The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (75)

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CHAPTER XIX

continued

Question — At the present time? — Yes, I took hold of the hand of the one that was near me to see whether or not they had recently killed themselves - whether there was life in them, and I found it was quite lifeless.  Then I looked at his eyes, and I found that his eyes showed unmistakable signs that he was dead for some time; and then I went to the other to touch him.  I was satisfied that life was completely extinct in both of them before I left; and at that time in this little room they were in, the fire was just running through it.  I saw that the roof itself was sufficiently safe, that I was in no immediate danger.  It was very hot, but still I saw I was not in any immediate danger of being caught.

Question — At the time that you entered the little room at the back of the building where the two corpses were lying, had the two men been living there was sufficient time for them to have escaped with their lives from the fire? — Oh, yes there was, if there had been life in either of them. I would have had them out myself, and I was perfectly satisfied that they would be taken out. I looked upon it that my own purpose was realised, that I had satisfied myself that what I came to do was over, that it was too late, and then I said I would give word to the police, of course, as soon as I found how they were. I walked out of the back of the house, that was the nearest way then, and I called out to the police that the men were all dead inside.

Question — Did they (the police) rush to the building then? — There came two or three running up very soon after. The first man - I suppose he was a policeman - that came up, it appeared to me, was determined to have a shot into one of them. That was just the impression I had at the moment.

Question — He had his revolver ready? — Yes, he had his revolver ready, and especially so it appeared to me. I laid my hand upon his arm that way, and said, “Do not fear; they are both dead!” That was at Byrne’s body; he could not see the other two from there. So then I believe it was the time they rushed in and pulled out the body of Byrne. Of course, the crowd came running then quickly, and I was certain they would have taken out the bodies. I was perfectly satisfied they would have done so, and there was plenty of time; but then I did not make sufficient allowances for appearances, or of the fact that I had an advantage over the police just then. I knew that the room had not been burnt through; though burning, it was not burnt through.

Question — Then from the way in which they were lying, with a pillow of bags under their heads, you came to the conclusion that it must have been arranged before? — That they laid it out, and that they could not have been laid in such a position except by design. (RC12323)

Question — Did you notice if they had any weapons in their hands? — I did not see any, and I cannot say that I saw any sign of blood; in fact, my impression was that they must have laid the pistol under their breasts and fired into their hearts; but that is only conjecture, for I did not see the wounds about them - about the bodies or on the bodies.

Question — I think you said you went in at the front door, that is the door facing the railway line? — Yes.

Question — And then you went out at the back door? — I went out the back after having found the three bodies.

Question — Did you come through again out of the front door? — No, I went into the room off the first room, and thence into the room off that, thinking I could get out that way without passing through the flames, because that was the end of the house fired first, and the fire was worst there, and the spirits might have caught fire, I thought; there was a sheet of fire.

Question — About how long were you in the house altogether? — I could not really say. Perhaps I might have been from eight to ten minutes; I think so.

Question — Would the time not seem to be longer than it really was? — It might appear to me to be longer, because all that I did, when I found Byrne was dead, was to pass on to get the others. I went into the back room, as I said, off the one that I entered first, thinking to go out that way.

Question — You could have done all that in five minutes? — I dare say I could.

Question — How far were the police from you when you came out and said the men were dead? — There were none of them I saw nearer, I should say, than between twenty or thirty paces.

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This document gives you the text of this book about the KellyGang. The text has been retyped from a 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. JJ Kenneally was one of the first authors to tell this story from the KellyGang's point of view

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