The Argus at KellyGang 12/2/1879 (8)
He informed those present that he intended sticking up the Urana coach that night, and would shoot anyne who attempted to give warning. Byrne still rode in the direction of the Murray, with the money, and in the meantime Mr Tarleton had succeeded in despatching a messenger to Urana to warn the bank manager there. The remaining part of the gang then rode in the direction of the police camp, and the party were liberated, and Mr Living started for Deniliquin. This completed Mr Living's narrative, and the following additional particulars are given by Mr Tarleton, the manager of the bank. That gentleman states that at the time of the occurrence he had not long returned from a long ride of 40 miles, and was having a 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 parlour, where he was kept until taken back to the bank. Hart stood the whole time at the door of the room with revolvers, and evinced a strong desire to shoot somebody occasionally if there was a little too much talking in the room. During his confinement 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 Baumgarten. Kelly showed those present his revolvers, and pointed out one which he said was the property of Constable Lomean and further stated that the musket which he shot Lonian 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 detecives 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?"
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