Important Statements.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3634, 19 August 1880, Page 2

Important Statements.

Ned Kelly has made some very important statements to a reporter in Beechworth gaol. Reporter; "You hare said you fere hardly and unjustly treated by the police, and that you were hounded down by (hem. Can you explain what you mean P" Kelly : " Yes; I do not pretend that I hare led a blame* less life, or that one fault justifies another; but the public in judging a case like mine should remember that the darkest life may hare a bright side, and-that after the worst has been said against a man he may, if he has told his story in his own rough way, that will perhaps lead them to reverse the bent of their thoughts against him and find aa many excuses for i him as he would plead for himself, i People who live in large towns hare no idea of the tyrannical conduct of the police in the country places remored from camp. They hare no idea of hardship or the overbearing manner in which they (the police) execute their duty and abuse their prisoners." Reporter: "Can you gire any instance of which you complain P" Kelly: " I can. Mclntyre, in his evidence said I told him Lonergan had giren me a hiding in Benalla; it is not true that I ever said this to Mclntyre, but I will tell you what the real facts are, which probably Mclntyre may be acquainted with. Some | time ago I had been drinking, and I think I was drugged.' I was arrested for some offence—riding OTer a footpath, I believe —and lodged .in the lockup. On the following day, when I was taken /rat of the lockup and still dazed, I escaped and was pursued by the police. I took refuge in a shoemaker's shop, and four constables soon came in after me. They, assisted by the owner of the shop, tried to put the handcuffs on me, but failed. In the struggle that ensned my trousers were almost torn off me. Finding me a more difficult man to manage than they expected Lonergan seized me in such a cruel, cowardly, and disgusting manner that he inflicted terrible pain on me, but still I would not surrender. The act of Lonergan, which cannot be described, might bare ruined me for life, if it did not actually kill me. While the struggle was still going on, a miller came on, and, seeing how I was being ill-treated, said the police should be. ashamed of themselves, and he endeavoured to pacify them, and induced me to be handcuffed. I allowed this man to put the handcuffs on me, though I refused to submit to the police. It may seem strange, but it is as true as I am here that from that time up to Lonergan's death I suffered excruciating pain from his treatment, but, from the day of his death until now I have been free from that pain and the ill effects Ibefore experienced. Eeporter: " Now, Kelly, what it the -REAL HISTORY OP FITZPATRICK'S BUSINESS.

—did he ever try to take liberties with your Bister, Kate Kelly P " Kelly: " No; that is a foolish story; if he or any other policeman tried to take liberties with my sister, Victoria would not hold him."

Reporter: "Then what is the real story?" " , Kelly: " I will tell yon. I declare to you that I felt more keenly than I can express the nnjnst treatment meted out to my mother, who was arrested with a baby at her breast, and eonricted of a crime of which she was innocent."

.Reporter: " Tell me the whole story of that affair."

Kelly: "The following is the true rersion of the affair. I think a warrant had been issued at Chiltern for Dan's arrest on a charge of horse-stealing, of which he was'quite innocent. Before this warrant could reach Fitzpatrick, he somehow became aware of it, and started out to Greta to arrest Dan. He got drinking at' some place in the neighbourhood while be was watching for Dan to come home. He saw Dan outside the house, and' said, ' Dan, I want yon to come into town with me.' ' No,' says Dan, 'I don't care to go into town; I bare no business with you.' ' Oh,' said Fitzpatrick, ' there is a warrant against you for horse-stealing.' , 'Very well,' said Dan, 'if that is the ease I will go; but I hare just come in from a long ride, so let me hare something to eat before I go.' Thereupon the two went' into my mother s place. Dan did not like to tell my mother, and Fitzpatrick was silent, but after a little time he said he was going into town with , Fitzpatrick, and my mother wanting to know what for, Fitzpatrick said, ' there is a warrant out against him, and I hare arrested him.' Well, said Dan, 'you hare said so much about a warrant, snow us your warrant,' fitzpatrick said, 'I hare got no warrant, but a telegram came saying there was a warrant out for you.' ' Well,' said my mother, who was putting some fire on the 6?en in which she was baking, ' I don't see why any man should be taken on the word of a policeman; and Dan you need not go unless you | like.' Fitzpatriek at once drew his rerolrer, and oorered my mother .with it, saying, ' I will blow your brains out if you interfere.' My mother said to Fitzpatrick,' You would not be so ready to show that pop-gun of yours if Ned was here.' Instantly, Dan, with the riew of distracting bis attention cried out, 1 There is Ned coming along by the side of the house.' Fitzpatrick at once fell into the ruse, and looked in the direction indicated by Dan, but I was not in fact within 200 miles of the place at the time. Directly Dan saw that his attention was taken offhim, he rushed him, disarmed him, emptied his rerolrer, gare it him back, and let him go, not .offering any riolence whaterer. A. day or two after, my mother, Skillian, and Williamson, bothofwljom were not present on that occasion, were arrested on a obarge of aiding and abetting an attempt by me to murder Fitzpatrick, and confined six months before they were tried. In May, 1878, a reward of £100 was offered for my apprehension for this alleged attempt at murder. At the trial Fitzpatrick swore T shot him in the wrist, and he was afterwards torn-

pel led to submit to the cutting out of the bullet. I know now the position in which I stand, and now declare to God FitaPatrick's statement is false from beginning to end. My version may be doubted, but there are one or two facts that help me. Fitzpatrick has been since dismissed from the force. Dr Nicholson gave evidence that Fitzpatrick's wound might have been caused as stated by him, but that he had not probed the wound. Since the trial the doctor had told Fitzpatrick that bis wound was never caused by a bullet. I believe Fitzpatrick, in order to give a colour to his story and to relieve himself for his failure to arrest Dan, inflicted a mere flesh wound on his wrist, but whether it was so or not I declare tliat his statemeut affecting me was wilfully and deliberately false, for I was not within hundreds of miles of the place at the time. At the time my mother was arrested, up to her sentence, Dan and myself kept out of the way, and were earning oar living quietly by .digging. As soon as my mother's conviction had been obtained in that way, the police evidently made a determined effort to earn the reward that I believe had been increased to £200. lam much indebted to the apprehenders, but I firmly believe they only wanted the slightest pretest to shoot my brother and myself."