Full Particulars.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3599, 9 July 1880, Page 2

Full Particulars.

THE SPECIAL TRAIN BLACK TRACKERS.

Immediately on the receipt of the neves by Captain Standish, Chief Commissioner of Police, on Sunday night, that the Kellys had, at last, broken cover, and committed another diabolical outrage near Beechworth, he ordered a special train to at once start from Spencer street station, Melbourne. When the news arrived at the station that a special train was required, ail the engines' were cold, and it was not till a quarter past 10 o'clock that a start was made. At Essendon Inspector O'Connor and his five black trackers were picked up, together with Mrs O'Connor and her sister (Miss Smith). The men were evidently in excellent spirits at the prospect of an encounter. After that fair progress was made to Benalla, where Superintendent Hare, with eight men and seventeen horses was in waiting, and joined the parly. It was thought that the Kellys or some of their friends might place an obstruction on the line. In order that danger in this direction should be avoided as much as possible, it was determined to lash one of the police to the front of the engine, so that he might there be able to keep a good look out. At the last moment this plan was abandoned. THE LINE BROKEN UP. j A timely warning, however, when within a mile and a quarter of Glenrowan, and when just opposite Playford's and Desoir's paddock, brought the special to a sudden halt. Danger signals from the pilot engine were the cause, and in a few seconds the pilot came back, with an intimation that a man in a state of excitement had stopped the engine, and had stated that Glenrowan was stuck up by the Kellys, who had torn up the line just below the station, in order to destroy the party which they knew would pass along the line in the special.

We compile the following from the Auckland Evening Star:— , INTERVIEW BETWEEN KELLY AND HIS BISTEBB. After the house had been burned, Ned Kelly's three - sisters and Tom Wright were allowed au interview with him. Tom Wright, as well as his sisters, kissed the wounded man, and a brief conversation ensued, Ned Kelly having, to a certain extent, recovered from the exhaustion consequent on his wounds. At times his eyes were quite bright, and although he was of course excessively weak, his remarkably powerful physique enabled him to talk rather freely. During the interview he stated: 'I was at last surrounded by the police, and only had a revolver with which I fired four shots; but it was no good. I had half a mind to shoot myself. I loaded my rifle, but could not hold it after I was wounded. I had plenty of ammunition, but it was no good to me. J got shot in the arm, and told Byrne and JUan so. I could have got off, but when I saw them all pounding : away I told Dan I would see it over and wait until morning."

" What on earth induced you to go to the hotel P " inquired a spectator. "We could not do it anywhere else," replied Kelly, eyeing the spectators who were strangers to him suspiciously. "I would," he continued, " have fought them in the train, or else upset it, if I had the chance. I did not care a— — who was in it, but I knew on Sunday morning there would be no usual passengers. I first tackled the line and could not pull it up, and then came to Glenrowan station.

" Since this Jerilderie affair," remarked a spectator, "we thought you had gone to (Queensland." "It would not do for every one to think the same way," was Kelly's reply. "If I were once right again," he continued, " I would go to the barracks and shoot every one of the ; traps, and not give one a chance."

Mrs Skillian to her brother : " It's a wonder you did not keep behind a tree." Ned Kelly : I had a chance at several policemen dur a/? the night, but declined to fire; my arm was broken the first fire ; I got away into the bush and found my mare, and could have rushed away to beggary, but wasted to see the thing out, and remained in the bush."

A sad scene ensued when Wild Wright led Mrs Skillian to the horrible object which was all that remained of her brother Dan. She bent over it, raised a dirge-like cry, and wept bitterly. Dick Hart applied tor the body of his brother but was told he could not have it until after the postmortem examination. Tuesday evening. THE SCENE AT GRETA when the charred remains of Hart and Dan Kelly were carried in by their friends was perfectly indescribable. The people seemed to flock from the gam trees. There were some of the worst looking people there I ever saw in my Ufa. The two bodies were carried into Mis Skillian's amidst the wai'iags and

groaning of over two hundred people. I'hey were laid down on the table side by side, a dreadful sight. Their frieuds rushed tho hut to catch a glimpse of them, but Mrs Skillian took down a qua and threatened to blow the brains of the first person that entered her house without her permission. Then Tom Lloyd and Quion went in. They looked at the bodies for a moment, and then Tom Lloyd took hold of Kate Kelly's hand, and lifting his right arm to heaven swore a most dreadful oath that he would NEVER LEA.YE THEIB DEATHS UNAVENGED. All day long scenes like these continued. DriDk was brought over from Mrs O'Brien's hotel, and they were all, more or less, in a state of intoxication, and dangerously inclined. Lloyd seemed to | be the most sober of the lot, thought he was drunk enough. He went out into the clearing at the back of the hut with Mrs Mrs Skillian, and the two kept in conversation a long time. A number of papers passed between them both Then Lloyd got on his horse and rode off to Benalla. He came to beg the body of Byrne. Of course this was denied him until after the magisterial enquiry had been held, and he hung about the police station attempting to enter into conversation with every constable he could." He kept appealing to their good nature, and esking them not,^ to be too hard. He was ia a state of '*" the greatest anxiety to know what the police would do next, and seemed to be afraid that he and some others would be arrested as sympathisers. "What are you going to do with us, Mr Kelly P " he asked o t the constable there. " I don't know, Tom. You had better keep out of the way and behave yourself." " Oh, for God's sake, don't interfere with us. We have done you no harm. Be satisfied with the work you have already done, and leave us and the girls in peace."