KELLY OUTLAWS.

Patea Mail, 13 July 1880, Page 3

KELLY OUTLAWS.

NARRATIVES of the LAST FIGHT

Ned Kelly’s Account of Himself.

Thu pursuit of I he Kelly gang of murderers and stickers-np began cm Saturday, June 20. The murder of the railway plated iver atSebastopol iiad beenreported tnlho polic-o at Melbourne, and a strong force was quickly organised to start in pursuit. A large reward I'or the capture ol; the Kelly’s alive or dead, was still on oilier. A special train loft Melbourne at 10.15 on Saturday night. Sub-Inspector Connor and his black brackets were picked up at Essciulon at at ion, and on they wont towards the mining viiliago of Sebastopol, near the Queensland border. Next day a man was seen signalling the train to stop, lie seemed excited. The driver pulled up, and the man warned the police that the rails were torn up .‘it a dangerous gully a little farther on ;an 1 that tho Kellys bad entrenched themselves in the Clenrownn Motel. The man disappeared in the bush? and the police bad to consider whether there was mischief or not in that mysterious message. The train went on slowly, and at a deep gully, concealed by a turn in the road, the rails w-erc found to be torn up, and the train would certainly have plunged head-long to destruction but for that timely warning-. This happened TJ- miles from Glonrowan township.

Tnl’ I’lIiST UIiL.SII. It was Sunday night when tbo police approached the hotel at Glcnrowan, having Jolt the train, got out their horses, and ridden forward. Superintendent Haro walked np to the hotel in the moonlight, and when within twenty yards of the verandah a shot was fired by a tall man peering round the corner. Haro was hit in the left wrist, a bad wound. Two constables with him blazed back at the dark figure, but ho was gone. An escaped prisoner from the hotel came np (a Glcnrowan constable), and told the police 40 persons were held in the hotel, including prisoners and inmates, and that the armed gang inside would not let anybody stir without threats of shooting them. He said there were women and children inside. The police began firing at the hotel.

WOUNDING Oil ILDUICN. The sfatiomnaster got away from the hotel, with a £ow other residents of the town, and reported that the gang had held them all prisoners, that a shot had struck a girl aged 14, and a boy aged nine had been wounded in the hip, both being children of the innkeeper, Mrs Jones, the landlady, kept calling the. police “ murderers,” and then screaming at intervals to make them stop firing. ."MRS. IUCARDON’S STATIC ME NT. Mis Heard on made the following statement after escaping from the hotel:—“My husband is a platelayer employed on the railway, and we live about a mile from the station on the Benalla side. At three

o’clock on Sitnday morning wo were all in bed, ami were roused by Ned .Solly, who knocked at the door, and told my husband when he opened it to surrender himself. They had also made a prisoner of Sullivan, another platelayer, and Kelly brought us ■ to the station, where I was kept for some hours. Kelly took my husband and Sullivan down the lino, in order to tear up the rails and destroy the coming train with the police. Ho was afterwards taken to the hotel. There are a lot of innocent people in there now, and they are frightened to come out for fear the police will kill them. Among them are James and Michael Reardon, my husband and son, Catherine and Patrick Delaney (who are hero courting), W. S. Cook (a labourer), Martin Sherry (a platelayer,), L. W. Reynolds (brother of the postmaster), Robert Gibbons, the brothers Meanliil’e, and other strangers whom I don’t know.” KILLED WiIILIC DRINKING. Just before the arrival of another detachment of police, a heavy volley was ponied into the hotel and, according to the statements which some of the prisoners afterwards made, that roll ay proved fatal to Byrne, one oi: the gang, who was standing close to young Delaney drinking a “ nobbier” of whiskey at the bar when ho was shot in the groin. Tie was carried to the back of the building, where he gradually died a painful death. The police went on firing without being aware of tin’s tragedy inside the place. NED KELLY GOT OUT. The police wore ranged round the hotel on Monday morning, shooting occasional ly, when a tall strange man approached from the rear, and created a scare. It was Ned Kelly, the chief of the gang. How had lie got out ? He stalked towards the police quite coolly, and seemed a terrible fellow to look at. lie was covered with mail, like a knight of the Middle Ages. SHOOTING AT THE “ FIEND. ” Then began a duel, a very unequal one

Niue policemen opened fire on Kelly,, whose gaunt ligure they now recognised. Ho returned their shots with a revolver, while they tired with rifles ! Their shots rattled against his ploughshare cuirass and bounced oil'. .Kelly laughed back at them, waving his hand like a iicnd with a charmed life ; laughing aloud as he leisurely hanged back at one and another. The police wore more afraid of his shortrange revolver than ho was of (heir longrange rifles. They dodged about for cover, and fired at; him at oh advantage. He went gradually forward towards the hotel: to join his companions, or create a diversion by which they might escape. About half-an-honr’s shooting between Ned and the police had resulted in nothing hut waste of ammunition, when Sergeant Steele, who had some courage, and had been working up towards Kelly under cover, now rushed towards him firing at Kelly’s mini elected extremities. Kelly fell, wounded in the legs. Kelly was firing again while down, but Steele rushed up and seizing the revolver wrested it from Kelly’s hand, just as the outlaw fired a last shot. Other police rushed up, after keeping at such a safe distance, and when Kelly saw himself surrounded ho roared and cursed and reviled as only an outlaw can. The police pulled his armor oil", and carried him to the railway station, whore he remained quiet. Ho was evidently suffering from various wounds, and was bleeding much. Two doctors examined him, and found two bullet wounds in the left arm. a bullet in the right foot, near the right toe, and live wounds in the right leg, those being the ones inflicted by Sergeant Steele. The outlaw was now very quiet, and in answer to inquiries made the following statement :

NED KELLY'S STATEMENT. What I intended to do, and in fact was just about doing, was to go down with some of my males and meet the special train, and rake it with shot. The train, however, came before I expected it, and I had to return to the hotel. 1 thought the train would go on. and on that account I had the rails pulled up that these b black trackers might be settled. It docs not much matter what brought me to Glenrowan. If I liked I could have got away last night. I got into the bush with tny grey marc, and I laid there all night. I had a good chance, but I wanted to sec the thing end. When the police fired the first round I got wounded on the foot ; it was the left one. Shortly afterwards, I was shot through the left arm. It was m the front of the house where I received the injuries. I don’t care what people say about Sergeant Kennedy’s death. I have made my statement of it, and if they don’t believe me 1 can’t help it. At all events I am satisfied that Scanlan was not shot kneeling. Tin's is not true, he never got oil his horse. At the commencement of

the affair this morning I fired three or fom allots from tixj front of Jones’ hotel, but I did noi know who I was firing at. I only fired when I saw the flashes. I then cleared for the bush, but remained there, near the hotel, all nightr Two constables passed by me talking, and I could have shot tb.ein before they had time to shoot. If I liked I could have shot several constables. At one time I was a good distance away, but I came back again. I have got a charge of duck shot in my leg. 'Vhy don’t the police use bullets instead of duck shot ? One of the policemen that was firing at me was a splendid shot. 1 don’t know his name. Perhaps I would have done hotter if I had cleared away on my grey mirv. It was just like blows from a man’s list, receiving the bullets on

my armour. 1 wauled to fire into the* carriages, only (he police started on ns 100 quickly. I knew the police would conic, and I expected them. Inspector Sadlicr here remarked, “ Yon wanted then to kill the people in the train ?” Kelly replied, u Vos, o£ course 1 did. God help them , r They would have got shot all the same. Would they not have tried to kill me ?” Every kindness was shown to Kell 3' ly the police, and his two sisters were permitted to remain with him during the afternoon, lie was also seen by the Kcv Fathci Tierne\ T , to whom ho made a confession. FSCAPF OF Till-: I’IU.SONKIiS. At 12 o’clock the people inside, about thirt3 T men and youths, suddenly rushed out of the front door, canying - their hands aloft. The police told them to advance, but main 7 were so terror stricken that UlO3 7 ■ran about screaming for mercy. One ly one the\ r were called in, and having been minutely searched were despatched to the station. Young lleardon, who, with his father, had been confined in the hotel, was severe!} 7 wounded on the shoulder. The police kept up a constant fire on the place. A me GUN. The police consulted, and being sus- 1 picious that the desperadoes would tiy to | emerge fiom the hotel in the darkness and ! get away, they hit on the bright idea of ; blowing the hotel down with a cannon. J Tiny did not attempt to rush the place—■ their skins were too valuable. A telegram was sent to Melbourne for a cannon.

“ SMOKING THKM OUT.”

The ollicers held another cmnieil of war, and resolved (o sot lire to the hotel. They would ;i i-moke them out,” or roast the outlaws alive. They began with a heavy volley, while two constables were approaching with a bundle of straw. This they put against (ho weather-boards, Jirerl it, and soon the hotel was in flames. It was known that all the inmates had escaped except (he outlaws, ami one old man named Sherry, who was reported to be wounded badly. As the flames mounted to the roof, the crowd began to shout and bowl about the horror of roasting the wounded old man. KATE KELLY. The sister of the Kellys, who had watched the siege from the Jirst, now came near the hotel, exclaiming “ My poor poor' brother!” Another sister, Mrs Skillon, said excitedly, “ I will see my brother before he dies !” She rushed towards the building, but the police pressed her back. A PRIEST TO THE RESCUE. Father Tierney then emerged from the crowd, saying he would save Sherry. He was encouraged on his mission by cheers from the spectators. lie walked to the front door, was lost to view amongst the smoke, and a moment afterwards a mass of flames burst from the walls and roof of the building. At the same instant a shout of terror from the crowd announced the fear that was felt for the safety of the courageous priest. Constable Armstrong and some other policemen rushed into the building from the rear, and a few seconds afterwards their forms, with that of Father Tierney, were seen to emerge, carrying with them Sherry, who was in a dying state, and bringing with them the dead body of Byrne. PIN DING THE SKELETONS. They stated that Dan Kelly and Hart were lying 1 on the floor, apparently dead) and nothing could ho done to rescue their remains. Soon afterwards the building fell into a smouldering heap, and on a search being made among the ruins, two charred skeletons were raked out. Weld, Wright, Hart (brother of Steve), and other well-known friends of the outlaws were witnesses of the scene. THE ARMOR. It was found that all the bushrangers had been clad in the same armor as that worn by Ned Kelly, which weighed ns much as 97lbs, and had evidently been constructed by some country blacksmith out of ploughshares. The marks on Kelly’s armor showed that he had been

1 tit seventeen times with bullets. Sherry died soon after being rescued from tbe building. NED KELLY RECOVERING. Melbourne, July 2nd. Ned Kelly is apparently recovering from his numerous flesh wounds. His mother is allowed to interview him. He still maintains that he was driven to the outrage by the police persecution. The boy Jones, who was wounded by the police, has died. It lias been ascertained that Shorrctt, the platelayer, who was supposed to be killed by the police shuts fired into the house, was murdered by Ned Kelly, who shot him for refusing to pull down the window blinds to prevent the police from seeing in. Mr Ournow, a schoolmaster, was the man who stopped the special train, giving warning that the rails had been torn up by command of the bushrangers. Tliirty prisoners wore shut in with the outlaws in the building,while volleys were fired in upon them. The jiolico were careful of their own lives. SCENE AT THE FUNERAL. Melbourne July 3. The bodies of Hart and Dan Kelly were brought to Greta by the relatives, amid extreme excitement. The procession was met by great crowds of sympathisers, many of whom were armed. Dick Hart, brother of the deceased, dared the the police to interfere at the funeral, and said that if the police wanted the bodies they would have to fight for them. They were placed in Mrs Skillioifs hut, and many sympathisers, inflamed with drink, professed to he anxious for a brush with the police. It is stated that, standing by the corpse of his brother in the presence of Kate Kelly, Dick Hart raised his right hand to heaven and swore to avenge his death. A throat was made to roast the Gienrowan constables as the outlaws had been roasted. AXOTHER GANG. Rumours are slil! cropping up that Will Wrigl and Dick Hart threaten to take to the bush with a stronger band than (he Kellys, and wreak vengeance on their murderers. It has been reported, but since contradicted, that Kate Kelly has shot Sergeant Steele, who shot her brother Ned.