ATROCIOUS MURDERS BY BUSHRANGERS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1476, 8 November 1878, Page 3

ATROCIOUS MURDERS BY BUSHRANGERS.

The special reporter of the " Argus " telegraphs from Mansfield, on October 28lh: — The police heard privately that tho Kellys, for whom they had been looking for months past, were in the ranges at the head of the King River. The Kelly family live at Greta, fifty miles from here, and the brother* were understood to be in concealment where Power once hid himself. Two parties of police were secretly despatched last week—one from Greta, consisting of five men, with Sergeant Steele in command, and one of four from Mansfield. Though the movements of the Mansfield party were supposed to be dark the object of the expedition leaked out and, no doubt, was rapidly telegraphed across the bush to Edward Kelly. The ranges are infested with a brotherhood of Kellys, Lloyd Quinns, &c. They occupy land" amongst the hills, and ostensibly carry on the operations of cattle-breeders. From the account given by Constable M'lntyre, it appears that the Mansfield party started on Friday, equipped with revolver?, one Spencer rifle, and a double-barrelled grin, lent by a resident of the township. They had a tent and a fortnight's provisions. They reached S'.ringy-bark Creek, twenty miles from here, on Friday evening, and camped on an open spuco on the creek. It was tho site of some old diggings. The pitched the tent near the ruins of two huts. They were about fifteen miles from the head of the King. JNo special precautions were thought necessary, because the party supposed they wtre a long way irjm Kelly's whereabouts. Tr.e ranges round about were almost uninhabited, and the party v. ere not sure whether they wore on the watershed of the King or the .Broken Eiver 5 but bath Kennedy and Scanlan knew the locality intimately. It was Kennedy's intention to camp for a few de*ya, patrol backwards into tho ranges, and then shift the camp in. About 6 a.m. on Saturday Kennedy and Scanlan went down the creek to explore, and they stayed away nearly all day. It was MTntyre's duty to cook, and he attended closely to camp duty. During the forenoon some noise was heard, and M'lntyre went out to have a look, but found nothing. He fired two shots out of his gun at a pair of parrots. This gunshot, he subsequently learned, was heard by Kelly, who must have been on the lookout for the police for days past. About 5 p.m., M'lntyre was at the fire making the afternoon tea and Lonergon by him when they were suddenly surprised with the cry, "Bail up; throw up your arms." They looktd up, and saw four armed men close to them. Three carried guns, and Edward Kelly two rifles. Two of the men they did not know, but the fourth was tho younger Kelly. The four were on foot. They had appaoached up the rises, and some flags or rushes had provided them with excellent cover until they g''t into the camp. M'lntyre had left his revolver at the tent door, and was totally unarmed. He, therefore held up his hands as directed, and faced round. Lonergon started for shelter behind a tree, and at the same time put his hand upon his revolver. But before lie had moved two paces, Fiward Kelly shot him in the temple. He fell at once, and as ho lay on tho ground Baid, "Oh Christ, I am shot." He died in a few seconds. Kelly had M'lntyre searched, and when they found he was unarmed, they let him drop his hands. They got possession of Lor.ergon's and MTntyro's revolvers. Kelly remarked when he saw that Lonergon had been kill* d, " What a pity ; what made the fool run ?" Tho men helped themselves to several articles in the tent. Kelly talked to Mclntyre, and expreesnd his wonder that the police should been been so foolhardy as to look for him in the ranges. He made inquiries about four different men, and said he would roast each of them alivo if he caught them. Steele and Flood were two of the four named. Ho asked M'lntyre what he fired at in the forenoon, and eaid they must have been fools not to suppose he was ready for them. It was evident that he knew the exaet state of the camp, the number of the men, and the description of the horses. He asked where the other two were, and said ho would put a hole through M'lntyre if lie told a lie M'lntyre told him who the two absent men were, and hoped they would not, be shot in cold blood. Kelly replied, "No, I am not a coward. I'll shoot no man if he holds up his hands." Ho told M'lntyre that the best thing ho could do was to advice Kennedy and Scanlan to surrender, for if they showed fight or tried to run away they would be shot. Mlntyre asked what they would do if ho induced his comrades to surrender. Kelly said ho would detain them all night, as he wanted a sleep, and let them go next morning without their arms or their horses. M'lntyi c told Kelly that ho would induce his comrades to surrender if he would keep his word, but he would rather be ahot a thousand times than sell them. He adoM that one of the two was fattier of a large family. Kelly said, " You can depend on us." Kelly stated that Fifzpatrick, the man who tried to arrest his brothpr in April, was the cause of all this ; that his (Kelly's) mother and the rest had been unjustly "lagged" at Beechworth. Kdly then caught sound of the approach of Kennedy and Scanlan, and the four men concealed themselves, some behind logs, and one in the tent. They made M'lntyre sit on a log, and Kelly paid, " Mind, I have a ride for you if you give any alarm." Kennedy and Scanlan rode into the camp, M'lntyre went forward, and said, "Sergeant, I think you had better dismount and surrender, as you are Kelly at the same time &aUcd out, '• Put up your hands." Kennedy appeared f,o think it wa? Lonergon who called out, and lh»t n iest was intended, for he smiled, and put his'ha.id on his revolver case. Ho was instantly tired at, but not hit: and Kennedy then realised the hopelessness of his position, jump'd off his horse, and said, "It's nil right, stop it." Snunlan, who carried the Sp'.noer rihV, jumped down and tried to make for a tree, but before ho could unsling his rille, he was shot down never spoke. A number of shots werejfircd. M'lntjpa found that the men intended to shoot the whole of the party, so he jumped on Kennedy's horse, and «£a&hpd down the creek. Seyeral shots were tired, but n.vne reached him. Apparently the rifles were empty, ae«i onlythi revolvors available, or he must have betn hit. (in galli rrd through the scrub for two aailos, und then his

horse became exhausted. It had evidently been wounded. He took off (he saddle and bridle, arid concealed himself in a wombat hole until dark, lie then started on foot aoroßS the country, and walked until 3 p.m. on Sunday, when he reached McOoll's place, near Mansfield.

Two hours or so after M'lntyre reported the murder of the troopers Inspector Pewtress set out, accompanied by M'lntyre and seven or eight townspeople, for the camp. The police station waß so empty of weapons that all the arm" they could take were one revolver and one pun. They reached the camp, with the as-istancn of a guide, at halfpast 2 this morning. They found the bodies < f Scanlan and ]<onergou. They searched &*■ dnylight for the sergeant, but met with no traces of him. The tent bad been burnt and everything taken away or destroyed. There were four bullet wounds on Lonergon and five on Scanlan. Throe additional shots had been fired into Loncrgrm's dead body before the men left the camp. The extra shots were fired so that all might be equally implicated. M'lntyre is certain that Kennedy was not hit, but no one here at prt sent ventures to do more than hope that the brave fellow has not been since murdered. It is MTntyre's belief that Kelly meant to spare none, but dispose of them in a way to render their fate a mystery. Now that they know M'lntyre has escaped, they may possibly let Kennedy live. A large party will be despatched at seven to-morrow morning to succour Kennedy if alivo, and run down the murderers. They will provide themselves with food for several days. Two extra police arrived today, and three more will be here in the morning in addition to any who may be sent from town by rail tonight. M'lntyre is weak from bruises and from forty-eight, hours' severe exertion. The sorrow felt for!the death of Scanlan is universal throughout, the district. He seems to have been a brave, cool, amiable, excellent man. Kennedy was an efficient bushman and a resolute officer. He has a wife and five children, and, fortunately for them, should he be killed, his circumstances are good. Scanlan was unmarried, and his station was Benalla. Lonergon was from Violet Town. He has left a widow and four children, badly off. The public ought not to be satisfied until the band of villains by whom the district from here to G-refa is kept in a state of terrorism is effectually put down. The report as to Constable Meehan being stopped between here and Bcnalla last night is groundless. He wivs unarmed, and supposed himself cornered by two horsemen, wno followed him down the road. To escape capture he quitted his horse, and found his way ii Broken River on foot this morning. He had lent his revolver to Mclntyre before he left Mansfield. I met him this morning mounted, on the way to Benalla with his despatches, fully convinced that he had made a narrow escape; but no traces of any marauders havo been seen. The coach passed the spot today. The wet weather is likely to obliterate all tracks on the rangrs, and render the pursuit of the Kellys difficult, but an efficient party will be sent out.

Concerning the career of the Kelly Brothers, who are believed to bo two of the gang concerned in the murder of policemen at Mansfield, the " Argus " publishes the following— The offenders are two brothers named Edward and Daniel Kelly, for the arrest of whom warrants were issued some months ago for various offences, the most serious being a murderous attack made on Constable Fitzpatrick. The Kellys are well known as notorious criminals. Their father died a long time ago, and the family remaining consisted of the two brothers, their mother, and four youEg sisters. Edward is twenty-two years of age, sft. lOin. high, medium build, has a fresh complexion, dark-brown hair, and hazel eyes whilst Daniel is only feven'een years of age, sft. 6in. high, medium build, having a fair complexion and blue eyes. The former was arrested in IS7O on suspicion of being the mate of Power, the bushranger, but was discharged owing to the evidence of identification being insufficient. In February, 1871, ho was discharged from Pentridge, after serving a term of three years' im prieonment for receiving a stolen horse. The younger brother was discharged from the Becchworth gaol in January last, where he had been imprisoned for three months for wilful damage to property. They lived between Winton and Q-reta, on the Eleven-mile Creek, and their house formed a convenient rendezvous for criminals of all classes. Soon after the younger brother's discharge in January last a warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of horse-stealing, and on the 15th of April Mounted-constable Fitzpatrick, of Benalla, proceeded to the house to apprehend him. Finding him there he at onc<i placed him under arrest, but unfortunately for himself consented to allow his prisoner to take supper before leaving. Whilst standing guard over him, the elder brother, Edward, rushed in and shot him in the left arm, two inches above the wrist, with a revolver. A struggle followed, and the brothers, assisted by their mother and two men named Williameon and Skillian, soon overpowered the constable, and he was beaten to the ground insensible. On regaining consciousness, he was compelled by Edward Kelly to extract the bullet from his arm with a knife, so that it might not be used as evidence ; and on promising to make no report against his assailants, he was allowed to depart. He had ridden away about a mile when he found that two horsemen were pursuing, but by spurring his horse into a gallop heeeeaped. Of course, on regaining safety he no longer considered the promise which he had made to the criminals as binding, but reported the affair to his superior officer. The result was that a number of policemen from the surrounding districts set out for the scene of the outrage, and arrcßted Mrs Kelly, Williamson, and Skillian, who were all recently convicted at the Beechworth Sessions. The brothers Kelly escaped, and heve ever since been at largo.' Vague reports as to their being eeen in different parts of the north-eaßt.evn part of the colony were received, but the police for a long time could obtain no tangible trace of them.

For some months back the Government have been offering a reward of £IOO for the capture of Edward Kelly, on the charge of shooting Constable Fitzpatrick. If the Kellys are concerned in this last affair, as there seems little reason to' doubt, they must now be in loaßiie with at least two other ruffians as desperato ns themselves ; and four such characters make a formidable gang of outlaws.