The Ovens and Murray Advertiser 18/1/1879

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THE KELLYS

As usual all sorts of rumors are flying about with reference to the where about of these celebrated desperadoes, and if all are to be believed, they must be ubiquitous, according to different accounts they are in New South Wales, on the Lachlan, where they are being perused by the police. Then they have been at Murchison, as well as in the wild, almost inhospitable country, between the Strathbogie Ranges and Mount Buller. At the same time two of them are said to have paid a second visit to Euroa. The latest comes from Malmsbury, a telegraph having been received on Thursday night, in Melbourne, by the police authorities, to the following effect:- 'Malmsbury, 9am. Three armed men, supposed to be the Kelly gang, took possession of a house at Pemberly, near Malmsbury, at 8 pm this evening. M. Creagan, Senior constable.' In many other parts of the colony there are reports of armed men having been seen, and the unfortunate police have had many fruitless wild goose chases. No doubt most of these reports are circulated by friends of the outlaws, whilst the demoralized state of society, and the long immunity of the gang from capture have emboldened others to imitate their deeds. Many people inclined to the belief that the reports of their having crossed the border, en route for Queensland is a true one and the following from the Sydney Evening News from Hay would give color to it. It says:- 'The only item of news to communicate respecting the movements of the Kellys, for such it is now more generally believed are the men who stole across the river at Dubbo on Thursday last, is, that it has been reported to the police that the party of men referred to camped within a short distance of a hut on the Coba back station, on Friday night last, a long day's journey from where they were met by Messrs Dick and Walker. In the morning they were observed by a young man who was staying at the hut and who informed Mr. McGraw of the circumstance as soon as possible. One of the strangers came up in the evening and asked for some matches. The men could see him a distinctly, and declares him to have been very like Dan Kelly. They camped away from the hut instead of availing themselves as travellers invariably do, of the shelter it affords. They did not put their horses in the yard, but took it in turn to watch and keep the horses carefully together. They were very restless throughout the night and employed some of their time in casting bullets. The hut keeper saw a flask in the hands of one off them, and found some powder flasks and a bullet at their camping place after they had taken their departure. When they left in the morning they started at a good place, turning their steps towards Scrubby Ranges, a part of the country that Hart Ned Kelly know well, having traversed it in charge of horses within a short time previous to the murders of the constables in Victoria.' Spite of all these conflicting rumors, we still cling to the belief that the band are still in or about their old haunts, where they are far more likely to escape detection than going out into the open and in an enemy's country, whose geography they are not so well acquainted with, and where they have few friends and sympathizes. It certainly is passing strange that up to the present no definite tidings of them have been obtained. Our telegrams last night state that the men proceed in New South Wales are not the Kellys, and favors our view of their whereabouts.

THE KELLY SYMPATHIZES

The twenty men now in Beechworth gaol on a charge of aiding and abating the Kelly gang, by withholding information from the police and who were reminded last Saturday will be brought up before Mr. W. H. Foster PM today (Saturday). We learned that Mr. Zinke will appear to defend a number of them and it is said that Mr. Albert Bead, the well-known solicitor who practices at the City Court, Melbourne and who arrived in Beechworth yesterday afternoon, will also appear for some of them. Mr. F. Brown will appear as for the Stewards and the prosecution will be conducted by Mr. Bowman instructed by Superintendent Sadleir. The cases will be held in the gaol.

EUROA POLICE COURT

At this court on Thursday before Messrs A Wyatt, PM, R. Graham and Clark J.P's, Benjamin Gould was brought up charged with withholding information from the police relative to the Kelly gang now outlawed, contrary to a proclamation issued in the Government Gazette No 119 of the Felons Apprehension Act. Superintendent Hare prosecuted. T Gorman, stationmaster at Euroa deposed at that he had known Gould for four years; saw him on 30th November in De Boo's hotel; they were speaking about the shooting of the police at Stringy Bark Creek; Gould said 'serve the b----- right, there will be more of them shot before Kelly is caught;' on 10th December the day the bank was robbed he met accused about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and asked him where he had been, when Gould told him to mind his own business; at six o'clock Gould went to the station and asked for a ticket for Violet Town; he then put his head in the window, and said, 'hello old Scott I'll have £500 today,' witnesses said 'Mr. Scott is not here, you are mistaken it is Mr. Wyatt, the police magistrate; Gould then apologized; on the 7th Gould was also on the platform, and said the Kelly's had plenty of good food, but were short of vegetables. Charles L De Boos, hotelkeeper at Euroa, collaborated the last witnesses's evidence as to what happened in his bar. George Murray saw Gould at the corner off the bank at Euroa about six o'clock in the evening it was robbed. Robert Scott, manager of the National bank, Euroa deposed that the bank was robbed on 10th December last; Detective Ward arrested prisoner on the 14th December; saw him near Garrett's store, when he said he was not in Euroa on Tuesday the 10th; he had been on the spree; he also said 'surely if I were implicated in the robbery I would have some money, where as I have only a shilling.'

For his defence the prisoner called Maurice Garret, who deposed that he had been several times in the prisoners company at the Euroa station. He recollected, about a fortnight before the robbery, walking with the prisoner and Mr Scott towards the bank. Prisoner said to him that he thought Mr. Scott must be very foolish to think the Kellys lived on horseflesh. Prisoner told him that he informed Mr Scott that very likely that the Kellys lived as well as he did. Prisoner lodged with witness, and on a the morning of the 11th inst. witness went into his room and said, 'Ben, get up, the bank was robbed by the Kellys yesterday.' Prisoner said, 'Get out, it could not be.' Prisoner then got up and went out. Witness saw prisoner at his house from about half past six o'clock on the morning of the 10th December until about half past three o'clock in the afternoon. Witness asked him where he had come from, as he had not just been home all night. Prisoner said he had walked from a Violet Town during the night, having missed the train. Cross-examined by Superintendent Hare: Did not know at what time the prisoner went to bed on 10th December. Prisoner used to hawk meat. He had nothing with him when he said he had walked from Violet Town. His horse and cart with some meat were already in Euroa. The prisoner was fully committed to take his trial at the next Court of Assize to be holden at Beechworth on 6th May.

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