Coolah is 80Km west of Merriwa. Coolah is a town in the central western part of New South Wales, Australia in Warrumbungle Shire. At the 2006 census, Coolah had a population of 910. On the northeastern side of the area is the Liverpool Range with the Coolah Tops National Park. Most of the region is agricultural with sheep and cattle raising and crops grown along the Talbragar River and Coolaburragundy River valleys.
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1876 branch opened (56th Report);
1877 March 10 newspaper report on robbery.
1880 branch closed (64th Report)Coolah NSW 18770226 Monday Newspaper:-
THE COOLAH BANK ROBBERY (from the Correspondent of the Western Post.) The following are particulars of the late bank robbery, furnished by one of the gentlemen immediately concerned in the affair -Mr. John R. Pownall, whose store adjoins the premises occupied by the Commercial Bank : On Friday morning, 16th instant, about 9 o'clock, as he was putting up the last shutter preparatory to closing the front door for the night, two men came up and touched him on the shoulder, and said they wanted him. So, without taking notice of them, he requested them to wait till he fastened the last shutter. He then asked them what they wanted, and they replied, some rations.
As soon as he turned round they ordered him inside the shop, and closed the door.
He then saw the predicament he was in. He was then asked for the keys of the bank, they pointing at the same time to the premises. Mr. Pownall told them he hadn't the keys. They then told him to call the manager, who was sitting on the verandah of the dwelling-house, only a few yards distant, with two friends who were spending the evening with him. Mr. Pownall accordingly called the manager, who on going in the doorway saw the men with their faces masked, and revolvers in their hands.
He immediately drew back, but the second man, quick as thought, caught him by the arm and took him inside. One of the gentlemen sitting on the verandah saw the man catch hold of the manager, and remarking "look at the drunken man," got up from his chair, when a third man sprang up and presented a revolver at him, requesting him, a friend who was with him, and Mrs. Pownall to go inside the store, where Mr. Pownall, the manager, and two other burglars were. As soon as this was accomplished, one of the trio went round to the kitchen, escorted the servant girl to the store, ordering her in also. This being done, and all safely lodged in the store, the keys were demanded from the manager, when he replied that he hadn't them. He had, on first knowledge of the state of affairs, thrown them in a grass plot. He was told he must produce them.
"Well," he said, "if you come with me to Mr. Breen's I'll get them for you," and also that one of them could go with him. They would not have this, and the ruffians presented their revolvers at him, and said they would give him ten minutes to produce them. After some consideration the manager said, " If you will promise not to touch any of the papers or books, I will get them"; so they agreed to this. He told them the key was outside. He was then marshalled outside, one of the burglars holding a candle, to where he had thrown the key on first noticing the aspect of affairs. After the key was found, two of them escorted him into the bank, through' the back door, to his bedroom, where the safe is kept, the other one guarding those in the store with his revolver. The former took all the notes, gold, and silver they could see, not interfering the books or papers; about £900 being taken. The manager remarked as they abstracted them, "Do you make your living this way?" Thinking they had all, they escorted him back to his friends in the store. The two then consulted for a moment, when the third man, not being satisfied, thought he would go and have a look to satisfy himself so the first two having returned the keys to the banker, the third man demanding the keys, but not being able to open the safe, the unfortunate manager was again marched into the bank to open the safe for him, who, after searching found some sixty notes belonging to other banks, this man also took possession of the bank revolver, remarking that he had two pea-shooters now, and returned to the store with the manager. When all were in the store they commenced searching for Mr. Pownall's cash-box, which caused-him to remark that they ought to be satisfied with what they got in the bank. Not finding it, Mr. Pownall was made to produce it, when some twenty notes were taken-all it contained.
One of them helped himself to some boxes of sardines and biscuits, also a handkerchief to tie them in.
They locked the front door, and all three walked quietly out by the back door, the last man bidding his victims good evening. They were no sooner out than one party rushed out and informed the police, who were only a short, distance away. The night being dark, not a trace could be found, mid not even the direction they had taken discovered. 18770216 Friday 21:00 The Coolah Bank Robbery. On Friday evening, the 16th instant, the newly-established branch of the Commercial Bank of Sydney at Coolah was robbed by three armed men with their faces masked. The robbery (says the ' Mudgee Independent') was evidently carefully planned, as the methodical manner in which the details were were carried out showed that the leader was not an inexperienced hand. Having obtained admission in the bank under a business pretence, they forced the manager (Mr. Bushby) into a room, and, in the orthodox manner, each presented a revolver at his head and demanded the key of the safe. Mr. Bushby denied having it, but a click of the Colts forced him to tell where it was planted. Having been obtained he was carefully guarded, and sternly ordered to be silent, and two of the three men then proceeded to "gut " the safe, out of which they obtained £200 in gold, over £700 in notes; and about £70 in silver, it is feared their numbers were unknown. They also took a revolver, which, was on the safe, stating it was safer with them. Having finished their business with the bank manager, they adjourned next door to the store owned by Mr. John Pownall, whom they stuck up, and levied a contribution upon Its stock of provender and wearing apparel, and, politely saying " Good evening," they vanished in the night, and up to the present time have not been caught sight of by the police. We are assured that the detailed description published of the robbers is a purely fanciful sketch, filled in to sell. Immediately on the receipt of the double robbery sub-inspector Carter arranged to leave for Coolah, and while at Denis Town en route, he quietly captured an offender wanted in Mudgee for forgery, so that, if he does not pick up the bank robbers, his journey will not have been a fruitless one. This is the second branch of the Commercial Bank which has been robbed - within twelve months. 18770324 Saturday:- Maitland Newspaper:- The Coolah Bank Robbery. (From The Echo.) At the Mudgee Police Court, on last Tuesday (before the Police Magistrate and Messrs. C. W. Lawson J. D. Cox, R. H. D. White, and Francis Cox), John Duncan and Joseph, alias Thomas, Duncan were charged with robbery under arms. Sub inspector Carter prosecuted, and the following evidence was taken : William Thompson Busby deposed : I am manager of the Commercial Bank at Coolah; I remember being at Coolah on the 16th of last month, at about 9 o'clock in the evening ; I was on a verandah of a cottage adjoining the bank; I heard Mr. Pownell call me faintly; Mr. Cox and Mr. Stephen were sitting with me at the time; I heard Mr. Pownell again call me, and went in at the back of his store ; I saw two men standing between Mr. Pownell and the front door ; the man next me wore a very large red beard, which I saw was not his own ; the man seemed to be about 5 feet 7 inches in height ; all of the man's face that was visible were his nose and eyes and part of his forehead; he had a long, dark coat on, which reached below his knees ; he wore a light, slouched hat, like the one produced ; I did not identify the man again absolutely; the height of the smaller man corresponds with that of the man I now look at ; the second man I saw was slightly taller than the first ; he wore a similar hat and a light coat and moleskin trousers ; he wore a mask, which appeared to me to be made of dark calico ; I noticed holes for the eyes and the mouth in the mask; I noticed the holes were stitched with a thread lighter coloured than the mask ; the mask resembled the one I now look at ; the coat worn by the second man seemed like the one produced, but appeared lighter in colour, which might be accounted for by the difference of the light at night; when I came into the store I saw the men had revolvers, and jumped back a couple of steps ; I at the same time dropped a bunch of keys I had in my hand; when I jumped back I saw a third man, who also had a revolver, and ordered me back into the store ; 1 went in, and on turning round saw Mr Cot, Mr. Stephen, and Mrs. Pownell ; the servant giri como in afterwards, and then the third man ; the third man also wore a mask ; he asked me for the keys ; I offered a key to the men, but they would not take it; one of the men said to me there was another key ; when I replied I hadn't it, the smallest man said they would blow my brains out if I did not produce the key in ten minutes ; I hesitated a moment, and said if they would come with me to Breen's they'd get it. One of the men asked who Breen was, and I replied, the sergeant, all this time they held their revolvers pointed towards me ; I moved towards the back door, when the sanies man called to me to stop, and caught me by the arm ; when I saw they were determined to have the key I told them where it was ; one of the men lit a candle, and I went outside with him, through the back door; We found the key where I had thrown it, and two of the men then went with me to the bank ; we went into the bedroom, where the safe was kept ; a match was struck, and a candle lit ; I opened the safe, and gave them a bundle of £1-notes, containing about 500; Mr. E. Lowe, of the Commercial Bank, Mudgee, brought the bundle of notes to Coolah ; when I received the bundle of notes from Mr. Lowe I counted them , and tied them up, and they had not been untied afterwards till I handed them to the men ; I also gave them a mail bundle and £5 notes; they looked into the safe, and pointed to the bag, which I said contained silver ; one of them took the bag, which contained about £30 in silver and £55 in balf-sovereigns : they also saw a cash box in the safe, and one of them asked what that was ; I said it was the cash box, and contained only papers ; one of them drew it out, and after feeling its weight put it back again; I then locked the safe, and went back with the two men into the store ; the man with the false whiskers had remained in the store guarding the people there; he said be was not satisfied, and came to me for the keys of the safe which I gave him ; he and the tallest man then went out; shortly after the man with the beard came back and asked me to come out and open the safe; I went into the bedroom again und opened the safe ; the man with the beard took out the cash box and took out some notes that were in it, the notes were ones and twos and fives ; the man with the beard asked me for more money, and said no bank could work under JIUOD^ they examined some papers in the safe, but did not touch them and we then went back to the store. I saw one of the men go behind Mr. Powneli's counter and take some money out of the cashbox, and some goods ; shortly afterwards the three men went out of the store by the back door ;. While I was opening the safe they had their revolvers pointed at me ; it was in consequence of the threats made to me that I opened the safe ; the total amount of money taken was £XXX 3s 9d ; they also took the bank revolver and a spirit flask ; I am quite certain I had issued none of entire bundle of notes handed me by Mr. Lowe. As the other witnesses had not arrived from Coolah sub-inspector Carter applied for a remand ; and one was granted for seven days. The accused are young men, apparently about thirty years of age, with nothing in their appearance to particularly distinguísh them from the ordinary run of bushmen. 1877-04-07 Saturday Newspaper:- Coolah Bank Robbery. (FROM OTO HTJDQBB CORRESPONDENT.) Mudgee, 29th March. onruras » jsenon or Magistrates to-day the two Dunearn were Now supplemented By Frank Reilly, the man who was arrested in Bathurst a few days ago on suspicion of being concerned in the Coolah robbery. The third suspected delinquent is a man of medium height, sporting a sandy moustache and goatee, and lacking altogether the wyly look of his brother prisoners. George M Dunn bas been entrusted with the defence of Reilly* and Mr. Edward Clarke for Duncan. Constable Burns deposed : I arrested prisoner Reilly from certain information received. I searched his cart, and in a bag half full of corn, placed in the centre of his cart I found certain notes on the Commercial Bank, which I believe to be some of those taken from the branch bank at Coolah. Prisoner JMUy was in the cart when I arrested him, and stated that the cart and all its contents were his property. I asked him to account for the possession of the notes, when he gave me to understand he had worked hard for them. I then asked him for a reference to any party from whom he may have received any portion of the money, when he informed me that he did not recollect the name of any such party. Subsequently, at the lock up, he referred to the notes in question, and said he had picked them up on the road between Parkes and the Logan I now produce the money, sixteen one-pound notes and one five pound note, the numbers on which correspond with the numbers of some of the advertised notes. Mr. Puwnell, storekeeper at Coolah, said: On inspection of the men now in the dock, I believe they would correspond with the men who entered my store, though they wore masks. Some of their clothing I recognize. Mr. Stevens, on being sworn, corroborated the evidence of Mr. and Mrs Pownell with reference to John and Thomas Duncan, but said that he was under the impression that prisoner Reilly appeared shorter than the man who entered the store, who was ornamented with the fake red whiskers. Albert Cox, J P., deposed : I see the coat (grey) held up for ray inspection. It is the dead spit of the one worn by one of the men. I did not take any particular notice of any other clothing. I could not say whether the men now in dock resemble the men who came to the store, as I did not see their faces. I fancy the man in the centre of the dock (John Duncan) is the man who took me in from the kitchen. Edward James Lowe, accountant at the Commercial Hank, Mudgee, identified the notes in the possesion of the prisoners as part of those stolen. Mrs Pownell, wife of Mr. Pewnell, said : I could not identify any of the men. not having seen any of their feature. Prisoner Bailly corresponds in height with the man who wore the false red whiskers I remember remarking when I mentioned that one of the men had light blue eyes, that the pupils of 1|MM eyes were small and restless ; I see the eyes of Bailly and find they correspond with the eyes ca. His Worship now addressed the prisoners severally, asking them if they had anything to say, at the same time cautioning them that any defence made now would be used in evidence against them at their trial The prisoners reserved their defence. his Worship then committed them to take their trial at the next Court of Assizes to be held on the 13th April, 1877. Mr G M. Dunn, who was retained on behalf of prisoner Reilly, made an application to the Court for an order for bail for his client: wmm Mr. Carter observed, should his Worship be induced to allow bail, the bail should be in proportion to the weight of accusation against prisoner His Worship then observed that the Bench did not feel disposed to allow bail in this case. There was a good attendance at the Court-house during the trial, which lasted the whole day, and a lively interest was evinced by the spectators through-out. | 
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