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
Kate Kelly at this juncture came upon the scene, but the only
expression which escaped her lips was the one uttered in heart-broken
accents, "My poor, poor brother." Mrs. Skillian exclaimed, "I will see
my brother before he dies," and then sped towards the hotel, from the
roof of which by this time tongues of flame were beginning to ascend.
The police ordered her to go back, and she hesitated.
Father Tierney emerged from the crowd, saying he would save Sherry.
The brave clergyman was encouraged on his mission by a cheer from
the spectators. He walked boldly to the front door, was lost to view
amongst the smoke, and directly afterwards a mass of flames burst
from the walls and roof of the dwelling at the same instant. A shout
of terror from the crowd announced the fear that was felt for the
safety of the courageous priest. Constable Armstrong, with some other
policemen, rushed into the building from the rear, and a few seconds
afterwards their forms, with that of Father Tierney, were seen to
emerge, carrying with them Sherry, who was in a dying state, and the
dead body of the outlaw Byrne.
On reaching a place of safety they stated that Dan Kelly and Hart were
lying upon the floor apparently dead. Nothing, however, could be done
to rescue their remains from the fire. Soon afterwards the building was
completely demolished, and on a search being made amongst the ruins,
two charred skeletons were raked out from the smouldering _débris_.
Wild, Wright, Hart (the brother of Steve), and other well-known friends
were witnesses of this terrible scene. All the bushrangers were clad
in the same kind of armour as that worn by Ned Kelly, which weighed as
much as ninety-seven pounds, and had evidently been constructed by some
country blacksmith out of ploughshares. The marks on Kelly's armour
showed that he had been hit seventeen times with bullets.
The unfortunate man Sherry died soon after being rescued from the
burning building. Ned Kelly was brought on to Benalla by the evening
train, and lodged in the lock-up, to await the inquest to be held in
the morning.
The statement of Constable Bracken is to the effect that the first
intimation of the presence of the gang at Glenrowan was on Sunday night
at eleven o'clock, when he was bailed up by Ned Kelly. He had been
confined to bed through illness. Whilst a prisoner in the hotel he
courageously managed to steal the key of the front door, which enabled
him to escape in time to warn the police that the outlaws were in the
house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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