A RIDICULOUS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 93, 19 April 1880, Page 4

A RIDICULOUS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

(Bendfgo Advertiser ) Four young Englishmen of respectable appearance and good connections arrived in the colony by the Ttue Briton on her lost trip. They intended totpend a few months in having a tour round the colonies and then return to ' England. Being fond of shooting and and fishing, a few days ago they left Melbourne well equipped with puns and ammunition, and arrived at Castlemaine.' They Lad heard there were some hares to be had around Muekleford, and bo they went out to that locality and pitched their camp. 'While in camp they were rather surprised at the number of polioemen in mufti who - kept coming into the camp asking some question as to whether they had seen » hone of a certain celor, what wes the road into Castlemaine, or to bucL a^id such a place. At nignt two of them left the camp to go into Castlemaine, Mhird went to bring some water, and the fourth was left in possession of the camp. Hardly had biß three companion! left him, when the man in barge looked up and saw the camp was surrounded, and' two policemen came forward and questioned him as to his name, business, where be came from, and where he was going, who were his -companions, and their business, &o. He was rather nettled at what he considered the impertinence of these inquiries, and at first refused to give them any satisfaction till they told him who they were. They aeked him if he bad any firearms. " Ob, yee," said he, stooping down and picking up a gun. "Put' lhat down," yelled 000 of his interlocutors. He did so. Presently bis companion returned with the wrter. and he waa subjected to the same series of questions. The police pirty then left, but did not seem quite jsatUfied with the result of their interview. We . must now account for (he presenco and business of the policemen at the siran gers' camp.' A rumor reached Castlenßaiue thut the K-llys were campe.i near Muckleford, and the news created no little excitement among the constabulary. But co ire life or death, duty must be done, and six determined men went cut, armed to the teeth, ifeolvcd to do or die." When within a mile of the locality indicated, a council of war -was held, and it was then resolved to surround the camp cautiously, which, being done, two of them were to go forward and interview the supposed outlaws. When the attacking force arrived on the scene there was, as we have stated, only oae id an in camp, After the interview, the police felt thut ""to a certain extant they had gone on a fool's errand. Nevertheless the camp was placed under surveillance all night, for yesterday morning when the travellers were engaged in packing up, they

observed a policeman get into n trap end drive off at a furious rate towards Castiemaine. When they arrived at the Csstlemaino railway station to get tbeir tickets for Echuce, they saw the whole station full of policemen and a large crowd of people who were eyeing them with considerable curiosity on account of a paragraph in (he " Mount Alexander Mail " of that morning describing the interview between the police and the supposed outlaws on the previous eight. Not a word was said to them however, and out* travellers arrived safely at the Sandhurst station. Tiiey are evidently new chuma from Yotkehire, and as much unlike the Kelleys as it is possible for men to be.