Mad Dan Morgan - Bushranger

'Mad Dan' Morgan - Bushranger (1830-1865)
John Fuller (aka'Mad Dan') operated in the area around Culcairn on the Olympic Way between Albury and Wagga Wagga. He was believed to have been born at Appin, New South Wales, the illegitimate son of Mary Owen and George Fuller, and attended the Catholic school at Campbelltown. Although he was suspected of stock theft from the late 1840s, his known criminal record began when, under the name 'John Smith', occupation jockey, he was sentenced to twelve years hard labour for highway robbery at Castlemaine, Victoria, on 10 June 1854. Released from the prison hulk Success on a ticket-of-leave in June 1860 for good behaviour, he failed to report to the police in the Ovens police district. He was notorious for his brutality and daring. A museum detailing his exploits will be found at Culcairn. After his capture the head was removed from his body and sent to Melbourne for testing to try and analyse the reason for his brutality and "insanity'. He was responsible for the deaths of several men killed in raids on homesteads and stores, for the murder of Sergeant David Maginnity near Tumbarumba after which a reward of £1000 was posted and Sergeant Smyth. a member of a search party pursuing him who died of wounds which Morgan later claimed he had inflicted, and for at least six known robberies of stagecoaches and station homesteads. On one of these at 'Peechilba', near Wangaratta in Victoria, in April 1865. he was unaware that word was passed to the station owner who was nearby. A posse of armed men and police descended on the station and, when Morgan moved towards the stables preparing to leave the next morning, he was shot and killed.	Daniel Morgan, by Samuel Calvert, 1864 National Library of Australia
More Information from the Australian Dictionary of Biography - ANU Pete Wilkins 2013

'Mad Dan' Morgan - Bushranger (1830-1865)

John Fuller (aka'Mad Dan') operated in the area around Culcairn on the Olympic Way between Albury and Wagga Wagga. He was believed to have been born at Appin, New South Wales, the illegitimate son of Mary Owen and George Fuller, and attended the Catholic school at Campbelltown. Although he was suspected of stock theft from the late 1840s, his known criminal record began when, under the name 'John Smith', occupation jockey, he was sentenced to twelve years hard labour for highway robbery at Castlemaine, Victoria, on 10 June 1854.
Released from the prison hulk Success on a ticket-of-leave in June 1860 for good behaviour, he failed to report to the police in the Ovens police district.
He was notorious for his brutality and daring. A museum detailing his exploits will be found at Culcairn. After his capture the head was removed from his body and sent to Melbourne for testing to try and analyse the reason for his brutality and "insanity'.
He was responsible for the deaths of several men killed in raids on homesteads and stores, for the murder of Sergeant David Maginnity near Tumbarumba after which a reward of £1000 was posted and Sergeant Smyth. a member of a search party pursuing him who died of wounds which Morgan later claimed he had inflicted, and for at least six known robberies of stagecoaches and station homesteads.
On one of these at 'Peechilba', near Wangaratta in Victoria, in April 1865. he was unaware that word was passed to the station owner who was nearby. A posse of armed men and police descended on the station and, when Morgan moved towards the stables preparing to leave the next morning, he was shot and killed.

Daniel Morgan, by Samuel Calvert, 1864
National Library of Australia

More Information from the Australian Dictionary of Biography - ANU
Pete Wilkins 2013