Last modified on 20 November 2015, at 16:28

The Argus (30)

full text of the article

see previous

THE INQUIRY ON THE BOY JONES

Beechworth Wednesday

A magisterial inquiry was held before Mr Alex Tone, JP at the Wangaratta Hospital, to day, on the body of the boy Jack Jones, who was shot in the Glenrowan encounter.

Ann Jones deposed,- I am a publican residing at Glenrowan. I have seen the body now in the dead house. I identified it as my son, John Jones aged 13 years. Between 2 and 3 o'clock on 28th. I was in the hotel at Glenrowan with deceased and a great number of other people bailed up by the Kelly gang. A number of shots were fired into the house from the outside. When I went into the kitchen, deceased was in another room with others. The firing being incessant, and my daughter wounded in the forehead, I rushed to the room where I saw deceased, who, on seeing me, cried, "O mother," and pulling my leg, said "I am shot." I then took him into the kitchen, and placed him in the cover near the fireplace. I then went outside the house, and begged the bushrangers to let me leave the premises, as my boy was shot, but they would not permit me to leave.

The three men I spoke to were Joe Byrne, Dan Kelly, and Stephen Hart. I again ran out, and screamed to the police that my boy was shot. My daughter, Jane Jones, told Dan Kelly that she was wounded, and asked permission for me to take deceased herself, and the other children way, which was granted I brought my son (the deceased) to the Wangaratta Hospital by the 11am train.

Jane Jones deposed,- I am the daughter of the last witness. I identify the body as that of my brother. We were bailed up by the Kelly gang. Deceased was in the kitchen then, and not in company with my mother. There was a lot of firing taking place then from outside. There was no firing from the inside going on. While I was in the kitchen I was wounded in the forehead, and I then went into the room where my brother was lying with numbers if others. I asked him if he was much hurt. He replied, 'Oh, take me by the hand, and tell mother to come to me.' I then took him to the kitchen, and laid him by the fireplace. I got a pillow and laid it under his head and gave him a drink of water. I brought him in company of my mother to the Wangaratta Hospital.

Dr Haley , resident surgeon, deposed,- the boy John Jones, now lying dead, was brought to the hospital at half past 12 on the morning of the 28th. He was suffering from a gunshot wound just behind the hip. I was unable to find the bullet. The boy was in a very low state from loss of blood. He seemed easier after his wounds were dressed. He said he was so, and did not appear to have much pain. I considered the case hopeless. On seeing him at 11pm he was considerably lower but still conscious. The cause of death was the effect of a gunshot wound.

Francis Edward Brady , the house steward of the hospital, deposed that while dressing the wound he asked the boy how he had received it. He said he was shot by a bullet going through the house while he was lying down. He said after he was shot the people in the house were afraid to assist him, on account of the number of bullets that were flying about. He died about a quarter to 1 on the morning of the 29th inst. Mr Tone found that the deceased was accidentally shot.


The excitement created by the latest news with respect to the Kelly gang had not abated to any great extent yesterday, when exaggerated reports were circulated with regard to the proceedings of some of the relatives and friends of the Kellys. The full reports published elsewhere show that there were signs of disorder at Greta, and that some difficulty arose in connexion


At the Kew Police-court yesterday, the Bench instructed the clerk to write to Superintendent Hare, conveying their high appreciation of the gallantry and skill displayed by him in the late encounter with the Kelly gang of outlaws, and also to express their hope that he would speedily recover from the injury he received.


An addition has been made to the chamber of horrors at the Waxworks. The figure of Joe Byrne has been added to the collection of notorious bushrangers. Mr Kreitmayer, the proprietor of the Waxworks, took a cast of the head of the dead man. Woodroffe’s glassblowers continue to appear at the Waxworks.

end

.1. , .2. , .3. , .4. , .5. , .6. , .7. , .8. , .9. , .10. , .11. ,


 ! The text has been retyped from a microfiche copy of the original.

We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged.

We also apologise for any typographical errors.