The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (23)

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CHAPTER V

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All other three pulled up when they heard Ned give the challenge, and came back to see their faithful friend-the providore-pulled up. They went home, and after changing their clothes and partaking of a good meal, they related in detail what happened on Saturday at Stringybark Creek. After a few hours' rest both men and horses were refreshed.

ON THE RUN

The rain having ceased, the sky cleared, and shortly after midnight the Kellys left home, and made for the Greta Ranges . Here they camped during the next day, Monday (28/10/78).

They started at dusk for the Beechworth Ranges , crossing the King River , and keeping as much as possible off the main roads. They camped on the Beechworth Ranges , and were observed by some people while in this neighbourhood. These people reported to the police what they had seen. On this report the police organised that notorious failure afterwards known as the "Charge of Sebastopol," or the raid on "Rats' Castle." The Kellys pushed on from Beechworth Ranges to Barnawartha, and in due course arrived on the banks of the Murray River . They knew there was a punt there, and expected to cross the Murray in It to reach Howlong on the other side.

They found the river in flood as a result of recent very heavy rains. They met one of the Baumgartens, who told them there was no hope of getting across the Murray while the flats on both sides were flooded, and that the police were about there in droves. Baumgarten also gave them the views the police held on the Kellys and their alleged plans. The Kellys camped in the vicinity of Baumgarten's till dusk; they then set out for the Warby Ranges .

They travelled all night and passed through North Wangaratta and crossed the Ovens River , and pushed on for the Warby Ranges .

They had run out of meat, and shot a sheep to replenish their meat supply. At the foot of Warby Ranges Kennedy's pack-horse knocked up and was left behind.

The Kellys peacefully camped on the top of the Warby Ranges , resting themselves and their horses for some days. While reconnoitring it happened one day that they saw a party of policemen led by a local blackfellow following their tracks. As soon as they came to the discarded packhorse the Kellys fired a rifle shot to attract the attention of the police. The police distinctly heard the shot, and immediately turned back, and made for Wangaratta at top speed. When they reported on this expedition, the police laid all the blame on the blacktracker. The tracker, they said, was too cowardly to proceed. He actually ordered the police to go first and catchem Kelly.” The police resented such orders and the refusal of the blacktracker to go on to capture the Kellys. The police, a how, considered the present was not the proper time to take the flashness" out of the Kellys. The Kellys started from Warby Ranges and went back to their home at Greta. Their horses had had a very bad spin up to the present, and they themselves were worn out for want of sleep, not knowing that the demoralised state of the police affected the Officers more than the men they decided to take no unnecessary risks. They accordingly decided to discard their horses and move about at night on foot, and sleep in the standing crops by day. The police had received information that the Kellys would be likely to come to Frank Harty’s farm, near Winton.

The Kellys also had information that the Police intended to interfere with Harty, who had offered to bail Mrs Kelly out. The Kellys took up their position in Harty’s crop to defend this farmer from the vindictiveness of the police.

The police took up the their position on the hill near Harty's house.

Harty knew the Kellys would protect him, and could afford to display their independence, but he did not know they were in his crop. And the police did not know that the Kellys were watching them. They (the police) were not afraid of Harty. The scene resembled the cats in the crop watching the mice on the hill. After a few days the police retired from Harty’s, and went back to Benalla to recuperate, after their strenuous efforts to capture the outlaws. When some one of the Kelly relatives asked Ned Kelly why he didn’t pop over the police who were watching Harty’s house he replied: “So long as the police keep within the laws of truth and decency he would not shoot at them, but if the police start shooting, or refuse to obey orders when called upon by him to surrender, then he was prepared to shoot, and shoot to kill. As long as the police behave themselves, and keep out of their way, they (the Kellys) would not hurt them.” The night following the withdrawal of the police from Harty’s the Kellys moved towards Benalla, to the crop of another farmer. The weather was pleasant and the crops were on the turn. The four outlaws were very comfortable, watching train loads of police passing up and down the railway line. Next day the owner of the crop happened along and suddenly came on the Kellys in his crop. He was taken aback, but quickly recovering his presence of mind, said: “Oh! So its here ye are, boys,” and hurriedly added, “I was just taking a look to see when the bit of the crop would be ripe enough to cut; but,” he continued, “I won’t touch it while you boys are here.”

Ned Kelly, as spokesman for the outlaws, thanked the farmer for his interest in their safety. “We’re shifting from here tonight,” said Ned, “so that you may go ahead with the harvest when the crop is fit to cut.”

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This document gives you the text of this book about the KellyGang. The text has been retyped from a copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. We also apologise for any typographical errors. JJ Kenneally was one of the first authors to tell this story from the KellyGang's point of view