The Argus at KellyGang 4/11/1878 (2)
When Kennedy and Scanlan were approaching, the leader of the gang, Edward Kelly, placed one of his men in the tent, stationed his brother Daniel and the other ruffian in the tall grass already referred to, and concealed himself within the angle of the fallen trees where Lonigan was shot. He ordered McIntyre to sit upon the cross-tree, and told him that one of his rifles was for him, and that if he did not act as directed he “would make a hole in him.” These arrangements were so made that when Kennedy entered the camping ground he was covered by the rifles of Daniel Kelly and the other two unknown offenders. Scanlan was only a yard or two behind.
Both men dismounted together. Kennedy walked a few paces from his horse, was challenged by the bushrangers, and fired at. McIntyre had, in accordance with Kelly’s orders, walked up to the sergeant and advised him to surrender. Although Kennedy called out “Stop it, boys,” the villains continued shooting, and Scanlan was killed. McIntyre, seeing then that the miscreants intended to slaughter them all, looked about for a way of escape. Kennedy’s horse, frightened at the firing, and was rearing about beside him. With a spring he was soon seated in the saddle, and his feet slipped easily into the stirrups. The horse shied, and in urging it forward with his heels he lost a stirrup. Seizing the horse’s mane he leaned to one side to catch the stirrup with his hand. The assasins had evidently just fired at him, and concluding from this movement that he had been wounded, they set up a fiendish yell of delight. With the aid of a twig, which he snatched from a tree as he was passing, he was able to gallop out of their sight.
He could not look back to see what had become of Kennedy, for if he had done so, he would have been sure to dash his head against some tree. After a perilous ride, he fell from the horse—how, he cannot tell, but supposes he was caught by a branch. The photograph of Kelly which has been circulated amongst the police is, he says, a good likeness, but the outlaw presents a rather altered appearance, as he now wears a square-cut moustache and a short beard—at least he did so when he stuck up the camp.
POLICE WEAPONS
There can be no doubt that this deplorable affair has found the police in the districts contiguous to the outrage very inadequately equipped. In addition to what has already stated on this subject, it appears that the fowlingpiece possessed by Kennedy’s party was borrowed from the Rev Mr Sandiford, of Mansfield . The mounted troopers are well trained in sword exercise, which is very well in its way, but it seems to be considered unnecessary to train them to the use of rifles or carbines. For 12 or 18 months before the butts were removed from Sandridge the men of the Richmond depot were regularly exercised at them in revolver practice, and in commending this practice in September last year we suggested that the troopers should also be furnished by carbines, and taught the use of them, a suggestion which has not yet been adopted. The revolver now used by the police is called Webley, and notwithstanding reports to the contrary, is a most effective and reliable weapon. Adams’ and Colt’s revolvers were both discarded for it. When the men where practising at the butts, Sergeant Fegan, their drill instructor, tested its throwing power, and found that at a distance of 200 yards the bullet struck the target with as much force as if it were fired from a carbine. The thirty fowlingpieces purchased the other day by the government have cartridges containing 18 or 20 round shot, and are said to be deadly at a long distance.
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