AUSTRALIAN BUSHRANGING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12782, 1 October 1903, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN BUSHRANGING.

, BY CHARLES WHITE, [All Rights Reserved.] THE KELLY GANG'S RAID UPON . .JERILDERIE. Jerilderie was then a township with a population of about 400 inhabitants, containing one bank, ft police station, three or femr hotels, and a telegraph olfio?, in addi'on to the other ordinary business places of a -tab village. It is about 60 miles from the Murray on the New South Wales fide, and.about 90 miles in a direct 'ino from Mansfield. At midnight on Saturday, the 9th of; February, 1879, tho four outlaws rode quietly into the town and surrounded Jbe police station, /which was occupied by Constables iDsvine and Richard?, the former being in charge, Tho town was in da*khess, and the constables, toko the other inhabitants, wore ill -bed asleep, when lhc-ir elumbeh? were disturbed by hearing someone calling out -that a murder had. just been committed by a drunken man at Davidson's. Hotel;■ and that- the presence of the polioo was -urgently required. Both constables hurriedly ran out to learn fuller particulars, when they were- immediately secured, and, the key of .the cell having boen, produced, were looked up together. Devine's wife and children were then arouse 4 and shut up in another part of the watchhouee, receiving an assurance that 310 lam would come to them if they remained quiet, 'but if they raised any alarm, bath the Jockod-up constables would l be at once shot By. Hart, who had been placed over them as sentry. Having-thus secured the' inmates of. the look-up, the bushrangers brought their horses into the stable and fed and bedded them, -after 'which they settled down for the night, a constant watch 'being kept by one or other of them over .. tho. prisoners. During the Sunday nothing unusual occurred tq disturb the quiet of tlio town or of the four ruffians who were already in possession of its custodians. It WQ'3 the aim of the outlaws to make everything appear natural, in case any person ' -acquainted with tlio lock-up people and their duties might call and notice that there was either halt or hitch. Hence Dan Kelly, Byrne, and Hart putNin police uniform, and were prepared to aot the part of policemen in charge. Mrs Devine was permitted to move about frc-ely during the day, but a closo watch was kept on her movements, add she was not allowed to leave the station, except oil one occasion, and that furnished its novelty. It appears she had ■undertaken the weekly task of preparing tho little'church with which she was connected for service every morning. When this Irecanra known to Ned Kelly he dcciifed that she must perform that- duty, and tlio .goodl lady went about it with Byrne as her attendant and guard. During the afternoon Sart and Byrne made an excursion through the town, taking Constable Richards along •with them, and as all three were dressed in police uniform they did not attract any attention, those who saw them doubtless concluding that Richards was simply bowing two of bis brethren from a distance the lions-of the place. Tlw object of the excursion, was to enable the bushrangevs •to learn exactly the positions of the different publiehouses, bank, otc., with a view to speedy aud easy operations on the following , day. After perambulating the streets for about half ah hour the tnio returned to > tho station, and Richards was again placed •under lock • and key witli) Devine, No person called at tho station during the day, and tho prisoners and their keepers prepared to spend' another quiet night at the station.

Early on Monday morning Byrne, stilt dressed in police uniform. Look two of the horses to the local farrior and had thtm shod. Then the Kellys began to think of business. Having securely locked up Constable Devine and his wife and children. Mioy p.rpssed. Richards iv.to their service ns decoy, and at, 11 o'clock started down torn, Richards walking with the brothers Kelly, all in police clothing, and Hart and Byrne riding .slowly on horseback Lehind them, flio first place of call was tho Royal Hotel, whore th'ey saw Cox, the landlord. Richards introduced Cox to Kelly, who said lie wanted tho rooms in tho Royal, as lie intended to rob the bank, but would not do anybody any harm. Tho bushrangers were then placed by Ned Kelly at iho front ]jart of the hotel, and as people went in for a, drink they i wore seized and placed in a room, where Dan Kelly acted as sentinel. In" (Ire meantime Byrne busied himself in collecting all the servants from the hack part of the establishment, making prisoners of them also; and everything being in readi-ness,-they proceeded-to honour the Bank ofjfew South Wales with a call. Th 3. 'bank 'building was near the hotel, and there were three officers engaged therein—Mr Tarletou (manager), Mr Living (accountant), and' Sir Mackin, (sub-account-ant)—and. Living's account is 60 clear and Ml that it may be quoted here.: — "About 10 minutes past 12 on Monday morning I was sitting at my desk in the bank, when I lvtard footsteps approaching me from the direction of the bank door. I ,at first took no notice, jhinking it was the manager, Mr Tarloton. The footsteps continued approaching, when I turned round on the offico ftool and noiiccd a man ■approaching fiom tho hack door. I immediately accosted the fellow, who already had a revolver levelled at me, and on asking who he was and what right he had to enter the bank by the back way, he answcced thai'lie was Kelly, and ordered me to bail up. The fellow, who afterward;; turnod out to be Byrne, • ordered mo to deliver up what firearms I had. I replied that I had none. Young Maekin, who was standing in front of the bank, then camo in, when Byrne ordered mo to jump over the counter, .■which I did. He then told m.e to como with liini to Cox's Hotel, and remarked that they had all tho police stuck up. Wo went into tho hotel, where wo met Ned Kelly, who asked for Mr Tarleton, and was told'that'he wa9 in his room, l'hcy went back to the bank, ■'but could not find

tlio manager 111 his room. Ned Kelly said to me, 'You had better go and find him.' I t.he.ll searched, and found the msn-.-.ger in his Lath. I was at first a little alarmed at not finding the manager in his room, and at first thought that lie had got soma clue that the bushrangers were in the place, and cleared out. On finding tho manager in hii bath I said to him, ' We are. stuck up; tho Kellys are here, and the polico are also ;.iuck up.' Byrne then got Hart, and left him in charge of the malinger, who wis subsequently taken over to tho room where all the others were kept prisoners. After ho had got out. of the batli Ned Kelly camo and took mo intoth'e'bank, and asked me what money we had in it. I replied that there was between £600 and £?00, vyhen Kelly said, 'Yon must- have £10,000 in the bank.' I then handed him the teller's cash, amounting to about £691. Mr Elliott, the schoolmaster, then came into the bank, and ai soon as Kelly saw him lie ordered him to jump over the counter. Sir Elliott replied that be could not, but Kelly made him, and they then tried to put the money in a l>ag, but not having one sufiicioutly large Ned Kolly went and brought a bag. and we put the money into it. Kelly asked if wo had more money, and was answered ' No.' Kelly then obtained tho teller's revolver, and again requested more money. He then went to tho treasure drawer, and requested to know what was in it, and wns told by me that it contained nothing of any value. Kelly insisted on its being opened, and one of the keys was given to him, but he could not open it, owing to the managor having the second key, which was required to open it. Byrne then wanted to break it open with a sledge-hammer, but Keliy brought tho manager from tho Royal Hotel and demanded tlio-key, which was given to him, and tho drawer was opened, when tho sum of £1450 was taken out- by Kelly and placed in a bag. Kelly then took down a large deed-box and asked what it contained, and was told that tlio contents consisted of a few documents which were of no u.-:o. Ho replied that 110 would bum the contents; but Mr Tarleton argued with him, and Kelly took' one document, and put it into the bag, and then expressed hn intention of burning all the books in Ihe o'iic?. He, however, left tho rest of tho papers, and said that he would come back and seo if there wero any deeds for town allotments. The whole party then went into tho Royal Hotel. Daniel Kolly was in the hotel, and Ned Kelly took two of the parly out to tho back of tho hotel, where he made a lire and burned three or four of the bank books. In tho meantime Mr Rankin (a merchant and justice of the pcaco) and Mr Gill (tho local newspaper proprietor), seeing the bank door open, went in, and were immediately followed by Kelly, who ordered them to hail up. Both gentlemen at once mado off, Mr Rankin.running into tho hotel and Mr Gill in some other direction. Ned Kelly ran after Rankin and caught'him in' tho hotel. Kelly caught him by the collar, and asked him why ho ran away, at the same time telling him to go into the-passage, and that ho intended to shoot him. He took Sir Rankin into the passage, and, after straightening him against tho wall, levelled hii revolver at him. Several persons eallcd out to .Kelly not to fire, and he did not. Ho then called Hart by tho name of ' Hcvenge,' and told him to shoot the first man that attempted any resistance, and told Rankin that if ho attempted resistance lie would be the first shot. Kelly then asked for Gill, and took Richards and me with him to look for Gill, rhp policeman had his revolver with him, but Kelly had previously withdrawn tho cartridges. They went lip to Gill's house and saw Mrs Gill. Kelly said to her, ' I have n statement. heVc which contains n little act of my life, and X want it published by Mr Gill; will you take it?' . She, refused to do no. X then took the paper, and promised to have it published, and asked to get one. The party then went to Sl'Dougald's t'otel, where Kolly took a blocd inaro out of tho stable, and remarked that he would take the animal, but would return, it in three weaks. The party then went to the telegraph office, where tlie.v met Byrne, who had cut the wires, Ned Kolly then broko tlio insulators at the office with his revolver, and after lliis he look the postmaster and his a-sistant to the Royal Hotel and left the party there. Kelly then returned to the bank and obtained a saddle and n pair of riding trou.-ers belonging to Mr Tarleton, and also a gold chain and a gold watch. The saddle was then put 011 tho mare, and Dan Kelly, mounting it, rode, away, but returned in five minutes. Dan Kelly and Hart then both kept guard at tho hotel, and Ned Kolly then informed tho postmaster that it ho attempted to mend tho wires before nest day, or offered any re.sista.lleo. lie would bo *hot. Ho also told Mr Jefferson that he intended to take him a few miles in tho bush and liberate him. Ho informed those present that he intended sticking up tho Urana coach that night, and would shoot anyone who attempted to give warning. Byrne still rode in tho direction of the Murray with the money, and in the meantime Mr Tarloton had succeeded in despatching a messenger (0 Urana to warn tho bank manager there. The remaining part of tho gang then rode in the direction of the police camp, and tlio party wero liberated, and I started for Deniliquin." The bank manager, Tarleton, gave some further particulars. He stated that at the timo of tho occurrence he bad not long returned from a rido of 40 miles, and was having a bath, when tho teller came rushing into the bathroom and exclaimed that they were stuck up. Mr Tarleton at first thought it was rubbish; but on seeing two men with revolvers he believed sneli to be the ease. As soon as ho came out of tho lath Halt pointed tho pistol at him, and then searched his clothcs. Mr Tarletfo. then made rome inquiries as to the movements of the Kelly gang, but Hart, einswering one or two questions, replied in an angry voice that lie had better cea-e asking such questions. Hart then tool; him into tho hotel, and as he was going in he .noticed Byrno strike tho Chinese cook. Ho was placed with some others in the bar parlour, whore he was keptuntil taken hack to the hank. Hart stood the whole time at thf door of tlio room with revolvers, and evincal a strong do?iro to shoot somebody occasionally, if there was a little too much talking in the room. During his confinement in the room 110 was placed in such p. position that lie thinks he could have knocked Hart down, but asking Hie policeman if ho would lncle him up, he replied that Dan Kelly had them covered with his revolver, and if he happened to miss them he would bo ,suro to kill some of the others. The gang thou prepared to go, but. lajfnre doing ■so Ned Kelly mado a speech with the evident intention of exciting pity. During the day the outlaws paid periodical visits to (lie oilier hotels, having "soft" clrinkts, and treating everyono civilly. Hart took a new raddle froiii the saddler'?, and several watehes were taken, but afterwards returned. Two police horses were taken, and other horses wrmtod; but the residents begged, as they belonged to women, that they should bo left, and Kelly did not ta'ke. them. The telegraph operator?, with 41 number of others, wero taken prisoners to the lock-up, and were not lot, out uotiJ 1 p.m. Eight telegraph polos were cut, and Byrne took possession of the office. He overhauled all font that day. In his liararaguc'to the crowd before leaving, the town, Ned Kelly referred to the affair which took place at his mother's hut when Constable Fitzpatrick was shot in tlio wrist. He dedarcd that Eitzpatriek was the aggressor, and that he ■ received his wound when Dam's arrest was being resented. The document.! which he handed to Sir Living, and which ho eaid he wanted Sir Gill to publish in his paper, purported to ■be a history of his life. They wero snbseepiently hainded over to tho Victorian Government. In this so-called history (which wa3 doubtless written by Byrne, tho scribe of the gang) Kelly wan made to two as 11 martyr to police bterfovecee and persecution. He said his criminal career commenced when 110 was only 14 years old, and received a sentence of three months' imprisonment for, as he put it, "using a neighbour's horse without his consent." Then other convictions followed rapidly, and "the police became a nuisance to the family." He declared that his brother Dan waa innocent when Fitzpatrick cam-o to arrest him, and that he war. wounded by his own revolver going off in a- ten flic with Dan. Referring to the murder of tlio constables in the Wombat Ranges, he admitted that the gajig surprised them and showed them 110 mercy, but they shot the constables bccauso they believed l-he constables had come out ■to shoot them.

The bushrangers did not a!! leave .Terilrterio together. Ryrno, as already stntixl, utarted flrft, loading a pack horse with the bank treasure strapped across the paddle. Shortly aftortranb Ned Kelly storied, also leading u spare horse, ono of those taken from the police stables, but lie returned to Cox's hotel and told the prisoners they wore at liberty to leave, but that Const-ables Devine and Richards were not to bo rolcaood from -the loek-un for some hours. He told those at tho publiehousi that- >10110 of the Rang need have.any fear of being shot, for if one of them fell the lift' of ever)- person in the town would be taken as revenge. Dan Kelly and Hart amused themselvo before leaving by galloping up and down the street, brandishing their revolvers and shouting at the top of their voices, "Hurrah, for the cood old timw of Morgan and Ben Hall!"—a scntimonl which appeared to plrnso some of the persons who heard thorn, for they indulged in a feeble elieev. They then also left the town, of which they had held possession for two whole. days.From a threat Ned Kelly had made during tho Monday that lie would stick up tlio

Urana coach before ho left the district, the .Terilderites had concluded that tho gang had gone to Urana, and that they would shortly hear of outrages having been committed there. But they were out in tlioir reckoning, for Kt-ily and ha mates appear to have made all haste to cross the-.border back into their, own territory before the news of 9 their outrage oil tho New So'ttlh Wiiles side had been widely circulated. ~ As soon as telegraphic communication had been restored tho startling news of the raid was Hashed along the wires, and tho police at every centre in tho south were quickly 011 tho alert. At Wagga Wagga and Albury fears were entertained that the outlaws would pay the hanks there a flying visit, and police were, told off to ■guard those establishments, while other member.; of the force went out in search of tho visitors who had so successfully evaded capture by the Victorian police. SVord was font to every station near the river, and a c!c;e watch was kept upon the several crossings; but the excitement waned as the days passed and no news of tho outlaws could 1)3 gained. Tlfen all doubt was set at rest by a report from the Victorian polico that nt least one of tho Keily.l iiad boon seen riding back in the mountains some 15 miles from Becchworth.

It will be readily imagined thai tho news of the raid upon .Torilderie put tlio aulhori-tis-s and police of New Sou'.h Wales in a ferment of excitement. Tho Inspectorgeneral of Police in Sydney at once wired to all tho frontier stations warning and insitnictung them, and at the same time despatched a number of mounted men from Sydney to a.=?i«t the local constabulary 011 the 'border. Unfortunately, however, the Murray waters were very low, and, being o.rcasable at almost any point along a distance 01 100 miles or. so, the chances of intercepting the outlaws on their journey back were considered remarkably slight. Tho probabilities wore that Ned Kelly and his mates bad oros?od the river before the river stations had heard of the outrage at .Te.rilderic; in any case, 'as we have seen, they got back into their old quarters nea.r Becdhwortb without difficulty.

The Government of New South Wales also took action, and joir.«l with that of Victoria- in offering stronger inducements for the capture, of the gang. Parliament happened to be sitting at the timo, and sheeny after the news of the Jerilderie outrage had reached Sydney, Si," Henry Parkw, Premier, enlightened the House conccmin.',' th'j ytops lie had takc.n 011 bdi-alf of the liovernmpni. He road ike following lctt« which ho had forwarded to the Chief Secretary of Victoria:—

, Co!onitil Secretary's Office, Sydney, 14th February, 1870. Sir,—l have the honour to inform you, in reference to the appearance in this colony of Edward Kelly and his associates recently cutInwcd under a law of Victoria, that '.lie Government are about to decide on extreme measures, -with the hope of arresting the course of these desperadoes. It appears to me that llio two colonies should unite in their efforts to vindicate the law now that the crimes of the outlaws have become common to both; and with this view I venture to suggest that the reward for their apprehension should be a, joint ■reward, and that the police in the Border districts should act in concert. The banks in Sydney chicfly concerned in Iho Border trade propose to contribute £1000 towards a reward, and the Government is prepared to contribute £3 : J00, making a total of £1000. If a- like sum was raised in Melbourne the joint reward would amount to £8030, or £2000 for caeh of the four outlaws. If tho information of the nest few days should confirm thai which we at present possess as to the whereabouts of the outlaws, this Government will seek to obtain from Parliament, under a suspension of the Standing Orders, special powers for dealing with these and any similar class of criminals, the object of wliich will be-to secure the possession of them, dead or alive. ,•, I hopo your Government will concur in these suggestions (or united action; and in that case may I ask you to inform mo of your concurrence by telegram, as I hope that by the time you rceeive this communication we shall be in a position lo take decisive steps. I think it will be best, for the present, to regard this communication as confidential. In reply to this ho received two telegrams, ts .follows:— We cordially reciprocate your offer of cooperation, and agree to increase the reward to £S0G0~£2001) for each outlaw; the Victorian 'Government being responsible for £4050, concurs in tho proposal that the police on the border should act in concerts Have published increased reward in Gazette to-night, and also notified the intention of the Hew South Wales Government to add an equal amount. Tho Assembly endorsed tin action of the Premier, and next day the following notifieaii'on was published in the Government Gazette:—

Whereas Edward Kcllv, Daniel Kelly, Stephen Ilart, and Joseph Byrne have been declared outlaws in the colony of Victoria: And whereas warrants have b;cn issued by Mr James Bsmbrick, J.P., at Wodonga, Victoria, charging Edward Kelly, Daniel two men whose names vere then unknown, with the wilful minder of Michael Scanlan, police constable of tho colony of Victoria, and the said warrants have been duly endorsed.by Captain Brownrigg. police magistrate at Aibury; and whereas Victorian warrants, duly backed for execution in New South Wales, were subsequently granted for the apprehension of Joseph Byrne and Stephen Hart, charging them with the murder of the aforesaid Michael Scanlan: And whereas the abovenamed offenders are still at large, and havo recently committed divers felonies in the colony ol New South Wnles: Now, therefore, I, Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson, the Governor aforesaid, do, by this my proslamation, issued with the advice of the Executive Council, hereby notify that a leward of £4000 will be paid—three-fourths by the Government of Jv T ew South Wales, and one-fourth by 'certain banks trading in the colony—for the apprehension of the above-named four offenders, or a reward of £1000 for tho apprehension of any one of them; and that in addition to the above reward a similar .ev:ard of ££000 has been offered by the Government of Victoria; and I further notify that the said reward will be equitably apportioned between any person giving information which shall lead to the apprehension of the offenders and any members of the police force or other persons who may actually effect such apprehension or assist thereat; and that if, in attempting lo effect tho capture of the said offenders, snv member of tile police force should be wounded, thereby incapacitating him from earning a livelihood,

lie will be pensioned; or in the event of any member of the police force losing; his life in the execution ol such duty, liis widow or family depending upon him for support will lie provided for by the Government.

Thore was thus a price of £8000 upon tin; heads of the Kelly gang, or £2000 upcm the head of eaeh; and it ww thought that this Wits a largo enough sum to tompt even tho greatest friend'of tho Kellys, outsido their immediate family circles, to betray ilicm, thould the opportunity for doing eo present itsolf. But many months wore yet to lapse before the course of the outlaws was brought to an end; and in tho meantime- they sought to strike terror into the heart of say friend who might think of octroying them by shooting—in a manner hereafter to 1,0 dcicribcd—one whom they had good reason lo suspcet of treachery. In addition to offering tho reward stilted above, tho New South Wales Government introduced and carricd through Parliament a Felons' Apprehension Act, similar lo Iho temporary measure which had bcnii passed during tho reign of Bon Hall and his mates. This act, howovtr, was made permanent, and provided that any men outlawed in a neighbouring colony might be outlawed in New South Wales. Thus it was sought to hedge Med Kelly and his mates about with difficulties insuperable. Hut neither tho large reward on the one hand nor the double outlawry on tho other appeared s?ullleic>:;t to bring llio daring quartet or oithcr o[ thorn within the reach of tho " arm of tho law." (To be continued.)