Burra Record (SA : 1878 - 1954), Friday 2 July 1880, page 3


REAPPEARANCE OF THE KELLY GANG.

From Advertiser.

Melbourne, June 27.

A telegram has been received from Beech-worth stating that Constable Armstrong, one of the search party, rode into Beechworth at half-past 1 o'clock today and informed the

police that the Kelly gang were at Sebastopol last night (Saturday) at 6 o'clock, and that Joe Byrne, one of the gang, had shot Aaron Sherritt through the eye and killed him. The gang brouht a German to Sherritt's hut, handcuffed, there being several police in the hut at the time, and forced him to ask Sherritt the way to Sebastopol. As soon as Sherritt opened the door a ball was sent through his eye and another through his chest. The gang also fired several balls into the side of the hut, and kept the police prisoners for twelve hours. Melbourne, June 28. A telegram from Beechworth dated June 27, 8 p.m. states :- A party of five police left here at 3 o'clock in charge of Senior Constable Wallace. No further particulars are at hand yet, Mr. Foster, the police mag-istrate, proceeded to the scene of the affray to hold an inquest, and decided to postpone it until tomorrow. The police are reticent. It is thought that Sherritt was shot in order to check a feeling of disaffection amongst the outlaws' friends. The house at which the affray took place is situated about seven miles from Beechworth, on the Eldorado-road, and within half a mile of the residence of Byrne's mother. It is a two-roomed slab house, and at the rear there is a stable. In front there are several large trees between the house and the main Eldorado-road. At the time of the outbreak, about half-past 8 o'clock, there were six people in the house — Constables Armstrong, Alexander, Dow- ling and Duross, Aaron Sherritt, and his wife. The German, Antoine Weekes, who was brought to the house by the gang, is a resi-dent of the place. Sherritt it was supposed, recognised hisr voice and immediately opened the door when he was shot down by Byrne, who said "You'll not blow what you will do to us any more." Sherritt died instantaneously, without a struggle. About eight shots were fired by the outlaws. The marks of five balls are visible on the outside wall of the house. After Bryne shot Sherritt the gang retired behind the trees, and called to the police, "Come out of that you b——y dogs and surrender." The police said they would sooner die than surrender, and one of the gang then threatened to burn down the house and roast them inside. It was reported that the police concealed themselves under the bed, but the rumor is discredited. Numbers of persons have visited the scene of the murder this afternoon one of the sympathisers with the outlaw, who was in Beechworth Gaol some time ago, when he he saw that he was recognised slunk sway. Glenrowan, June 29, night. A special train was dispatched on Sunday night from Melbourne. At Essendon Inspec-tor O'Connor and five black trackers were picked up together with Mrs. O'Connor and her sister, Miss Smith. The men were in excellent spirits. The train proceeded rapidly, and at Craigieburn ran through the gate and carried away the brake of the engine, which necessitated a stoppage of twenty minutes. At Benalla Superintendent Hare and men with seventeen horses were waiting, and joined the party, together with Mr C Rawlings. The night was splendid. The moon was shining brilliantly, whilst a sharp frost in the air caused the slightest noise in the forest beyond to distinctly heard. It was thought that the Kellys' friends might place some obstruc- tion on the line, and in order that the danger might be avoided it was determined to lash one the police to the front of the engine that he might keep a good lookout. At the last moment the plan was abandoned. It was a merciful intervention of Providence that ot was so. Time certainly was lost by the change of tactics, but the loss was in the end again, as there was a spare engine at the station which it was decided to use as a pilot engine. This accordingly started about half a mile ahead. The special was intended to run through from Beechworth to Glenro-wan and on to the next station, Benalla, fourteen miles distant. When within a mile and a quarter of Glenrowan, and when just opposite Messrs. Playbord's and De Sour's paddocks, the special came to a sudden halt. A danger signal from the pilot-engine was the cause. In a few seconds the pilot-engine came back with an intimation that a man in a state of great excitement had stopped the the engine and stated that glenrowan was stuck up by the Kellys, and the lines had been taken up just below the station in order to destroy the party which they knew would pass along the line in the special train. He stated the intentions of the gang to the police, who dis-played great eagerness for action. The mem-bers of the press barricaded their windows with the cushions upon which they had pre-viously sat. In response to a request which some of their number made the lights in the train were extinguished. It was then ten minutes past 3 o'clock. Superintendent Hare was not long in determing what to do. The man who gave the information dis-appeared in the forest as soon as he had im-parted his news. His story was accepted with caution, but it was soon apparent that he had saved the lives of those in the train, which otherwise to a certainty would, along with the pilot-engine, have been hurled into a deep gully just below Glenrowan station. This gully is behind a curve in the line, which would have prevented the conductors from seeing the pilot-engine go over the embankment where the rails had been torn up. Supt. Hare, with one or two of the police, proceeded with the pilot engine to the railway station, closely followed by the special. On arriving at the station the horses were quickly got out of the trucks by the men, whilst Superintendent Hare, with one or two men and Mr. Rawlings, proceeded towards the Glenrowan Hotel to seek infor- mation.

The township of Glenrowan consists of about half a dozen houses, inclusive of two bush hotels, Jones's Glenrowan Hotel being about 200 yards from the station on the west side of the line, whilst McDonald's Hotel is about the same distance on the other side of the line. The instant the men stepped on to the platform they were convinced by the report of a shot fired from Jones's Hotel that they were in the presence of the desperate outlaws. The next few minutes was [were] productive of painful excitement. The police abandoned their horsesand rushed for their arms. The black trackers sprang forward with their leader, and soon took up a good position in front of the house. Superintendent Hare, who could be plainly seen by the light of the moon, walked boldly towards the hotel, and when within about twenty-five yards of the verandah the tall figure of man came around the corner and fired a shot which took effect in Superintendent Hare's wrist, but Kelly found in him one who would not shrink. Senior-constable Kelly and Mr. Rawlings followed his example, and the former re-turned the fire which was taken up by Super-intendent Hare, although wounded, and Mr Rawling followed his example. Just before Superintenden Hare was wounded, Con-stable Bracken, the local policeman, who had been made prisoner in the hotel, made his escape, and spread the information that about forty inmates were kept there under

watch. The back kitchen was constructed of slabs, and into this the police poured about sixty shots. Superintendent Hare's voice was heard above the terrified screams of the women and children giving orders to stop firing. These orders were repeated by Constable Keily to the men outside at the back. The Kellys fired four shots amongst the police and uttered brutal language, calling upon the police to come on. After the lapse of an hour Superintendent Hare approached the railway station, saying he had been wounded in the wrist, which was bleeding very much. There was no doctor present and the reporters bandaged the wound, and so stopped the bleeding. During the time Mrs. O'Connor and Miss Smith remained un- willing witnesses of the scene from the railway carriage. The bullets from the outlaws whistled past the train. The women im-plored Superintendent Hare not to go back but he did so. His reappearance on the trenches was a fresh signal for firing, and the valley was soon filled with smoke. Superin-tendent Hare became faint from loss of blood and was compelled to retire. He went back to Benalla on the engine in order to have the injury attended to, and to send more men to the front. A long and tedious interval followed, during which time Mr. Stainstreet, the station-master suddenly left the hotel where he had been kept a prisoner with other residents. He walked boldly away and had a narrow escape of being shot by the police, but he saved himself by proclaiming tha he was the station-master. He reported that the gang were still in the house and that the shots of the police had struck a daughter of Mr. Jones, fourteen years of age, on the head ; whilst a son named John Jones, nine years of age, had been wounded on the hip. Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Reardon, both of whom were walking about the place disregarding the danger to be feared from the volleys which the police, at intervals poured into the hotel, were frequently called upon by the police to come away but they hesitated, and Mrs. Reardon and her son were fright-ned to accompany Mr. Reardon to the station. The poor woman was carrying a baby only a few months old in her arms, but she eventually ran to the station, where she re- ceived every kindness. She was in a terrible condition. She stated — The gang took pos-ssession of the town on Sunday morning. We were all in bed, and were aroused by Ned Kelly, who knocked at the door and told my husband to surrender. He advised us all to dress. We did so, and they made prisoners of Sullivan and another platelayer. Kelly brought us to the station and kept us there some hours. Kelly took Sullivan and my husband down the line to destroy the rails so as to upset the approaching train. I was taken to the hotel where a lot of innocent people had been kept, too frightened to come out for fear the police would kill them. Amongst those who were there were James and Michael Reardon, my husband and son Catherine and William Henderson, John Delaney and others. I did not know when the poor woman completed her story, for the firing of the police at this stage became very brisk, and was replied to by the desperadoes. Senior-Constable Kelly, at this juncture, found a rifle stained with blood lying by the side of him, and from this supposed that one of the gang had been wounded and had escaped the the forest towards Morgan's Look-out. Just then nine policemen, with Superintendents Sadlier and Hutchinson, came from Benalla, and almost immediately afterwards seven policemen under Sergeant Steele on horseback arrived at Wangaratta, the alarm having been given there by Trooper Bracken, who caught a horse and rode ten miles in a short time. The conduct of Bracken and the promptitude of the Wangaratta police are to be highly commended. Just before their arrival a heavy volley was poured into the hotel by the police, and according to statemens some of the prisoners afterwards made proved fatal to Joe Byrne. This des-perado was standing close to young Delaney, drinking a nobbler of wkiskey at the bar, when he was shot in the groin. He was carried towards the back portion othe build-ing, where he gradually sank and died a pain-ful death. This fact was at the time unkuown to the police. The morning broke beautiful and clear. The police were disposed all around the hotel, when they were beset by dangers from the rear; Ned Kelly was the cause. It appears that he was the man who shot Super-intendent Hare, and that he was himself wounded in the arm by the fire which was returned. He could not without danger get into the hotel, so he sprang upon a horse during the excitement which followed, and got away to Morgan's Look-out. But it was not the intention of the bold ruffian to desert his comrades. He returned to fight his way to them. He was protected with heavy plates of quarter-inch iron. When within an easy distance Senior-Constable Kelly, with Dowsett, the railway guard, fired on the ruffian. Nine of the police fired point blank at Ned Kelly. Several of the bullets staggered him, but he recovered and laughed at the police. He returned their fire with his revolver. He appeared to be a fiend and to have a charmed life. For half an hour the contest was carried on. Sergeant Steele closed in when Kelly was but two yards off, and fired at his legs, which brought the out-law down wounded, but he was still deter-mined to carry on the fight. Sergeant Steele closed and seized the hand in which Kelly held the revolver. When on the ground he roared with savage ferocity, cursing the police, but when stripped of his armour he became submissive, and was borne to the station. I may add that a statement was made by Ned Kelly, who declined telling what brought him to Glenrowan, that he pulled up the rails to kill the black trackers. He maintained what he previously stated about Sergeant Kennedy's death. He is now quiet in demeanour.

(From the Register.) Melbourne, June 30. Ned Kelly late last night was very feverish with a high pulse, but no immediate danger is apprehended. No bullets have yet been extracted. All sorts of rumours are in circulation in connection with the Kelly sympathizers to-day, but there is no truth in any of them. There were some great proceedings at Greta to-day over the remains of Dan Kelly and Hart at the huts of the sisters and relatives. Threats of revenge were indulged in, and something like an orgie was kept up. Mrs. Kelly, who is in the Melbourne Gaol, has been made acquainted with the fate of her sons. An inquest was held to-day, at Beechworth on the body of Aaron Sherritt. Several witnesses were examined, especially as to the conduct of the police who were in the hut at the time. The particulars are nearly the same as have already been published. It was shown that the police at Sherritt's had entrusted mes-sages to Chinamen who refused to deliver them being afraid that they would be shot. Con-stable Armstrong then went into Beechworth. On his way he stuck up a man, and took his horse from him. The Jury found that Sherritt was murdered by Byrne, and that Dan Kelly aided and abetted. After the verdict had been returned the foreman stated that eleven of the Jury were in favor of adding a rider to the effect that the police had done everything in their power under the circumstances. At the inquest held at Wangaratta on the boy Jones a verdict was returned of accidentally shot. No inquest will be held at Greta on the bodies of Dan  Kelly and Hart, owing to the proceedings there making it injudicious for police to interfere. The excitement is ended. Edward Kelly still remains in the Gaol

Hospital, and is being carefully watched night and day. Having regard to his critical con-dition, and the possibility of his injuring himself intentionally or by any mishap, he is never left alone, a wardsman being told off to attend to him at night. Dr. Shields, the medical officer of the gaol, continues to attend the prisoner, and reports a slight improvement in his condition. Kelly had a good night's sleep on Tuesday, and was suffering less pain yesterday than on the previous day. As he appears to be stronger, the prisoner was per-mitted by the medical officer to see his mother, whom he had urgently requested to see. Mr. Castieau, the Governor of the gaol, was present during the interview, which lasted for a considerable time. Mr. Castieau cautioned Kelly to keep calm, and he replied that he would, requesting Mr. Castieau to give the same advice to Mrs. Kelly. The mother seemed to feel acutely pained by the intelligence of the affray at Glenrowan, and at seeing the condition of her son. Kelly was in a tolerably communicative mood and conversed freely with his mother. She was very anxious to obtain information regarding the surviving relatives as well as about those who perished in the affray. She earnestly enjoined him to pay respect and attention to the priest who was attending him. Kelly still maintains as firmly as ever that he had been the victim of something approaching to persecution on the part of the police author-ities, saying that their action had forced him into his career of lawlessness. He denied having ever had the least intention of taking his life, pointing, out that he had numbers of opportunities of carrying out such an intention if he had felt any desire to do so. He spoke in eulogistic terms of his comrades, attributing to them rather an excess of dashing bravery than the want of courage which was said to have been shown by them in his absence. In his refer-ences to his exploits Kelly spoke of his grey mare as of a valued servant, stating that he could have relied upon her to carry him away with all his weight of armour in the event of his being pressed by the police. He had, however, no desire to escape from the scene of the last affray. Mrs. Kelly remained with her son for nearly half an hour, and was very reluctant to leave him until she was promised that another opportunity of seeing him would shortly be afforded her after he should have been restored to a better state of health. At a late hour Kelly was pro-gressing favorably and appeared to be out of danger, although still in a very weak and helpless state. Benalla, June 30. It is stated that Dick Hart openly dared the police at McDonnell's Hotel, Glenrowan, to interfere in any way with the funerals of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart. The words attributed to him are — "If you want the bodies back you will have to fight for them." From the statementof two men who came into Benalla from Greta to-day it appears that on the arrival of the bodies there was great excitement in the district. The remains were laid on a table in Mrs. Skillion's hut, wliich was soon crowded. So great was the crush that Mrs. Skillion lost her temper, and, seizing a gun, hustled the crowd out, and then allowed them to view the remains in couples. Many of the male sympa-thizers were armed, and whilst in a drunken state professed to be anxious for a brush with the police. It is further said that one of the relatives of the Kellys held up his hand over the remains and swore to Kate Kelly that he would revenge the slaughter of the gang. His name has been given to the police. Lest any disturbance should take place in the dis-trict whilst the sympathizers are in their present state of intoxication and excitement, Senior-constable Kelly, with four troopers, have been sent on again this evening to Glenrowan and will remain all night. Up to the present, however, things are quiet. Ned Kelly's mare was found on the railway line a few miles from Glenrowan, saddled and bridled. The saddle resembled that of Byrne's, and bears the name of the same Wangaratta manufacturer. The mare has been identified by Mr. Ryan, farmer, of Major Plains, as one of two stolen from a paddock on his farm on the night of last Thursday week. It is a splendid upstanding mare nearly sixteen hands high and a grand horse for crossing any kind of country, and Ned Kelly was quite enthusiastic over the excellent qualities of the animal. The horse ridden by Byrne was the second of the two stolen from Ryan's farm. They were notstolen by the gang themselves, but by a sympathizer who was seen crossing the rail-way line bear Glenrowan with them on the Thursday night in question. Both were un-shod when stolen, but have since been shod, evidently in a hurry, for the shoes were fast-ened very tightly, and will have to be removed . It is now quite evident that the Kellys were forced from their concealment by the activity of the police. Parties of police were sent to all their known haunts secretly, with orders to keep a close but silent look-out for the gang in the vicinityof Byrne's house, and it had become known to them that they felt obliged to strike out and terrify any who might be inclined to give information to the police by murdering Sherritt. Being then frightened of being tracked by the Queens-land black trackers they took steps to destroy them by wrecking the special train, and they arranged at the same time to secure a party of police who they had been informed were looking for traces of them at Glenrowan. They had received the latter information from some good authority, for there had been a party of police, consisting of Constables Wallace, Ryan, and Barry, stationed secretly in the Glenrowan police-camp for a week previous to the murder of Sherritt. These three con-stables were concealed in the barracks all day

and every night they walked to the Seven-Mile Creek and Greta, looking silently for the gang. Strangely enough, however, they had returned to Benalla last Saturday. The names of the police party who first attacked the gang at Glenrowan are — Superintendent Hare, Senior-constable Kelly, Constable, Arthur, Kirkham, Barry, Connor, Gascoignes and Phillips. Cherry's body was buried to-day in the Benalla Cemetery. Byrne's friends asked for the body of that outlaw on Tuesday, but they did not receive it as was reported. It was interred quietly at night in the cemetery by two policemen and an undertaker THE REASON FOR SHOOTING SHERRITT. — The Argus of Monday, June 28 has the follow-ing : — "The object for taking Sherritt's life is clearly shown. It appears that at one time Sherritt was a friend of the Kellys, but wasa most intimate with Joe Byrne. He had been several times in gaol, and on one occasion was convicted with Byrne of stealing a quan-tity of meat. His father, John Sherritt, an ex-policeman, is a selector, now an elderly man, and resides at Sebastopol, which is about eight miles from Beechworth. The deceased man had a selection of 107 acres about a mile from his father's place, and it is noteworthy that he was assisted in fencing it by Joe Byrne and Ned Kelly. He was about 24 years of age, of robust health, and was noted as a runner and jumper. His holding was on the Woolshed creek, in the County of Burgoyne, and about two months ago he sold it to Mr. Crawford, of the Eastern Arcade, who is also a large coach proprietor and has property to a consider-able extent in the district. After selling the land he built a hut at Sebastopol, about two miles away, and it is there that he was shot. A few months ago he was married to Miss Burke, the daughter of a well-known farmer at the Woolshed. Prior to the Kelly out-

break, as already stated, he was on very friendly terms with the members of the gang and their companions, but recently it appears that he placed himself in communication with the police, and for some months has been employed by them. The information he afforded as to the movements of the out-laws proved highly valuable, and it is stated on good authority that not only did the gang ascertain who. was keeping the police posted -up, but that they also caused it to be made known on Beechworth some weeks ago that they intended to take his life. The house occupied by Joseph Byrne's mother, there is every reason to believe, was recently visited by the gang, and the information that the deceased was watching the place is supposed to have been communicated and the reason that Sherritt went to the house in which he met his death was that he might be the better able to watch Byrne's place.