The Last of the Bushrangers: An Account of the Capture of the Kelly GangHare, Francis Augustus
History
The Last of the Bushrangers: An Account of the Capture of the Kelly Gang
Hare, Francis Augustus
Brigands and robbers -- Australia; Kelly, Ned, 1855-1880
"After some further conversation, we all listened to what Ned Kelly
was saying to Delaney. The outlaw was accusing Delaney of having, some
short time previously, ridden a horse from near Greta into Wangaratta
to oblige a policeman, and of having sought admission into the police
force. He threatened to shoot Delaney for this, and pointed a revolver
at him several times. Ned Kelly declared to all of us who were
listening to him, that he would have the life of any one who aided the
police in any way, or who even showed a friendly feeling for them, and
declared that he could and would find them out. He said that a law was
made rendering it a crime for any one to help them (the outlaws), and
that he would make it a crime for any one to aid the police against the
Kelly gang. The women, who were listening to what Kelly was saying,
asked him to let Delaney off. After keeping Delaney in a state of
extreme terror for about half an hour, the outlaw made him promise
never again to seek admission into the police force, and finally said,
'I forgive you this time; but, mind you, be careful for the future.'
Byrne then produced a bottle of brandy, and offered some in a tumbler
to all adults there. Some accepted it. Byrne drank some himself, and
gave Delaney two-thirds of a tumbler, which he drank. Ned Kelly refused
to take any, and directed some of his boy prisoners to take my horse
and buggy into Mrs. Jones's yard, which they did.
"Ned Kelly and Byrne then went from the railway crossing to Mrs.
Jones's hotel, preceded by the majority of their male prisoners, and
I was with them. When we reached Mrs. Jones's there were, including
those who had just been taken over, about fifty persons in and about
the hotel, all of whom appeared to be prisoners of the gang. We were
allowed to go about in the hotel, except into one room, which the
outlaws used, and of which they kept the key, and we were allowed
outside, but were forbidden to leave the premises. Dan Kelly, a short
time after I entered the hotel, asked me to have a drink, and I drank
with him at the bar. I said to him that I had been told they had been
at Beechworth during the previous night, and had shot several police.
I asked him whether it was true. He replied that they had been near
Beechworth last night, and had done 'some shooting,' and that they had
burned the 'devils out,' alluding to police. Byrne came in the bar,
and, looking at Dan Kelly's glass, said, 'Be careful, old man.' Dan
Kelly replied, 'All right,' and poured water into his brandy. While
talking with Byrne and Dan Kelly, I expressed surprise at Glenrowan
being stuck up by them, and they said that they had come to Glenrowan
in order to wreck a special train of inspectors, police, and black
trackers, which would pass through Glenrowan for Beechworth, to take
up their trail from there. They said that they had ridden hard across
country, often being up to the saddle-girths in water, to get to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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