A RIDICULOUS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1916, 15 April 1880, Page 4

A RIDICULOUS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

[Bendigo Advertiser.]

Four young Englishmen of respectable appearance and good connections arrived in the colony by tho True Briton on her last trip. They intended to spend a few months in having a tour round the colonies and then return to England. Being fond of shooting and fishing, a few days ego they left Melbourne well equipped with guns and ammunition, and arrived at Castlemaino, They had heard there were seme hares to be had around Muckleford, and so they went out to that locality and pitched their camp. While in camp the were rather surprised at the number of policemen in mufti who kept coming into the c imp asking some question as to whether they had seen a horse of a certain color, what was the road into Castlemaino, or to such and such a place. At night two of them loft camp to go into Oastlemaine, a third went to bring some water, and the fourth was left in possession of the camp. Hardly had hia three companions left him, when tho man in charge looked up and saw the camp was surrounded, and two policemen came forward and questioned him as to hia name, business, whore be came from, and where he was going, who were his companions, and their business, &o. Ha was rather nettled at what ho considered the impertinence of these inquiries, and at first refused to give them any satisfaction till they told him who they T were. They asked kirn if he had any firearms. “ Oh, yes,” said he, stooping down and picking up a gun. “ Pus that down,” yelled one of his interlocutors. He did so. Presently bis companion returned with the water, and ho was subjected to the earns series of questions. The police party then left, but did not seem to be quite satisfied with the result of their interview. Wo must now account for tho presence and business of the policemen at the strangers’ ramp. A rumor reached Castlemsir.e that tbe Kellys were oamped near Muckleford, and tho news created no little excitement amongot. the constabulary. But come life or death, duty must bo done, and six f’ etermiued men went out, armed to tho teeth. ~cs Ivcd “to do or die.” When wittim a mile of the locality indicated, a c~.nr.cil of war was held, and it was then resolved to surround the camp cautiously, which, being done, two of tho boldest were to go forward and interview the supposed outlaws. When tbe attacking force arrived cn the scone there was, as wo have stated, only one man in camp. After the interview the police felt that, to o certain extent they had gone on a fool’s errand. Nevertheless, the camn wa" placed under surveillance all night, for yesterday morning, when the travellers were engaged in packing up, they observed a policeman get into a trap and drive off at a furious rats towards Oastlemaine. When they arrived at tho Castlemaino railway •tation to get their tickets for Hchuos, they saw tho whole station full of policemen and a largo crowd of people who were eying them with considerable curios:!y on account of a paragraph in tho ‘ Mount Alexander Mail ’ of that morning describing tho interview between tho police and the supposed outlaws on the previous night. Not a word was said to them, however, and our travellers arrived safely at tho Sandhurst station. They are evidently new chums from Yorkshire, and as much unlike the Kellys as it is possible Jfor men to bo.