Notwithstanding the enthusiastic character of his reception in his
progress through the gold-fields in September, the new Governor soon had
to face serious disturbances.
The events of the next few months formed a crisis in the history, not
only of Victoria, but of Australia. Naturally there is much dispute
concerning them, and, as the following account is taken chiefly from Sir
Charles Hotham's reports, it is possible that the acts of his opponents
may not obtain strict justice. But it is admitted on all sides that Sir
Charles acted with the most perfect good faith; and the accounts given
by the insurgents are far too contradictory and prejudiced to receive
much credit.
On the night of October 16, 1854, a miner named Scobie was murdered, or
at least killed, at the Eureka Hotel, near Ballarat. The Eureka Hotel
was a place of no good repute, kept by a man named Bentley, who, as well
as his wife, was (it is said) an ex-convict from Tasmania. Suspicion
fell upon the couple, and they, with a second man (named Farrell), were
arrested by the magistrates, but almost immediately released for alleged
default of evidence.
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