The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 19 page 4
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Within the hotel the unfortunate prisoners were in a pitiable state. Had the train been five minutes later they would have been spared the horrors of the fight in which they suffered, for, to do the outlaws justice, it does not seem that they counted upon or wished for safety from the presence of noncombatants among them. Had they done so they would have been sadly undeceived; but, as a matter of fact, but for Mrs Jones’ unfortunate appeal for a lecture from Ned Kelly, all the prisoners would have been free before the attack began. Dan Kelly had just given them permission to depart when Ned began the address for which they waited. Then came the sound of the approaching train, and all chance of escape was gone, for, with the door locked, the outlaws went to don their armour, and, later, the people dared not venture out in the darkness in the face of a storm of bullets. The police were excited and little inclined, even were they able to distinguish friend from foe, as some of the prisoners found to their cost, and indeed the only constable in the force for whom most of them had reason to feel anything but bitterness was Constable Bracken, who before he departed gave a warning to lie close upon the floor if firing came. Altogether, Bracken’s is the only name in the Victorian police force which derived any added lustre from the events of the day. He seems to have acted throughout with pluck and judgment, and not long after telling Mr Hare of the Kelly’s presence he galloped away to Wangaratta to bring back further aid.
When Mr Hare had left the field the police were under no real command, for while Sub Inspector O’Connor considered that he held it, most of the men, not recognising a Queensland officer, if they looked to anybody for direction looked to Senior-Constable Kelly, and very much at their own sweet will, throughout the remaining hours of darkness, they continued energetically to pour lead into the hotel.
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