From his farm, Ephraim Doe had a view of the Western Tiers. It seems he wasn't all that successful at farming but both he and Bridget certainly had their dogs under control.It was later said at their trial in 1867 that Bridget could handle any dog They used dogs to hunt for kangaroo and to save thenselves from the law as Ephraim did in 1863. A man Oliver Lee had recently been sentenced on a charge of sheep stealing and his sentence was expected to be a deterrent to others. However, information was given to police that Ephraim was stealing sheep. Upon their arrival at his farm, they caught him red handed, carrying out a sheep's head. Quick as a flash, Ephraim tossed it to his dog, being held on its chain. Anybody knows it is not a good idea to disturb a dog when it is eating and this large dog was not going to disprove that idea. How those policemen eventually managed to rob the poor dog of his meal was not explained in the newspapers, but it was too late. The canines had been busy. Chewed and crunched as the sheep's head now was, there were no identifying marks left and when Ephraim was taken to court the lack of evidence led to his aquittal. He had been smart enough to get rid of the sheep skin at an earlier time. Ephraim must have stolen many sheep and he must have been pretty good at it. The amazing fact to be considered is not how often he was caught, but how often he got away with it!
Today, these two would just have to saunter up to the meat section in the supermarket and secrete a couple of packages under their clothes. How much easier things have become.
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