Because of the danger of bushrangers like Black Douglas on the roads, the government set up a gold escort, a coach protected by police troopers to carry gold to Melbourne. One of Black Douglas's tricks was to rob the tents of miners during the day while they were busy digging for gold. He and his gang were captured by an angry mob of gold miners near Maryborough in May 1855. They were going to punish the bushrangers, but the police arrived and saved them. They were charged with various crimes and put in prison. He served several prison terms, and was in prison at Rochester when he died in 1892.