The Victorian Outlaws.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3081, 2 January 1879, Page 2

The Victorian Outlaws.

From what can be learned it appears 'that shortly after noon on December 9th '■<.» oniPof the employes on' Younghusband's station named Fitzgerald was just sitting ■ downlo dinner in his hut, when a bash* man quietly sauntered up to the door, and taking his pipe out ot his mouth, inquired '•■ if Mr Macaulay, the overseer, was about. Fitzgerald replied, " No; he will be back towards evening. Is it anything particularp Perhaps I will do as well." The bushraan said, " No, never mind; it is of ito consequence," and then walked away from the hut door. About fire minutes later two more rough-looking characters ; joined the bushman. They were leading < four very fine horses, in splendid conditions The bushman then proceeded to the house, and walking in, met Mrs Fitzgerald. The old dame, considerably sur- ' prised at the stranger walking in without an invitation, asked him who he was and what he wanted. He Haid, " I am Ned Kelly* but don't be afraid; we shall doyou no harm, but you will have to give us some refreshments, and also food for our horsjgs. That's all we want." She was naturally surprised, and at once called out for her husband. Fitzgerald left hit dinner in the hut, and walked over to the house, where his spouse* introduced him to the stranger, saying "There's Mr Kelly; he wants some refreshment and food for his horse." By this time Kelly had drawn his revolver, evidently to show them that there was no joking on his part, and Fitzgerald, no doubt thinking discretion the better part of valor, . accepted the inevitable, and resignedly said, "Well, of course, if the gentlemen want any refreshment they must have it." Ned Kelly 1 hen entered into conversation with the people, making several enquiries about the station and the number of men employed on it. To all his questions satisfactory answers were given. As the station hands came up to the huts to get their dinner they were very'quietly ordered to bail up, and were unresistingly marched into the storehouse and locked up with Fitzgerald—no vio* leoce being offered them, as they ,went quietly. Later in the afternoon, Mr Macaulay returned to the station and surrendered. About this time a hawker named Gloster drove up, and having got some water from the kitchen, was going back to his cart, when Ned Kelly called out to him to stop. He turned round, and looked at the man, but supposing it was only a lark,, he went on his way. Dan. Kelly immediately raised his gun, and was about to fire/when Ned Kelly prevented him from doing so, and at the same tine Macaulay called .out to him to "bail up'*^in order to prevent bloodshed. .Gloste'r who ' appears to have been;, "a pretty obstinaje.., fellow, took no notice of the threats' of the Kellys or the, entreaties of "Macaulay, and steadily continued on his way, and got up* into -his curt. - Ned -JKelljp appeared to be losing his temper, and' went down to the cart, followed by his brother Dan. Ned then put his revolver^ to Gloster's cheek,. and ordered him to come out of the cart, or he would/ blow' his brains out. Several angry words passed between them, and it was, only by the endeavours of Maeauley that Kelly, . was prevented from shooting Gloster. Ned Kelly at last said he would l«f> him off this time, and at the same time praised his own moderation by saying' that not one man in a hundred would have dealt so leniently with him after the manner in which he had behaved. Dan Kelly was

evidently eager for blood, as be expressed a strong wish "to put a ballet through the -wretch." Gloster was at length marched up to the store-room, and locked up with the other prisoners. The four ruffians then proceeded to thoroughly ransack the hawker's cart, and provided themselves with a new fit-out. They made regular bush dandies of them* selves, and helped . themselves pretty, freely to the contents of the scent bottlej 1 which they found among his stock. They also took what firearms be had. Before going to bed for the night, the Kelly* , opened the dapr of the storeroom, and let the party out for a little while to get some fresh air, but at the same time keeping their revolvers in thsir hands, and watch* ing their prisoners very closely. While they were, all smoking their pipes together,- a friendly conversation took place between the gang and their prisoners. In the course of, this* conversation,, the,/ Kellys referred to the Mansfield murder** Ned Kelly said be was d—d sorry that Sergeant Kennedy was shot; he had no jntei|<

tinn of shooting him if he had surrendered. Kennedy fired five shots at them as he was escaping some of which grazed Kelly's clothes, and one hit him in the sleeve of the coat. Kennedy was making for a tree, and was partly sheltered, when he was first hit in the arm. This caused him instinctively to move his arm up", and Kelly, thinking he was taking aim at him, shot him in the side, and he fell, for which he (Kelly) was very sorry. As for M'lntyre, he was a d—— d coward. When Kennedy rode into the camp, and was ordered to bail up, he dismounted on the off side, so as to keep his horse between himself and the levelled, but directly he was out of the saddle, M'lntyre jumped on the back of the horse, and rode away without ever loking round to see whether he could give his comrade any assistance. Kelly also stated that they had written a long letter to the Legislative Council, giving the whole of the circumstances that had led them into their present career. Mrs Fitzgerald was induced to obtain the postage^Jamps to enable them to forward this precious document, of which more will probably be heard She says thwte^ere several sheets of paper covereA^ith beautiful writing.! About 1 o'clock in the afternoon of Tuesday, two men, named Casement and Tennant, who live on the opposite side of the railway station, were returning from a kangarooing excursion, and had to pass the station before crossing the railway to their own place. Tennant was on horseback, while Casement was driving a spring-cart, in which were two guns. As they were passing the gates leading to the station, they saw two men on foot, one of whom called out, " Bail up! lam Ned Kelly," at the same time seizing hold of 'Pennant's bridle. Tennant called out to him to let go, to which. Kelly replied by ordering him to dismount, at the same time tightening his grip on the bridle. Tennant said, " Mind what you are about, or it will be worse for you," to which Kelly replied," Good God! will you get down. lam Ned Kelly, and if you won't I will blow your brains out." Tennant thereupon dismounted, and saying, " Oh, if that is the case, let's load our guns " at the same time making for the cart, into which he jumped with the evident intention of' doing as he said. Kelly was evidently losing his temper, and again said, " Good God, won't you come out of that cart?" Some more angry words passed between them, and at last Kelly in a paroxysm of passion threw bis rifle on the ground, and, clenching his fists, said, " Come and have it out with me fairly. That is the fist of Ned Killy, and it will not be long before you feel thfl weight of it." Tennant, however, declined to accept the challenge, but deemed it advisable to get out of tlie cart before there was any more trouble. Kelly then ordered them to open the gate leading up to the station; but again Tennant refused. Kelly then put his revolver between Tennant's teeth, and swore that if he did not at once open the gate he would blow his brains out. To prevent such an occurrence Tennant did as he was ordered, and he and his companion were sent to join the others in captivity. Soon after this the afternoon up train stopped, and a man got out, who proved to be a line-repairer sent down from Benalla to see what was wrong with the line. As soon as the train passed out of sight the man was made prisoner, and also locked up in the store.

Mr Kobert Scott, manager National Bank at Euroa, supplies the •following narrative of the sticking up of the Bank: —" At about five minutes to 4 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon a man came to the bank door and told the accountant that he wanted a cheque cashed. He entered, and presenting a revolver, at the head of the accountant, ordered him to bail up. He then forced his way into my room, end I found that it was Ned Kelly. Taking his stand near the end of a table at which I was sitting, he presented his revolver at my head, and called upon me to bail up. He was followed by another man named ' Steve,' or Stephen Hart, who had a revolver in each hand. 1 did not bail up at first, and they called again upon me to do so. I had a revolver, but it was lying at the opposite side of the table from me, and I could not reach it without placing myself in the certain danger of being immediately shot. On their again ordering me to throw up my arms, I said, 'It is all right,' and raised my hands to the armpits of my Test. .Hart then kept guard over me, and Ned Kelly ransacked the bank, and took possession of what money we had in •nse.-whicb amounted to £300 or £400 in notes, gold, and silver. Kelly next proceeded in the direction of my private! apartments, where my wife, family, and Servants were. Fearing that he would do them harm, I said to him, " Kelly, if you go there I'll.strike yon, whatever the consequences may be.' Thereupon Hart presented his revolvers at-my- bead, and \ Kelly^ passed through. My wife and family, contrary to my expectations, took the visit; very calmly, and were nftt injured. On feturninj&^to the bank Kelly said he now knew 1 had more money than they had got,,and demanded it. I refused tdTfju& him anything^and he made the aecoTSmtHnt give hini- the specie and £>tes in the safe. He tojok in all £1500 in notes, abont £300 in sovpreigns, and nbou££9o in silver, besides Slozs of gold. As ifed Kelly and "Hart were entering the bank in front, 't)ttn« Kelly went round to the back and spoke to my domestic servant. Before this I had beard nothing about the* gang being in the neighbourhood. Stephen Hart tied his horse up at De Boo's Hotel, where he afterwards had lunch. After the fellows had appropriated all the money in the bank, and my, revolver and cartridges, rNe& Kelly requested me to harness my horse into my buggy. I sai<l, "No I won't, and mj; groom is away. Do it for yourself.* He replied,' Well, I. will'.,do it myself.' He accordingly harnessed the horse, and put Mrs Bc6tt and the family into it. He then said to me, ' Will you ;get inP' but I refused, saying, 'No, I won't, it is too heavily loaded already.' Kelly rejoined,,' Now, none of your larks. You will, then, hafe to go with me,' and pointing his .revolver at me, he made me enter the spring cart with himself and my servant." , The inmite|i|Of the Bank were then driven to Younghusband'H station, and on the way Scott said to Kelly ' Whofc would that fellow Hart have done, if I had struck you when you were going into my private bouseP' He replied, 'He would have t shot you dead on the spot.' In reply to a question, Ned Kelly also admitted that it was he who shot Constable Lonigan. the names of the two previously unknown offenders have now been ascertained beyond boubt to be Stephen Hart and Joseph Byrne;