The Alexandra and Yea Standard, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express at KellyGang 14/11/1878
THE MANSFIELD TRAGEDY
The news from " the seat of war" on Monday is somewhat startling. According to a statement made by a young man at St. Arnaud, four bushrangers, presumed to be the Kellys, stuck him up on the East Charlton road. They were all fully armed, and one was masked. Whether the statement is true or not, it is impossible to say ; but the police have placed sufficient credence in it to start in pursuit, after having borrowed rifles from private persons in the neighborhood.
ST ARNAUD, Monday.
"A young man reported to the police this morning that he had been stuck up by four men lying in ambush, about six miles from St. Arnaud. on the East Charlton road, all fully armed. One wore a mask, he had iron grey horse, and the others bay horses.. They told him to hold up his arms and say his prayers. They then robbed him of all his valuables, consisting of seven pounds in cash. They let him go, cautioning him that if he told any one they would take his life. He reported the circumstances to the police about a quarter past 8, and senior-constable Monckton and Constables M'Duffie and O'Keefe immediately started in pursuit having, as usual, to run around to borrow rifles before leaving."
The man Lynch, who was arrested on Sunday on a charge of having written the threatening letter to Monks, published in our issue of yesterday, has been remanded for a week, to enable the police to obtain sufficient evidence to procure a conviction, He was anxious to get out on bail, but this was very wisely refused, owing to the serious nature of the threats, so that Lynch will have to spend a week in the "logs," whether he is guilty or not. He is known to sympathise with the murderers, so that if he is not an actual confederate, his temporary incarceration is still a matter for rejoicing rather then regret. It is distressing to hear that Mrs Monks had been so upset by the threats made to torture her and her husband that she has been thrown into a dangerous state of illness. The house is in an isolated spot at the Wombat, and the fact that it would be quite possible to carry the threats into execution has given very general cause for alarm. To day the murderers become outlaws under the act which has just passed the legislature, and may now be shot down by any one without being challenged. What effect this will have upon the search party remains to be seen. It will, however, enable them to make the most of their opportunity should the gang be fallen in with. Where they are nobody appears to have any definite idea, but the Mansfield paper states that most people in that district are under the impression that they have never been out of the Wombat ranges, and that they will not quit them till they are driven out or shot. The country is of invade nature that it will have to be literally searched before the ruffians are forced from their strongholds. It is not, however exactly of the kind that it has been described to be by some of the special envoys from the Metropolis. "Their ideas of the locality," says the Wangaratta Despatch, "remind us of the statements made at home as to our Australian geography, which occasionally makes Sydney the capital of Victoria, or places Melbourne in the centre of Australia. Woorage ???gap and Rats' Castle are ??? other, and the w ??? district has been ???? to the police ???? with- out the slightest ???? bodies of troopers went out from Wangaratta to-day ???? dition,' and in the very next sentence the writer informs us ???? to mention, because ???? reaches the outlaws ???? publication. Where is the ???? ??? is so highly advisable. ????was arrested for having writ ???? Mansfield correspondent tele ????
MANSFIELD, MONDAY
???? was brought this morning charged ??? ing a threatening letter to Edward Monk signed, Edward Kelly. Sub-Inspector Pewtress applied for a remand for eight days to get up the case and and stated in court that Edward Monks had refused to help the police to search for Kelly. He only helped them to find the bodies of the murdered police. Mrs. Monks has been thrown into a dangerous state of illness through the letter. Lynch applied to be allowed Bail, but Sub-Inspector Pewtress opposed it on account of the serious nature of the charge. He was remanded for eight days, and Bail was refused."
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