Difference between revisions of "The Argus at KellyGang 10/11/1880"

Latest revision as of 21:04, 20 November 2015

The Argus

10 /11/1880

... part of the KellyGang story

A meeting of persons desirous of obtaining the reprieve of the prisoner Edward Kelly, or a reconsideration of his case, was held last night in Carlton, and a resolution was passed asking the Chief Secretary to have the case reconsidered by the Executive Council.  A deputation, headed by Mr W Gaunson, waited on Mr Berry at the Treasury at 10 o’clock, and Mr Berry promised to lay the case before the Executive Council again this afternoon, but at the same time held out no hope whatever of any alteration of the decision already arrived at.  A report of the proceedings appears in another column.

At the commencement of the meeting of persons favourably inclined to the reprieve of the murderer Kelly last night, two men, named respectively George McElroy, agent, and Michael Dwyer, labourer, refused to move on when requested, and were consequently arrested by Senior-Constable Leddy.  They were removed to the city watchhouse, where they were charged with obstructing the public footpath.  They will be brought before the City Court this morning.

“Great indignation is expressed in Ararat,” says the Ararat Advertiser, “at the action of Mr David Gaunson in reference to the condemned man Edward Kelly.  But for his unseemly interference the wretched murderer would have expiated his offences on the scaffold in peace, without being subjected to the well-merited indignation of an outraged public; in his closing hours he would not have been made the victim of delusive hopes; neither would the feelings of his friends and relatives have been wounded by the expression of popular opinion that has been called forth.  Mr Gaunson seems to have made shipwreck of his own self respect, and when a man makes so fatal a mistake his downward course is very rapid.  He has now deliberately outraged public decency, thereby disgracing this constituency as well as the House of Assembly of which he is, unfortunately for our credit as a colony, so prominent a member.”

THE CONDEMNED BUSHRANGER

The agitation in favour of a reprieve for the condemned murderer Edward Kelly, or for a reconsideration of his case by the Executive Council, was continued yesterday.  In the evening a large crowd of persons assembled about the reserve near the gaol, it having been announced that a public meeting would be held there at 8 o’clock, to consider Kelly’s case.  On arrival there, however, it was found that about a dozen policemen were on the reserve, and they warned all persons off it.  By 8 o’clock there were no less than 1,500 persons near the reserve, and as some of the rough youths among the crowd began calling out to each other to rush the ground, a further body of police, numbering about 50, were brought on the reserve, and effectually kept it clear.  The police were under the command of Superintendent Winch and Inspectors Montfort and Larner, and they acted under authority of the law relating to the gaol, which forbids the assemblage of any large crowd of persons within its precincts. 

A little after 8 o’clock, a lorry drawn by a horse was brought into Latrobe-street, and on it were seated Mr William Gaunson, Mr TP Caulfield, and a number of men and women.  Several rough-looking persons bearing torches were also held by two or three of the people seated on it.  The appearance of the lorry was the signal for cheers from a portion of the crowd, but it was observable both then and afterwards that the greater portion took no part whatever in either the cheers or groans that were uttered.

Mr William Gaunson, after the lorry was brought to a standstill in Latrobe-street, rose and called out to the police to know whether they had received instructions to keep the people off the reserve, but the police did not answer him.  He repeated the question several times, saying that they would move on to some other reserve if the police said they had orders to prevent the meeting being held there.  The police still did not answer, and were groaned at by some of the people.  Mr W Gaunson then said that as no answer was made to his question, he would go on the reserve, and moved with the lorry towards the roadway leading on to it, when he was stopped from proceeding further.  He then said that as he did not wish to be taken into custody, he would move on to another reserve, and the lorry, with its torch-bearers, proceeded to near some vacant ground at the corner of Madeline and Queensberry streets, Carlton. 

The lorry was there drawn up on the street near the footpath, and the crowd, numbering about 2,000, assembled on the footpath and vacant ground near the lorry.  Mr W Gaunson then addressed the meeting, repeating the arguments that were used at the Hippodrome on Friday night last.  He also attacked the press, and said there was nothing to justify the lying, scurrilous remarks which had been made by it in reference to those who had endeavoured to obtain a reprieve for Kelly.  In conclusion, he proposed a motion to the effect that the meeting should request the Chief Secretary to call the Executive Council together again to consider Edward Kelly’s case.

Mr T P Caulfield seconded the resolution, which was carried by about one-third of the meeting holding up both hands in its favour.

continued

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