THE HIDING-PLACE OF THE KELLYS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2317, 20 August 1880, Page 2

THE HIDING-PLACE OF THE KELLYS.

SECOND EDITION

The special reporter of the Melbourne “ Argus ” telegraphs from ileechworth that Kelly has been making i number of statements about Ins career, but many of them are so contradictory that- it it difficult to distinguish what is true or false. This, however, is proved, that for some time the gang lived in a house that was frequently covered with snow, and that Kelly had to clear the snow oil the roof to prevent it falling in. The conclusion, therefore, is that at one time the gang lived cither in the Buffalo or Bogong Ranges.” A VALUABLE PLANT SOMEWIIEUE. Considerable speculation has been raised in connection with the plant of the Kelly gang. That there is a large amount of their loot planted somewhere is undoubted,-but whore it is remains a mystery. If it is concealed in the bush, no one but the members of the gang knows of it. Ned Kelly is of course the only person alive who can tell where it is, and even had ho an opportunity of giving his friends the desired information it might be, after all, as difficult to discover as the pot of sovereigns which were hidden by Weiberg at the Tarwin river. On the other hand, it may have boon concealed in a place ho could easily explain to his friends. The rumour is that a certain friend has managed to learn where the loot is, and that he has “ sprung the plant,” and that he has d'sappeard. By whom this statement was originally made is not known to the authorities. So far as can be ascertained, it must have either come from a sympathiser,or have arisen from peculiarities that have been observed in the conduct of certain relatives of the gang.

According to the information received about the manufacture of the armour used by the gang at Glenrowan, it was made in the vicing of Greta. They tested it by firing balls at the inside of it with rifles, and the marks they made this way are easily distinguished. The Kelly gang were probably well informed as to thenewsof (he day,and possibly got the idea of chain armor fiom General Melikolf’s device, which is thus described :—“ Tlic chain-mail vest which is said to have saved the life of General Mclikoll from Viadetski’s bullet has for many generations been a com mon article of wear with the leading personages of Europe, the most notable examples being Ollivcr Cromwell, Gustavns of Sweden, the present Czar and Louis XVI. In the Middle Ages these mail coats were known as ‘Milan shirts ’ and greatly esteemed for the idleness of their workmanship. A famous Italian guerrilla, who went into the battle of

Ravenna thus equipped, was found dead with the links of his mail still unbroken, though the bones inside it were completely shattered by the death-blow.”