell Town, who was his boss. He was charged and sentenced to seven years. In the next year, Cash attempted to escape gaol three times. After the first attempt, he was se... ... middle of paper ... ...4 and 1856. He was also then officially pardoned from his crimes. Later Life Martin Cash moved to Christchurch, New Zealand, for four years and worked as a brothel-keeper. To aid his work and have inside information, he became a constable in the Police Force. His colleagues were skeptical of him, and in March 1860, Cash was sacked and fined. Cash returned to Tasmania in 1863. Afterwards, 'having saved a little money,' Cash said, 'I purchased a farm at Glenorchy where I resolved to pass the remainder of my days in the calm and tranquil enjoyment of rural retirement.' He lived their with his wife and son, also named Martin. Towards the end of his life, he narrated his story to James Lester Burke, who then published it in 1870. On the 22 August 1877, he died from 'Fatty degeneration of Heart with Inflammation of Stomach and Intestines accelerated by Intemperance.'

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