Death of Ben Hall (III), The

DESCRIPTION: Hundreds of troopers are employed to chase Ben Hall. He has been hiding in the bush, visiting a friend at night. The friend takes the reward. The troopers surround him. "I would rather sleep with the dead Ben Hall Than go where that traitor went."
AUTHOR: Will H. Ogilvie
EARLIEST DATE: 1976 (Scott-BushrangerBallads)
KEYWORDS: death outlaw betrayal
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
May 5, 1865 - Ben Hall is ambushed and killed by police near Forbes, Australia
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Scott-BushrangerBallads, pp. 26-30, "The Death of Ben Hall" (1 text)
Stewart/Keesing-FavoriteAustralianBallads, pp. 181-183, "The Death of Ben Hall" (1 text)
Roud #38680
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Ben Hall" (plot, subject) and references there
NOTES [137 words]: Ben Hall is widely regarded as "the noblest of the bushrangers." The story is that he was hounded from his home by the police, and only then turned to crime. Even as a bushranger, he attacked only the rich and never shed blood. For background, see the notes to "Ben Hall." Scott-BushrangerBallads says that the an who betrayed Hall was Michael Connolly, known as "Goobong Mick."
Scott-BushrangerBallads lists this as "Anon(ymous)," but Stewart/Keesling say it is by Will H. Ogilvie, and given its careful construction and un-folksong-like form, I accept that attribution.
To tell this song from the other Ben Hall songs, consider this first stanza:
Ben Hall was on the Lachlan side
With a thousand pounds on his head.
A score of troopers where scattered wide
And a hundred more were ready to ride
Wherever a rumour led. - RBW
Last updated in version 7.1
File: ScBB026

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