THE LATE NED KELLY".

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2390, 13 November 1880, Page 2

THE LATE NED KELLY".

Nod Kelly is twenty-eight years of age. He was brought up on the Plenty, near Wallan Wallau. where their parents (who bad previously migrated from Ireland) resided for many years, and where the Kellys received the rudiments of education at a small school a short distance from their home. Besides the two outlaws, there were three other children at that period—James, an elder brother ; a sister, who afterwards married Wiliam Skillion, and Kate, who has boon accused, ami very often wrongfully, of being the principal support to her brother during the time they were hiding from the police. Grace, the younger of the Kelly family, is rather a handsome girl, barely seventeen, and was born at the King Diver, where her parents removed after leaving the Plenty district. All <he family, more or less, have a share of good looks ; hut the most striking peculiarity in their features, and one uiiich can he noticed at a glance, istlio broad forehead,narrow chin, and the thin, firmly compressed upper lip, denoting at once obstinacy and determination.

From an early age Edward Kelly exhibited a desire to lead a wild and lawless life, and he was intimately associated with Power in many of his escapades ; hut he is not the man who, it is stated, personated a black tracker and betrayed Power to the police. That Avas another member of the fraternity. It was the taste for a wild, untrammelled life, eventuating from being brought in contact with Power, that induced Ned Kelly, after a lapse of some time, to start horse stealing on an extensive scale. Of course, he had plenty of confederates, hut Ned was the ruling spirit. He was of dark complexion, with bushy wishers and moustache ; and being nearly Oft high, well built, lithe, and active, he soon became an accomplished rider, either on the hack of a buck-jumper, or whilst running-in wild cattle in the ranges, and it was the latter sport which gave him the necessary practice to develop into a good marksman, cither with rille or revolver. Having been detected in some horse-stealing affair, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment, and on corning out of gaol started hack to his old haunts, remarking on jiis way up to a carrier who gave him a ride in his wagon, and who inquired as to his treatment in gaol, that u lie would sooner be shot or hanged than spend another three years in prison’’—a wish which will he' fill tilled. After serving his term, Ned and his brother Dan went to the King Diver, where they commenced horse-breaking and dealing, which eventually degenerated into “ dulling,” and again the police were on their track, and a warrant was issued for the apprehension of Dan Kelly. Some time previous to (his, however, they were joined by Stephen Hart, who had struck up an acquaintanceship with Dan Kelly in Beeehworth Gao], and by Joseph Byrne, with whom they had been acquainted for several years. Whilst horse and cattle stealing, the Kellys and their two mates lived in a hut in the ranges, and at intervals went prospecting for gold, which they obtained in small quantities, and which was disposed of in Beeehworth, Wangaratta, or Bcnalla, by Hart or Byrne, who took turn about in going to* the diiferent townships, in order to avoid suspicion, and to prevent themselves from being recognised. By judiciously keeping out of the settled parts of the district they avoided the police, until information was received that Dan Kelly was seen at his mother’s house near Greta, and Constable Fitzpatrick was sent to arrest him. The story of the attempted arrest is soon told. Dan refused to go with the constable, as he had no warrant, but only a telegram instructing him to arrest, and the latter thereupon tried to force him, at the same time, it is said, making use of indecent language and vile expressions towards Mrs Kelly and her daughter Kate, who interfered. Dan resisted, and was supported by his mother, Ned (his brother), William Skillion (his hruther-in-law), and a confederate named Thomas Williams. In the seuflle Fitzpatrick was shot in the wrist, and overpowered ; but on promising to say nothing about it, ami to let it he understood his revolver went oil; by accident and wounded him, was allowed to go away without any further injury, the whole of the Kelly family being apparently sorry for what had occurred. The constable, however, reported the matter. Mrs Kelly, Skillion, and Williams were arrested, tried and sentenced—the former to three, ami the two latter to six years eacli in I’entridge for assaulting the police, and warrants were issued for the apprehension of Ned ami Dan Kelly, who had taken to the bush immediately on receipt of the intelligence that the police were after them.

The details of the murders of Sergeant Kennedy' and Constables Lonigan and Scanlan at Stringy Bark Creek on October 2G, 1878 ; the sticking up of the Euroa Bank on December 8 ; the bailing up of Younghusband’s station ; the robbery of the bank at Jerilderie : the murder of Aaron Shcrritt; and the final encounter with the Police at Glenrowan are too fresh in the recollection of our readers to require recapitulation now. A strange coincidence is the fact that the gang commenced their career of bloodshed on a Saturdays broke out at Euroa and Jerilderie on a Saturday, and terminated their career by shooting Aaron Shcrritt on a Saturday; while on a Monday they robbed the bank at Euroa, and again at Jerilderie, and were themselves surrounded, brought to hay, and almost exterminated at Glenrowan on Monday, June 28last —a day (he remembrance of which it will take ages to efface from the memories of not alone those who were present -at the scene of the light, but also of every individual member of the communities of Australia —“Melbourne Telegraph.”