The Argus at KellyGang 18/8/1879 (3)
Mrs Lehane looked out, and returned to her husband with the same story. The latter told them all to keep their suspicious to themselves. He, however, stepped out into the verandah, and satisfied himself that two strangers were approaching his place. They carne walking down the hill at a leisurely pace, indeed, sauntered along, one flourishing a switch in his hand. Mr Lehane being the only man about the place, thought it would be well to conceal the fact from the men if they were really the desperadoes, and in order to do so he first divested himself of a coat, and then went inside and reappeared in his shirt sleeves. This trick was intended to make the visitors believe that there were two men on the promises. He then went to the kitchen and examined a needle- gun he had there, to see if it was in order. The men on arriving entered the bar, and were attended to by Mrs Lehane. They called for two ales, but there was no ale in the house. They took a nobbler of brandy each. They then inquired how far they were from Pyalong and M'Ivor, Mrs Lehane answered that the former was some seven miles, and the latter some 20 miles away. To her the two men seemed quiet, inoffensive persons, and she replied to their queries without any trepidation.
They purchased a loaf of broad, a pound of cheese, two cakes of tobacco, and a bottle of brandy. In calling for the latter, one of them remarked that they would require something to heat them, as they should probably have to camp out all night. Their bill amounted to 8s., and they paid it with 10 sixpences, a two- shilling piece, and one shilling. Mrs Lehane made the remark that it was unusual for men to carry such a lot of small silver, and asked if they had come from Lancefield. One of them replied, "No, we have come from Kilmore, and that is Melbourne money." The landlady was afraid to say anything more than that they had apparently come a queer road from Kilmore. In the meantime, Mr Lehane had entered the bar, and was asked by the visitors which was the best way to Pyalong. He gave them verbal directions, but they were not satisfied, and asked him to point out the track. They had now been half an hour in the house, and were showing some signs of anxiety to get away.
The youngest one impatiently requested the landlord to go outside and point the way out, and Mr Lehane then did so. They left by the Pyalong track, and disappeared in the bush, about 300 yards to the rear of the hotel. Mr and Mrs Lehane gave descriptions of the men, which corresponded exactly with those given by Messrs Musty and Morrison, with this exception, that the landlady thought the eldest man could not be under 40 years of age. There is no doubt, however, that they were the men the police are after. They wore over coats, the pockets of which were bulging out considerably... Later in the evening Mr Paton, a farmer living three miles north of the hotel observed a fire on the saddle of a neighbouring hill. The police and trackers, after receiving refreshments at Lehane's, started to look for tracks. The blackfellows, on examining the place of the fire referred to, found that the men had certainly lit a fire, but had only stayed there for a short time, and from the age and direction of the footmarks leading from the fire they were able to state that the men walked during Friday night towards Pyalong. The tracks were followed for a good distance in the afternoon but a heavy storm of rain and wind occurred, and the trail was lost or given up for the night. The party and several others which were out m different districts, converged upon Pyalong and stayed there over night. To day seven parties were sent out from that township in various directions but no success has yet been reported Superintendent Hare directs the movements of the police from Lancefield.
HEATHCOTE Sunday
Two men supposed to be the Lancefield bank robbers have been traced by the black trackers to within a few miles of Heathcote. They were last seen by a woman residing on the Kilmore and Heathcote road. The trackers followed up the tracks till they were completely obliterated by the heavy rains. This afternoon the trackers have arrived here to rest till morning when they will start again. A party of troopers are now out in the direction the men were taking.
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