The Ovens and Murray Advertiser 13/2/1879 (3)
full text of the article
This completed Mr Living’s narrative, and the following additional particulars were given by Mr Tarleton, the manager of the bank. That gentlemen states that at the time of the occurrence he had not long returned from a long ride of 40 miles and was having a pleasant bath, when the teller came rushing into the bath room, and exclaimed that they were stuck up. Mr Tarleton at first thought it was rubbish, but on seeing two men with revolvers, believed such to be the case. As soon as he came out of the bath Hart pointed a pistol at him, and then searched his clothes. Mr Tarleton made some inquiries as to the movements of the gang, but Hart, after answering one or two questions, replied in an angry voice that Mr Tarleton had better cease asking such questions. Hart then took him into the hotel, and as he was going in he noticed Byrne strike the Chinese cook.
He was then placed with some others in a bar parlor, where he was kept until taken back to the bank. Hart stood the whole time at the door of the room with revolvers, and evincing a strong desire to shoot somebody, occasionally, if there was a little too much talking in the room. During his confinements in the room, Mr Tarleton was placed in such a position that he thinks he could have knocked Hart down, but on asking the policeman if he would back him up he replied that Dan Kelly had them covered with his revolver, and if he happened to miss them he would be sure to kill some of the others.
The gang then prepared to go, but before doing so Ned Kelly made a speech, with the evident intention of exciting pity. He said that on the occasion when Fitzpatrick, the Benalla constable, was shot, he was not within 400 miles of Greta, and during his career he had stolen 280 horses from Whitty’s station and sold them; and beyond this he had never been guilty of any other crime. The horses, he stated, were sold to Bamgarten. Kelly showed those present his revolvers, and pointed out one which he said was the property of Constable Lonigan, and further stated that the musket which he shot Lonigan with was an old worn out crooked thing. He asked those present if they would like to be treated as he had been treated, and detectives to go to their houses and present revolvers at their mothers and sisters, and threaten to shoot them if they did not say where Ned Kelly was. He considered such treatment to be more than any man could stand, and was enough to make him turn an outlaw.
He said that he came to that place not with the intention of robbing the bank, but to shoot the two policemen, Devine and Richards, who were worse than any black trackers, especially Richards, whom he intended to shoot immediately. Mr Tarleton remarked to Kelly that it was Richards’ duty, and he should not blame him for doing it. Kelly then replied, “Suppose you had your revolver ready when I came in, would you not have shot me?” Mr Tarleton replied “Yes.” “Well,” said Kelly, “that’s just what I going to do with Richards – shoot him before he shoots me,” The party then interceded for Richards, but Kelly said, “He must die.” Kelly then started to walk in the direction of the police camp, in company with Richards. Hart and Dan Kelly rode up the street shouting and flourishing their revolvers. The captives were then free. Both the Kellys were dressed as troopers. Before leaving, Ned Kelly remarked that he had made a great blunder in connexion with the affair, which would likely be the means of capturing the gang.
Mr Tarleton then got his horse and mounted it, for the purpose of going to Deniliquin, when a number of persons warned him of the scouts posted about by the Kellys to watch. But knowing that he was better mounted than any of them, and having a strong desire to report the matter, he started at a quarter to 4pm, and reached Deniliquin at a quarter to 6 the next morning only one miute before the train left the station, giving Mr Tarleton just time to take his seat. At the time Mr Tarleton left Jerilderie, he did not see anything of the postmaster or Richards.
Contents
NEW SOUTH WALES
Sydney, Wednesday
There is no further information here with reference to the Kellys. A special posse of troopers and detectives were sent South yesterday to re-inforce the troopers in the border townships and operate against the desperation. It is believed Ned Kelly knowing the character of our police quickly disappeared across the border again with his associates. It is reported he said to Constable Richards, at Jerilderie, he was quite safe so far as the Victorian police were concerned. The Sydney papers place great reliance on the efficiency of the provincial troopers and trackers, and predict the early capture of the gang, if they remain this side of the Murray. The country not far from Jerilderie was for a long time the habitat of Morgan, the notorious scoundrel. It is said the Kelly gang passed through Urana last Friday, but were not recognised.
THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE KELLYS
No one seems to have any definite idea as to where the outlaws are, and a great many would not like to know. There are various surmises as to their movements after sticking up the bank at Jerilderie; some believing that they moved back to their old haunts, and others that they have gone on towards the Queensland border, with the intention of clearing out. We have hitherto, purposely refrained from publishing the movements of the police, and what has reached us concerning the whereabouts of the outlaws, not wishing to impede the cause of justice. Now and then, however, information reaches us which is worth of consideration, and from what we have heard, we hold the belief that the gang separated after the Jerilderie affair, and severally returned to Victoria. Yesterday, a farmer whose word is his bond, and who has known the Kellys by sight, intimately, for the last twelve years declared to us he met Dan Kelly alone, in the morning, about half a mile on the Beechworth side of the Gapstead hotel. He says he knew him as soon as he saw him, and exchanged words with him in passing. According to this man’s account Dan was well dressed, and was well mounted on a well bred bay horse with black points. He swears to the man whom he has known to our knowledge from childhood. Of course in the present excited state, a good deal of latitude must be allowed, and all we hear be treated cum grdno salis, but our informant is not an imaginative man, but a plain, honest, practical, hard headed farmer. We do not publish this as gospel, but regard it as probable truth.
The Kelly Gang Again!
The intelligence to hand announces that they made a dash at Jerilderie, a township in Riverina, New South Wales, about 50 miles northeast of Deniliquin, and stuck up the Bank of New South Wales. They obtained plunder to the amount of about £2,200, and secaped unhurt. We published particulars in an another column.
After the Kellys
We are informed on good authority, that ex Detective Christie has formed a party to go in pursuit of the Kellys. It will be led by himself, and there will be three other members. Two of them are old experienced bushmen, and one, the overseer of a station in the north east, whose name cannot be disclosed, but who has an intimate acquaintance with the haunts of the outlaws.
| ! | 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. |
