The Argus at KellyGang 19/2/1879 (3)
Mr Wyatt said Mr Zincke had spoken about the need of separating the chaff from the wheat in the cases. He had himself taken steps and he knew that the Crown had also taken steps in the matter but he was not at liberty to state what they were. He would remand the prisoners to Tuesday next. John M'Elroy was then charged.
Mr. Zincke said there had been already sufficient declamation and argument. The police had said that one portion of this colony was disaffected and in others there existed a scare. If so, was it not time that the Attorney General took the cases in hand? Three different police superintendents had been sent, one had broken his word and now the public condemn the whole proceedings as an eternal blot on the administration of justice in Victoria. If this was constitutional government he would prefer to live under a rule of tyranny, as he could get at the tyrant, but not at the constitution. Mr Foster had first remanded the men on the 11th January, and had evidently expected that afterwards some evidence would have been brought forward, but there was no sign of any evidence, and it was not English law to go on, as they had done, remanding. The 12 men were similarly remanded. Isaiah Wright when remanded, said, "I hope this will be the last; you can't get Kelly evidence against me unless you buy it.
NEW SOUTH WALES
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPOSDENT)
SYDNEY, FEB. 15
We certainly have not been made proud by the sudden success of your bushrangers in their first raid north of the Murray. The police had been keeping watch over the regular crossing places, but the river is very low just now, and is easily fordable. This has given the marauders a chance, of which they have not been allowed to avail themselves. Our Riverine country is invitingly open to them and a comparatively unprotected village offered an easy prey. The Government has no positive information of their whereabouts, but the impression at head quarters is that the men returned with their booty to their old haunts. It is impossible effectually to guard so large a territory as ours, but we do not expect them to remain long at any time on the western plains. Our experience of bushrangers is that they can only long elude capture in a difficult country and among a friendly population. Sir Henry Parkes has been questioned on the expediency of renewing the Outlawry Act but he did not feel at liberty to give a very definite answer. All he would intimate was that the whole question was under very serious consideration and that the Government would be prepared to act with all necessary vigour. An additional police force has been sent up to the south western districts, but the general impression is that the gang, having achieved its purpose will not venture again to attack townships where both the inhabitants and the police are more on the watch. Meanwhile the bank may probably count its money as lost, as the plunder is not likely to be recovered. To this day we have never made good the escort robbery under Gardiner's gang and though the criminals have paid the penalty of their crime, the owners of the stolen property have never been determined.
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