joe

joey

interjection, then a verb,now obsolete. Explained in quotations.

1855. W. Howitt, `Two Years in Victoria,' vol. i. p. 400:

«The well-known cry of `Joe! Joe!' – – a cry which means one ofthe myrmidons of Charley Joe, as they familiarly style Mr.[Charles Joseph] La Trobe, – – a cry which on all the diggingsresounds on all sides on the appearance of any of the hatedofficials.»

1861. T. McCombie, `Australian Sketches,' p. 135:

«The cry of `Joey' would rise everywhere against them.»

[Footnote]: «To `Joey' or `Joe' a person on the diggings, oranywhere else in Australia, is to grossly insult and ridiculehim.»

1863. B. A. Heywood, `Vacation Tour at the Antipodes,'p. 165:

«In the early days of the Australian diggings `Joe' was thewarning word shouted out when the police or gold commissionerswere seen approaching, but is now the chaff for new chums.»

1865. F. H. Nixon, `Peter Perfume,' p. 58:

«And Joe joed them out, Tom toed them out.»

1891. `The Argus,' Dec. 5, p. 13, col. 4:

«`The diggers,' he says, `were up in arms against theGovernment officials, and whenever a policeman or any otherGovernment servant was seen they raised the cry of «Joe-Joe.» 'The term was familiar to every man in the fifties. In theearliest days of the diggings proclamations were issued ondiverse subjects, but mostly in the direction of curtailing theprivileges of the miners. These were signed, `C. Joseph LaTrobe,' and became known by the irreverent – – not to say flippant – – description of `Joes.' By an easy transition, the corruptionof the second name of the Governor was applied to his officers,between whom and the spirited diggers no love was lost, andaccordingly the appearance of a policeman on a lead wassignalled to every tent and hole by the cry of `Joe-Joe.'»