Difference between revisions of "The Argus at KellyGang 8/7/1880 (4)"

Latest revision as of 15:40, 20 November 2015

The Argus continued with its report of the KellyGang at Glenrowan

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Off to Genrowan

No sooner was the news received in town than the Chief Secretary, the Hon R Ramsay, instructed Captain Standish, chief commissioner of police, to have a special train immediately sent to the district with reinforcements of police and black trackers, who had been withdrawn from the locality.  At a quarter-past 10 on the night of Sunday, June 28, the special train left town with Inspector O’Connor and his five black trackers, and the representatives of the Melbourne press.  Mrs O’Connor, and her sister, were also passengers by the train on this perilous journey.  The train proceeded on its course as far as Benalla without any mishap beyond dashing through some railway gates beyond Craigieburn, a mischance which did slight damage to the engine.  At Benalla Superintendent Hare, who had taken the place of Assistant-commissioner Nicolson in the control of the police of the district, joined the train, along with seven policemen.  Knowing that the criminals they had to cope with would revel in such an exploit as the wreckage of a special train known to be conveying police, the authorities at this stage adopted the precaution of sending on a pilot engine in advance of the special train.  At 2 o’clock on the Monday morning the train left Benalla for Beechworth, and was soon travelling at the rate of about 60 miles an hour towards the latter town, in the environs of which the bushrangers had been last seen, and which is 50 miles distant by rail from Benalla.

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THE RAILWAY LINE TORN UP

Barely 14 miles of the journey had been travelled, when the driver of the “special” observed the pilot-engine returning, and the train was speedily brought to a standstill.  The stoppage occurred at a paddock about a mile and a quarter from the township of Glenrowan, and the passengers by the train were startled by the intelligence that the line of rails had been torn up beyond Glenrowan, and that the outlaws, whom the party was expecting to find at a spot 40 miles distant, were waiting for the train in ambush.  When the surprising news was received, Superintendent Hare ordered his men to be in readiness, and having had all the lights in the train extinguished, went into the Glenrowan Station.  Although it was not known at the time by what means the train was saved from destruction, it subsequently transpired that the schoolmaster at Glenrowan―Mr Thomas Curnow―had heard of and frustrated the bold attempt of the gang.  Knowing that the line had been pulled up, he proceeded along the line to stop the train.  Kindling a light behind a red handkerchief he improvised a danger signal, which fortunately attracted the attention of the driver of the pilot-engine, and he in turn stopped the train that was coming on behind.  Mr Curnow then informed the police of the presence of the outlaws in the neighbourhood.

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ENCOUNTER WITH THE OUTLAWS

No sooner had the train reached the station then Constable Bracken rushed onto the platform, wild with excitement, stating that he had just escaped from the Kellys, and that they were at the moment in possession of Jones’s public house, about a hundred yards from the station.  He called upon the police to surround the house, and his advice was followed without delay.  Superintendent Hare with his men, and Sub-inspector O’Connor with his black trackers, at once advanced on the hotel.  They found it to be a small wooden building of one story, containing four rooms and a kitchen.  As they approached the house a volley was fired on them by the gang from the front verandah, and for some time there was nothing to be seen or heard but an unceasing succession of flashes and reports.  In the first lull it was ascertained that Superintendent Hare had been, soon after his arrival, shot through the wrist, receiving a severe wound.  He was compelled to retire for a time to have his wounds dressed.  He endeavoured to return to his post afterwards, but had become so weak from loss of blood that he was forthwith removed from the scene of the affray, and placed under medical treatment.  In his absence Inspector O’Connor and Senior-constable Kelly directed the police, and kept up a constant fire on the bushrangers in the doomed hotel. 

The first victim of the affray was a son of the landlady, Mrs Jones, who was shot in the back, and afterwards died from the effect of the wound.  The attacking party maintained the state of siege until daybreak, when police reinforcements arrived from Benalla, Beechworth, and Wangaratta.  Superintendent Sadleir came from Benalla with nine more men, and Sergeant Steele, of Wangaratta, with six, thus augmenting the besieging force to about 30 men.

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CAPTURE OF NED KELLY

Before daylight Senior-constable Kelly found a revolving rifle and a cap lying in the bush, about 100 yards from the hotel.  The rifle was covered with blood, and a pool of blood lay near it.  This was evidently the property of one of the bushrangers, and a suspicion therefore arose that some of them had escaped.  The weapon proved to have been that of Edward Kelly, the leader of the gang, who was found to have escaped from the hotel. 

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