THE LATEST KELLY STORY.

Kumara Times, Issue 889, 6 August 1879, Page 2

THE LATEST KELLY STORY.

The last piece of Kelly gossip.at Ballarat, according to the Star, is as follows : —“ Soma days ago a man who, re* fused to state his name arrived in Btlo: larat and took up temporary quarters ' at an hotel in the western portion of ' Sturt street. In the course of cohversation with the landlord the traveller stated that he had recently heen in tho . - Mansfield district, and that his hush’ nesss had during May last necessitated; - a jodrney in the neighbourhood of the Strathbogie Ranges. While on 'the track he, on May 11, fell in with four well-armed men, who promptly, and ih: characteristic fashion, in trod need-them-selves as the Mansfield murderers-.. The relator of the story states that' the formalities of an introduction were notrequisite, as he bad not the slightest difficulty iu recogniisng from their portraits two of the gang, one, being the younger Kelly. The gang made him divest himself of every particle of his • clothing, and went through the form of measuring his height,, and generally : taking a raind’a-flye photograph of him. Having satisfied themselves that fie was in no way connected with any of the police* or other search parties, the.gang - made merry at his expense,'and chatted freely with him for some time. They threatened that if he gave any information with reference to his having seen them, his life would not be worth an hour’s purchase. After allowing ... him to re-clotbe himself, they presented him with a serviceable pocket-knife, : and, much to his astonishment, with ' 10 sovereigns in addition, bidding him to continue his way and bold* his ton- * gue.”