Governors Quarters
To your left, you’ll see the Governor’s quarters, and to your right, the Warden’s quarters. Where the library stands today was once the location of the old cell blocks.
On the night of May 8th, 1869, a man named Bruun reported that he was held up and robbed, accusing Andrew George Scott—better known as Captain Moonlite—of the crime. Bruun recounted that the robber approached him around 10:10 PM, initially asking for the time. He was then taken down to the dam in front of the bank and threatened but was instead forced to the schoolhouse, where he was compelled to write a note, which the robber signed as “Moonlite.” Bruun said he waited in the schoolhouse for about 15 minutes before escaping.
This account aligned with other testimonies placing Scott in the area at the time of the robbery. Constable Monkton also reported being robbed that same night, swearing that Scott was the perpetrator. Charles Harris recalled seeing Scott and Bruun together around 10 PM, and another witness, Andrea, saw two men walking towards the schoolhouse shortly before Bruun claimed he was robbed.
Scott, however, presented an alibi, stating that he was in Melbourne the night before the robbery and at a woman’s house the night of the incident, only returning home around 12:40 AM the following Sunday. Additionally, there was a discrepancy between Scott’s guns and those used by the robber, as noted in court documents. He maintained his innocence of this crime for the rest of his life.
Although Scott was not charged with the robbery, it’s important to mention that he and Bruun were known to be close until about a month before the incident. Shortly after these events, Scott left Melbourne for Sydney, adding another layer of intrigue to his already colourful history.
Other Information
Take a left, and then a right. Head down between the Library and the Prospects building.
Tales from Rat City 