The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 10 page 3

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This was by no means Gloster’s first encounter with bushrangers, as he had been stuck up twice before, and on one occasion shot in the shoulder by the man named Daly. It appears that he now ran very considerable risk of being shot again, owing to his obstinacy and slowness in surrendering himself. Dan Kelly was very anxious to ‘put a bullet through the wretch,’ but Mr McCauley, who had accompanied the outlaws to the cart, joined in urging him to bail up, and at last seeing the hopelessness of resisting, he confessed that there was in his waggon a revolver which Kelly secured. He was then led with Beecroft to the kitchen, where he was allowed to have supper under surveillance and afterwards locked up with the other men in the store.

There was not much sleep for the prisoners that night. One or two of the outlaws kept guard outside and Ned Kelly remained with them in the store, which was ill ventilated and inconveniently crowded, talking much and boastfully of what he had done and was going to do. Many of the men asked him questions, but they were all most careful to avoid the word ‘murder’ in speaking of the death of the police. Kelly confirmed the story that he had shot Kennedy when he was lying wounded on the ground, in order, he said, to put him out of his misery, and he added that, having respect for Kennedy as a brave man, he had covered the body with a cloak. The rumour that he had cut off one of the sergeant’s ears he protested was a lie. The police, Kelly declared, had persecuted him and all his family, who were innocent in the matter of Fitzpatrick, and they were, he said, his natural enemies; but on his own showing he had done a good deal to make enemies of them, since he confessed to having stolen 280 horses in his time.

Before going to bed for the night the Kellys allowed the prisoners out under guard to get a few breaths of fresh air, and then locked them up again. As to the projected robbery of the bank at Euroa the outlaws appear to have made no secret, and very early in the morning they were on watch for any persons who might approach the station, and who were to be shut up with the others in order to prevent their departing and giving the alarm.

The first haul was of a shooting party of three Melbourne gentlemen, one riding and the others driven by a resident of the district in a spring cart which approached the station in the morning. The sportsmen had just returned from the Strathbogie Ranges where they had spent some days in shooting kangaroo and other game. On the road near the house they were stopped by Kelly and one of his mates, who informed them that the station was stuck up, and told them to turn their horses round. They immediately got out of the cart which contained the guns, a rifle and some ammunition, and the rider approaching, when he heard that the station was stuck up, suggested that they should jump into the cart and get the guns. This proposal was sternly negatived by Ned Kelly. He saw that the party did not know him and amused himself by accusing Mr Casement, the owner of the cart, of being Ned Kelly and of having stolen the vehicle. This accusation was vehemently denied by the sportsmen, several of whom were Scotch; and supposing the outlaws to be plain clothes policemen, they declared they were honest men, and asked if the Kellys were about, to which Ned said ‘yes.’ They protested strongly against being interfered with, and one of them went so far as to threaten Ned Kelly, who had said something about putting handcuffs on him, that he would report him to his superior officer.

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