A KELLY GANG INCIDENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 199, 21 August 1880, Page 4

A KELLY GANG INCIDENT.

A correspondent writes -to the GeelongTimesr the followirig story,' giving one of the incidents of the long sie*e of the Kellys : — " Although the fact of the desperadoes being the whole time in the vicinity of the scenes of their exploits was known t: the police the rob- ! bera were never actually seen to be recognised, save by sympathisers, for a period of 13 months. Tbo occasion on which they were so unconsciously under cover of one at least of the police rifles, is told .as follows : — Shortly after the Jerilderie bank robbery, it appears that Sherritt proffered on several occieioos to lead the police to where the Ktbllys were, but fearing treachery on the part of one who was supposed to be 'hand-aad-glove' with them, the offers were declined. At length, it having reached the ears of Superintendent Hare thut the outlaws were not very far away in tli3 ranges, aai that Sherritt was pro pared to point them out, he accepted the offer. Taking with him a single trooper (Phillips, I ihiuk), the three sallied forth at nightfall^ and traversed a mile ol the rugged country, till at the hour of 2. ia the morning, 'Hist!* from. the Hpg of SiierrhtTJrougtit the little party to a halt. Pointing to a small flickering Ore some 200 yarJs away, he whispered, 'There they are, « but to make assurance doubly sure,, he, crept forward near eriongh to recognise each of the four outlaws^beypnd dpubt. Returning to Hare .and the trooper, he 8 U, 'Sure enough - ; it'a tfrerni ' ; '- Go forward and satisfy yourself. But the only : favour I ask; isWdon't .shoot Joe Byrne. Give him a chance to get away. And now I must go. If it was known that' I. was here, my life would, : not be worth one hour to me,' and he disappeared. We can well imagine that, for a moment, Mr Hare looked at the trooper, and the trooper at Hare. ' Are you ready for them ? ' asked the latter. • I'll do whatever you ask me, sir,' answered the trooper. ' Then remain, here, and hold the horses in readiness to assist me at any instant.' The conversation, of course, went on in whispers, and as it ended the officer glided steadily forward in the darkness, till within an easy range of his prey. Now came the risk. To ensure any-thing-like safety, he must, for certain, pick off two of the outlaws. Once, twice, a dozen times, he raised hia rifle and took aim, but the unsteady flickering of the small fire, and the uneasy movements of the bushrangers, marred the certainty of the shot. Upon that j shot hung life, with some thousands of pounds, on the one hand; death on the other. It was a time of unimaginable anxiety ; but he determined to wait for the dawn, and slowly enough the hours crept on. At last the day broke, while he watched the spot with increasing eagerness, till the light was sufficient to show him that the birds had flown. Doubtless the snorting of the horses or some sound] had. fallen upon the practised ears of the band, and scared them. On examining the! spot,, it was found that a meal was in course of preparation, for the billy was still boiling on the fire. And .{thus passed the greatest and only chance until the grand finale, of settling the Kellys."