The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 11 page 4
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One of the outlaws’ acts before leaving the station was to order some prisoners to burn the old clothes in exchange for which those of Gloster’s cart had been taken, and this was done under Kelly’s supervision. There was afterwards found, half burnt, at the homestead, portion of a woman’s hat, supposed to have been in one of the outlaw’s swag, and this gave rise to the theory that Hart, who was young and slight, had carried a feminine disguise with him and sometimes worn it when travelling. Rumours had been current of a woman, supposed then to be Kate Kelly, being seen with the outlaws riding through the bush, and this gave colour to the belief that Hart sometimes masqueraded in female attire. At any rate, up to the day of the raid upon the station, no one had identified Hart as a member of the gang, and though Steele and others suspected him, it is said that only a few days before the robbery he was seen drinking at the bar of an hotel in Euroa and allowed to depart without question.
It was nearly nine oclock and quite dark before the Kellys actually took their departure. Ned spoke a few last words to the prisoners, telling they were not to stir from the place for three hours. If they did he promised to track them down and shoot them wherever they might conceal themselves, and Mr McCauley in particular he was kind enough to make responsible for the good behaviour of the rest. The theatrical return for the alleged keepsake to Mr McDougall and the theft of the other watches were among the last acts of the outlaws before bidding their prisoners good-bye, after which, Dan Kelly and Steve Hart indulging in a little parting brag as to what they should do when they encountered the police, they rode away in the direction of the Strathbogie Ranges .
The prisoners, left to themselves, discussed what they should do, and there was a great preponderance of opinion in favour of remaining at the station for the time specified by Ned Kelly, or somewhere near it. None of them were so enthusiastic about giving early information as to run the risk of getting a bullet through their heads, should the outlaws have concealed themselves near the homestead, and apart from this chance it was suspected that sympathisers were near who would report their doings to the Kellys and perhaps cause them to be murdered later on when opportunity should offer. There were certainly no heroes among those stuck up at Faithfull’s Creek as was abundantly shown by their action, or inaction, both before and after the bushrangers departed; but possibly the prisoners showed no more regard for their lives than would the majority of men. At any rate for some hours they waited patiently at the station, some of them whiling away the time by playing cards. About halfpast ten or eleven, however, they thought it safe to leave their place of confinement, and while some of them went away to Euroa or elsewhere, others remained for the night at Faithfull’s Creek. Before midnight the news of the robbery had been wired to Captain Standish on the information of those who ventured into the township, and in the early morning the police train from Benalla stopped at the station and gained the news of it there.
By this time the Kellys were far away - as far, at least, as they were anxious to go, which may have been after all but a few miles. At many places in the Strathbogie Ranges they had hiding places more or less secure, and there was afterwards reason to believe that for nearly a week they had been quietly camped at a bush hut not more than six miles distant from Euroa, waiting a favourable opportunity to make their raid upon the bank. Probably, not till the last minute had they decided what township to favour, as Mrs Skillion, the other sister, Kate Kelly, and one or two more of their relatives appear to have taken up their abode at different places from each one of which would have been accessible some haunt in the ranges. The one chosen by the outlaws was to depend on what town in the North Eastern District they might bolt from, with the plunder of some bank in their possession.
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