THE CAREER OF THE KELLYS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2286, 15 July 1880, Page 2

THE CAREER OF THE KELLYS.

SECOND EDITION

■ ■»■■■' Melbourne “ Argus.'’ Although one member of the gang of bushrangers which has for years past kept the residents of a largo portion of the Horth-Eastern district iu a state of alarm, and to some extent in a condition of lawlessness, still survives, and now awaits Ids trial and sentence, the tragic events of Sunday and Monday last may be said to have brought to a close the long and remarkable career of the notorious Kelly gang, and an opportune occasion presents itself for glancing at the principal events in their career of crime. The police records show that the two Kellys, at any rate, manifested their marked tendency to crime and lawlessness at a very early age. The record of their Jives is a record of a constant succession of lawless acts, carried out iu most cases, with such impunity and success that the criminals became emboldened, defied the authorities, growing more and more reckless and daring iu their exploits, until they developed into the bloodthirsty spirit which they have latterly displayed. To the majority of Victorians the names of Edward and Daniel Kelly are now painfully familiar, but it is not generally known that there is another member of the notorious family who threatened to become scarcely less dangerous had not the police of Kcw South Wales stopped Ids career at its outset. The individual in question, James Kelly, was the first to fall into the hands of the police. In 1871 James, who was quite a hoy at the time, was arrested and taken to Beechworth on two charges of cattlestealing. The offences were proved, and the youthful cattle-stealer was convicted and sentenced to two years and six mouths’ imprisonment on each charge. After his live years’ imprisonment he was released at Beechworth, where lie appears to have gone to Kow South Wales. Kcsuming Ids career of crime, lie soon fell into the hands of the police of Kow South Wales, was again tried, convicted, and imprisoned in Dcniliquin, where ho has remained to this day. James Kelly is said to be now 22 years of ago, and is two 3'cars older than Daniel Kelly. In the same year which saw 7 his brother James’ committal for Jive years, Edward Kelly was brought up at liccclrworth 011 the charge of receiving a stolen horse s knowing it to bo stolon. Edward, who was 15 years of age and described himself as a labourer, was convicted on August, 1871, and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, lie was discharged in 187-1. Three years later the youngest of the brothers, Daniel, was arrested on a charge of ‘‘ wilful damage to property.” Bnch was the charge on which he was proceeded against for the historical house-breaking adventure with ids relatives the Lloyds, in 1877. On August ID in that year he was convicted at Bcnalla and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, while one of the Lloyds was sentenced to a similar term of imprisonment for a violent anJJJindeccnt assault on a woman in the place thus broken into. In the early part of April, 1878, warrants were issued for the arrest of; Daniel Kelly and John Lloyd on six separate charges of stealing horses from J. G. Farrell, James Width', and Hubert Jeffrey. The warrants wore issued on April 7, and the police were soon on the tracks of the thieves. The gang, however, wore not to be so easily caught as on the occasion of their first veu-

tares. They had already earned a reputation for their daring, and had inspired many of the residents of the district with ,a dread of them. They were but the leading movers among a nest of thieves. Their house had become noted as the meeting-place of criminals, and the extent to which they carried their crimes showed that they had numerous active confederates, besides their hosts of sympathisers. It was stated by those in the district who knew something of the doings of the gang, that they stoic horses wholesale from all parts of the district, and in some instances crossed the Murray to dispose of them, and it was found a matter of extreme difficulty to obtain evidence, to say nothing of arresting the gang, owing to their being surrounded by a perfect network of sympathisers, who frustrated the efforts of the police for a long time. The first step towards breaking up the large body of confederates which appeared to be carrying on its nefarious proceedings without let or hindrance was taken on the 15th April, 1878, when William Skillian (brother-in-law of the Kellys). Williams alias Brickey, and Ellen Kelly were arrested at Greta on the charge of shooting Constable Fitzpatrick on the loth, of April. Skillian and Williams were sent to Pcntridgo for six years, and Ellen Kelly, the mother of the two outlaws, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment —a sentence ‘which she is now undergoing in the Melbourne gaol. The crime of which they were convicted was perpetrated with a view to preventing the arrest of Daniel and Edward Kelly, for whom Constable Fitzpatrick was searching. The two Kellys escaped, and speedily took to the haunts from which it was found so difficult to dislodge them. Eor a long time they eluded all attempts to capture them. In October, 1878, Sergeant Kennedy and Constables Scanlan M‘lucyre. and Lonigan obtained definite information as to tlie whereabouts of tho gang. Information that had been given to them led them to believe that the Kellys were hiding in the ranges at tho head of the King Elver." Two parties of police were despatched, one from Mansfield and the other from Greta. The hitter consisted of live men under the charge of Sergeant Steele, who took so prominent a part in the proceedings of Monday' last. The gang were found in the locality which had been indicated, but despite all the precautions of the police, tho Kellys had obtained information with respect to the expedition and its object. They were consequently prepared for the attack. Tho police, lulled into a sense of security' by the belief that their movements had been kept dark, camped on the bank of the Stringy' Bark Creek, about 20 miles from Mansfield, on the night of Oct. 25. The next morning the police, who had adopted no special precautions for their safety', proceeded to explore the locality'. A gun-shot fired by one of them attracted the attention of the Kellys. They' took the police by surprise, and then followed the tragedy which is perhaps tho most deplorable of the startling events that have transpired during the career of the outlaws. The cold-blooded murder of Constables Scanlan and Lonigan, the capture of Constable Mclntyre, and tho other incidents of the terrible tragedy are events of which the public still have a vivid recollection. The panic created a shock throughout the colony, while in the district in which it had occurred, a panic prevailed among tho residents, and search parties, comprising large numbers of men, started from the various centres of population in pursuit of the outlaws. It was at this time that tho authorities in Melbourne sent Supt. Nicholson to the spot to direct operations, and despatched a largo number of mounted police to the district. The Government, too, recognised the necessity' of adopting every- possible means of capturing the offenders. A reward of £2OO per head was offered for the capture of the murderers, and it was afterwards increased to £SOO per head. At a later date the Government increased it to a lump sum of £I,OOO, and a similar sum was offered by the Government of Now South, Wales. As tho offering of rewards, however, had no effect, notice was given that they' would be withdrawn during this month, a notification which, appears to have had some effect. With a view to deterring the numerous sympathisers with the gang from offering assistance to it, and with this object Parliament was induced to pass a measure proclaiming the perpetrators of the Mansfield outrage, outlaws, aud rendering any persons who were known to aid, abet, shelter, or assist them, liable to lo years’ imprisonment. This measure failed to have any appreciable effect on the sympathisers, for despite the efforts of tho police and of the residents of the district, who were determined to spare no effort to bring to justice thegang of marauders who had aroused the public indignation by tho fearful tragedy of which Sergeant Kennedy and Constables Lonigan aud Scanlan had been the victims, the gang found secure hiding places. So carefully' did they' elude the notice of their pursuers that it was confidently' believed that they' had left the colony', until the public were startled by' intelligence of a robbery' at Younghusband’s station at Euroa —a venture fortunately' unattended by any serious occurrence. It was closely' followed by (he memorable attack on the bank at Euroa, during which the gang, after locking up the officials, made off with £ISOO in notes, £3OO in sovereigns, aud £9O in silver. Thcjoutragc was characterised by all the coolness, daring, and audacity which had been displayed in the previous ventures of the gang, and the officials of the bank and residents of the township were so taken by surprise, and so terrified by' the wild threats of the desperadoes, that they offered no resistance. This event once more aroused the police authorities,and a largo body of police, accompanied by the black trackers from the Queensland native police, was scut to Euroa, which township had been quite unprotected prior to the arrival of the gang. After this robbery a detachment of the Victorian Artillery was dopatched to the district, but the Kelly's again escaped. A short time after the Hobbory of a bank at Jcrilderie, Now South Wales gave rise to the belief that they' had gone to the neighboring colony'. The robbery was committed under circumstances not unlike those attending the Euroa affair, and was as successfully carried out. Since their appearance at Jcrilderie in Fcbruary, 1879, the gang lias again been in hiding, and there have been the most conflicting rumors and speculations as to their whereabouts. It was stated not long since that the police authorities were gradually' closing in upon the outlaw's, and following a carefully' considered plan of capturing them through the instrumentality of some of their

former friends, and the murder of Sherritt points to a suspicion on the part of the Kellys that he.was assisting in the plans. Be this as it may, it is now matter of history how that murder led indirectly to the capture of the gang and to the tragic ending of their extraordinary career. In Edward Kelly the police have captured not alone the leader of this gang, but one who was arrested just ten years ago as one of the dangerous accomplices of the notorious bushranger Harry Power, and who has during his ten years’ career carried on his nefarious work with almost unexampled daring, and with the boldest defiance of the authorities.