The Argus at KellyGang 5/3/1879 (7)

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Bushranging continued

The discharge set fire to his clothes, the shots entering below the groin and passing out at the side. While under treatment 14 slugs and balls were extracted from him. Thinking they had at last done for their formidable, opponent the bushrangers decamped. To show the sort of people Shepherd was surrounded by when he made his gallant defence, we may mention that after he fell no attention was paid to him until he came to himself, five hours after (when his wounds were all swarming with maggots from fly blows), while the scoundrel who had been shot dead in the very act of endeavouring to take life unlawfully was washed clean, shaved, wrapped in a clean sheet and laid in a cart. About 12 o'clock Shepherd recovered his senses and managed to attract attention. Catterall coolly said, "I was just going to send two men for you. I thought you were dead." Courageous and humane man! Ball and Pearson were subsequently tried for complicity with the bushrangers, when the Chief Justice paid the valiant overseer a high com pliment from the bench His Honour said, that "during the time he had sat in that court he had heard of some very brave acts, but did not recollect ever hearing or ever reading of an act or series of acts of more cool, determined courage and bravery than had been related to them by Mr Shepherd that day."...

It is not necessary for us to draw any moral from these two cases of determined opposition on the part of civilians to the operations of bushrangers. They speak for themselves. Our readers, however may like to know what became of Mr Shepherd and his assailants. The plucky overseer did not succumb to his wounds. He was taken to the Goulburn Hospital (distant about 150 miles) in a cart, and having been successfully treated, lived for many years, let us hope in that honour which his conduct so richly deserved. Many a man wears the Victoria Cross today for valour which will not bear comparison with the determined and sustained bravery we have been describing. Of the gang, Jack the Rammer was shot dead in flagrante delicto, as we have seen. Boyd was shot by a trooper a few days after the attack on Micalago, while en deavouring to escape by swimming the Snowy River . Keys got off on this occasion, but was taken within a very short time, and, there is reason to believe, met his deserts at the hands of the common hangman. Pearson was found guilty as an accomplice, but as he was remanded for sentence we are not able to say how he expiated his crime. Ball, who seems to us to have been the most active "sympathiser," was apparently acquitted. The report however, is rather confused on this point. If he got off we can only say the fact proves that wonderful are the ways of juries occasionally.

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