The Bushrangers.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3088, 10 January 1879, Page 1

The Bushrangers.

I (TOOK THI AVBTXAUBUBi) « Mr Donald Cameron, M.L.A., submitted to the Chief Secretary on Wednesday the letter he received from Edward Kelly, the leader of the Mansfield murderers. Mr Berry read the document carefully, | and agreed with, Mr Cameron that it \ would be injudicious to publish it at present, as it was clearly written for the parpose of eiciting public-sympathy for the murderers. As, howev|r, *it contained rery serious allegations against members of the police force that may require some investigation it was-handed over to the Attorney-General for his: consideration. The terrible threats* taade t by Kelly to tear up rails and~«acrifice lite on the North-Easterns (Hallways were noted by Mr Berry, who took sWps to brings them under the cognisance of the railway authorities^?W(ard^r-^at:precautions might be talren'immediately. The de. termination not to publish the letter tn wrfcjwo at present will be adhered to. but Mr Cameroßihas felt justified in supplying us with the following outline of its contents :— ■•-. ..........-...—...

_ Kelly commences with an apology for troubling Mr that he felt bound'to makehig ca«e known, in order that justice might be done to his friends. Be then gives a history of his life frpjn thp time he went to lire at Greta, and details various oases of horse stealing, in which, he i alleges, be was wrongfully accused by the police. In giving his veriion of the outrage on Constable Fitfepafriok; he states that when it occurred he was 400 miles away from the place, and that he subsequently learned that it was because the constable was endeavoring to arrest his brother merely on th& strength of a telegram,and wUhp&: : any7 warrant, that he was turned; ou^pf,their house.'';He;>denies that Fitzpatrick was. shot in the arm, averring that this wasa concocted story, and alleges that ia certain publican was a party,to the fabrication. His great com-' plaint is th«t-his «ioth«v«.w^ b«r4»aby t and hiijtwo friendi, Skillion and Williams, have been" wrongfully imprisoned. He therefore, demands that justice shall be done to them, but asks no mercy for him* self, and indicates that he expects none. When he returned home, he found that warrants were out for his arrest, and'tbat a reward, was offered for him. Being airaid; he went mining with his brother and[ 'some'other men; They trere under the' impression I that the country was " woven " with police, and as they only had two small guns, they thought their only chance was in attacking a police camp, securing, th« police, arms, and in theu making* rush through the supposed cordon to Ifew.South Wales.. He then ;relates-how they suprised> the camp near Mansfield, and shot Sergeant. Kennedy and the two constables. Constable M'lntyre surrendered at once, but Lonigan, instead of bailing up, ran to a " battery " and popped up his head " as if he were going to shoot. He (Kelly) thereupon covered him with his rifle, and shot him. Sergeant Kennedy and he (Kelly) fired at each other for some time. Kennedy eventually got behind a tree, where he was shot in the arm/ He then made a rush out but turned back again, and threw up his arm. By this time he had dropped his revolver, but he (Kelly) did not observe that he bad done so, and supposing that he raised his arm to fire again he (Kelly) fired and shot him dead, through the chest. He pretends to be sorry for having shot Kennedy and Scanlan, but expresses no regret'for the murder of Lo/tjgan. Towards the end of the letter he mates a number of horrible threats, the principal of which are against the Bailwajr department,, t and;declares that he wiU*cArry them out if justice is not done to bis relatives and friends, who he again alleges been grievously wronged by several members of the police force. He makes a complaint about the police who are in pur*otf of' the gang not wearing their uniform, and asks why they should n> t don ttmtr regimentals, and fight the mutter out in their true colours. As it is, he «ays, thej cannot be distinguished from civilians', and renders it possible that he may shoot civilians by mistake. If justice if .not done to his friends he will " wage a war on all mankind." He Attempts to finhh with a verse of original poetry, the i>nly two intelligible lines of which are—

" I don't want shot or powder To avenge my cause.' He continues—"And so I conclude—* Mind yo»r railwiyt-rwith;».tweet goodbye from Edward Kelly, a forced oat-

TBY EtECTMd'TmBGBAPH.I ' (fbom otra swcui bipobteb.) Bsnalla, Thursday, 1 a.m. The police have just received information to the effect that the house of a seleotor Hying about five miles from here, at .Ryan's Branch, on the Kilferaroad, was stuck up by 'some men at a quarter to 10 o'clock last night. The information m as brought in here by a son of the selector referred, to, but his statement is of the vaguest., He says that as the' family, consisting of his father, mother, 'sister, and himself, were about going to bed a man, or some men, oameto the door; and ordered them to bail up. Without, waiting to hear any more,.the, young maa made his way.out at the back of the houseand walled intoßehallatogive the ; information^ but he says that before he left he-heard ft B un snapped or fired off. SA strong .party of police' ■, has, been despatched to > the spot indicated.,