Henry Beard arrived on the convict ship America in 1829 having been sentenced in Gloucester to seven years transportation for stealing a cloak and other articles. He was sixteen years old and was assigned to the Maitland area by 1831.

John Richardson arrived on the Marquis of Hastings in 1828. He was 25 years old and had been employed as a shepherd in Essex before being transported for seven years for pig stealing in 1828. His description was given as 5ft 2 ¾in, sallow complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. He was assigned to the Bathurst district on arrival.

Together they were indicted for highway robbery of John Quantrill, the robbery of William Harper and for theft from Alexander McLeod of which they were both found Guilty.

The Sydney Herald reported their trial in August 1833.

SUPREME COURT-CRIMINAL SIDE«. THURSDAY-Before Judge Dowling, and the Usual Commission. Henry Beard and John Richardson, were jointly indicted for a highway robbery, putting in bodily fear John Quondrum (Quantrill), and stealing from a dray a large quantity of property, belonging jointly to Robert Lethbridge and Richard Alcorn, at Anville Creek, Maitland, on the 5th of June ; and John McMullin was indicted for receiving part of the property, well knowing it to have been before feloniously stolen. It appeared that the bushrangers met the Drayton the road between Maitland and Alcorn's Inn, near Anville Creek, and made the driver Quondrum, and a man of Allman's who was with him and had a cart in charge, to drive into the bush; the robbers then made the servants unload the dray of a puncheon of rum, a cask of brandy, and a large quantity of other property, and put it upon the cart with which they made two trips further into the bush, and hid the plunder. Quondrum gave information to Mr. Coulson, who with the Mounted Police tracked and secured the marauders, and found part of the property in the house of M'Mullin. Guilty. M'Mullin was then removed from the bar, and Beard and Richardson were again indicted for burglariously entering the dwelling-house of William Harper, putting the inmates in bodily fear, and stealing a gun at Hunter's River ; the prisoners were again found guilty, and having been called up for judgment, the learned Judge passed the awful sentence of death upon them, and ordered them for execution this morning without a hope of mercy. McMullin who had been convicted of receiving the stolen property, was ordered to be transported for fourteen years.

Punishment was swift. They were executed on 5th August 1833, two days after the trial.