The Alexandra and Yea Standard, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express at KellyGang 23/11/1878
THE POLICE MURDERS
BENALLA, Monday
There have been several movements amongst the troopers in this district to-day. A party of men wont out of Benalla this morning, and another party returned late in the afternoon, but no definite information of the movements of he gang has been received from the incoming party. There are, however, a considerable number of men. concentrated at this. place as if some important movement was anticipated. No news has been received from Seymour as to the correctness or other wise of the statement that a store was stuck up last night between Seymour and Murchison, and it is believed by the authorities here that if such was the case the work was not done by any of Kelly's gang but by some others, who are taking advantage of the present scare. By the last train from Melbourne this evening some more troopers came to Benalla to strengthen the force here, and four troopers were also sent to Mansfield via Longwood to provide for the further protection of that district.
Apropos of the, bushrangers, the Sydney Echo of November 16 says: - "It will be interesting to watch the operations of the Victorian police system, rind see if it will compare favorably with that, of this colony. Here success in effecting the capture of criminals seems to arise from the fact this police identifying themselves very closely with the habits of the people they move amongst, and so close has the course been followed that a sergeant of police, either in the county or in the city, is generally an encyclopaedic of biographies of all the people round him. This does not appear the case with the Victorian troopers, some of whom are being sent long distances into a strange locality to trap tie Kellys and their confederates. Such a proceeding places them at a greater disadvantage than the police here ever labored under. They have not yet discovered the trail of the murderers, and a great many efforts appear to be made to prevent their carrying out the ends of justice. Here the police ferreted out Gibson, who shot Sergeant Waldings from amongst his confederates, and had such a chase of 300 miles after him as would have delighted the Victorian police. It is to be hoped success will speedily attend the exertions being made to capture the Kelly gang; and it would be gratifying to know that some of the Now South Wales police had a hand in securing the ruffians. This may not be possible, unless the gang cross the border, in which case it may, from former experiences, be imagined they will be speedily run to earth."
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