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
Directly the bank was stuck up at Jerilderie I started off to
Beechworth, and sent for Aaron Sherritt. His first words to me were,
"Did I not tell you they would stick up a bank in New South Wales?" I
replied, "Yes, but you told me they were going to Goulbourn." I said,
"Well, what is to be done now?" He replied, "They will be back probably
to-night, to Woolshed." He told me to meet him that night at a place
indicated by him in the ranges (known to the detective); he would then
show me where they tied up their horses, whilst they went into Mrs.
Byrne's house for supper. I agreed to his suggestion, and told the
detective what I had done. His reply was, "I have known Sherritt for
years, and if he likes he can put you in the position to capture the
Kellys, but I doubt his doing so." I told him Aaron felt sure they
would return from Jerilderie that night, and I had arranged to go with
him, and meet him at eight o'clock that night at a certain spot in the
ranges, which I described, a party of police accompanying us. Having no
men at Beechworth, I drove the detective to Eldorado, which was beyond
Woolshed, where I had a party of police stationed. As the detective was
well known in the locality, and I was not, I put him in the boot of the
buggy under the seat, and he remained in that position nearly all the
way. I merely state this to show how cautious we had to be in all our
movements. Had he been recognized driving in a buggy, the friends of
the outlaws would soon have heard of it. I had to take him because he
had to direct the party where to meet us that night, and I had not been
in the district for very many years, and knew little of it.
At eight o'clock that night the detective and I met Aaron at the
appointed spot in the ranges. We waited anxiously for the men from
Eldorado to turn up. After waiting for an hour, Aaron said to me, "You
will be late, Mr. Hare. We should have been nearly three miles from
this by this time." I was very much annoyed at the men not keeping
their appointment; and I turned to the detective and said to him: "Will
you stick to me, as it will never do to lose this chance of getting the
outlaws?" His reply was: "Yes, Mr. Hare, I will stick to you and do
whatever you tell me to do." I turned to Aaron and said: "All right; we
are ready to go with you now." He turned towards me to see if I meant
it. I said, "Come on."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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