Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-08-26
The Desperate Doings of
Gang of Robbers.
CRIME AT THE ANTIP0DES
Wholesale Murder and Arson -
Train Wreckng and Thieving--
A Whole Village Arrested
and Imprisoned--A Des-
perate Struggle.
THE LEADER CAPTURED AT LAST

which the curtain fell ut Glenrowan, in
the sister colony of Victoria, fortnight
since. The term bushrangsr is purely
Australian, and is coeval with the earlier
days when the felony of England found
home here, and its worst specimens
thought that there was a highway from
Botany Bay to China. The gang headed
by Howe, in Tasmania, and that by Gard
ner (now of San Eranciaco) in this colony,
had each certain amount of prestige in
criminal annals, but they paled before the
deeds of the Kelly gang consisting of the
brothers Edward and Dan Kelly, Steve
Hart and Joe Byrne.
Ned Kelly, the leader of the gang, is not
yet % years of age and was the Oldest of
these four desperadoes, who, up to
October, 1873, confined themselves to
horse stealing and Seattle duffing"-that
is, in colonial phraseology, taking
unbranded stock from farms and ranches
and branding them as their own. Living
in an outlying district among friends and
sympathizers, they pursued their career
until about two years ago constable sent
to arrest Dan and Mrs. Kelly was shot by
one of her sons, but escaped with his
life. The brothers then took to the bush,
where they were Joined by Hart and
Byrne, and two Government parties were
detailed to search their supposed haunts.
One set of officers, under the charge of
Sergeant Kennedy, was surprised by the
gang on October 26th, 1873, and brutally
murdered, with the exception of Consta-
BILE Mcintyre, and sentence of outlawry
was proclaimed against them. On De-
oember 9th they reappeared from their
Businesses at Euroa, held the town in
terror all day and finished by robbing the
local bank. They vanished for time and
were supposed to have left the colony
until the following February, when they
crossed the border into New South Wales,
robbed the bank at Jerilderic, held
drunken orgie and again got away scathe-
less. Ten thousand dollars each was now
offered for their heads by the governments
of the two colonies whose laws had been
outraged, and the Queensland authorities
sent down to Melbourne a party of black
trackers, yet not trace of the outlaws
was found until the night of June Goth,
when they rode up to the door of Aaron
Sheriff, situated seven miles from Beech
worth, and about $50 from Melbourne,
induced him to come out, and shot him
dead at sight. There were at the time
four constables in his house concealed for
nails, and although taunted did not even
venture to fire at them.
Next day news of the outrage was tele-
graphed to Melbourne, and the Chief
Commissioner of Police was ordered to 90
by special train and endeayor to arrest the
perpetrators; but he, preferring the COM
forts of his club, sent off party of police
in charge of subordinate. 1t may have
been well that he did so, as the murderers
rode some so miles during the night,
stopped at the town of Glenrowan, took
all the inhabitants to the chief hotel and
commenced a drunken spree. They
anticipated that the Government, hearing
of the murder of Sheriff, would send
special train to Beechworth, and chose
Glenrcwan as the best place to wreck it.
Among the persons they had arrested and
released when they thought that the train
and all in it would be destroyed by remov-
ing the rails close to curved cutting was
schoolmaster named Curnow, and he
waited on the rails until q. M, when on
hearing the train approach he lit match
behind red handkerchief, brought it to
standstill aud apprised the inmates of
their danger A constable next appeared
and gave the state of affairs.
fOhMlNd A tuttDON.
The police at once made for the hotel
where the outlaws had still some 30 pris-
oners and were drinking heavily, but or
hearing the police approach fred volley
upon them, shooting Inspector Hare
through the wrist. The officers of the
law then formed Gordon around the
house, keeping up steady fire, which
the outlaws returned until daylight. In
the gray dawn three of the attacking
party, startled by several shots fired in
their rear, discerned what seemed to be
headless figure in white approaching
through the timber, firing as it came.
Good marksmen fired at short range only
to hear their bullets give out a metallic
ring, and when the figure tapping his
breast with his revolver, made similar
noise, it struck one of his assailants that
he had on suit of armor, and firing lower
down caused the figure to totter and fall.
To rush upon, disarm and remove what
proved to be an iron helmet, shaped like
the lower length of stovepipe, was the
work of moment, and the features of
Ned Kelly, leader of the gang, were recog-
nized by Sergeant Steele, whose murder
Kelly had sworn to accomplish, but who
said to tine fallen bandit, 'Iknew / would
be at your death"
When fairly done the ruffian howled
like maniac, with no less than six bullet
holes in his legs and arms, but none in
vital part, as breastplate made out OF
ploughshares protected his chest and
stomach except at the lower part. which
WIS shielded by smaller plate hinged on.
The shoulders were covered by similar
plates and the back protected in a similar
manner. The helmit was hinged and had
slit in front, about an eighth of an inch
wide, for visual purposes. The armor
| weighed over 100 pounds and had no less
than % bullet marks. The leader had
escaped the Gordon about an hour before
and rode away, thinking the other men,
bers of the gang would follow, but finding
they did not be returned to rescue or die
with them. ..
After his removal to .he train, volley
after volley was discharged at the house,
regardless of the innocent persons who
were inside, three of whom wers thus
sacrificed. and Byrne persisted while taking
glass of whisky. About 10 q. m. white
| flag was held out and 80 of the prisoners
came out of the hotel, after which the
| door was closed and hostilities resumed,
the police being careful to keep out of
harms way behind trees. At noon tele-
gram was sent to Melbourne, asking for a
cannon to blow the place down, and while
it was in transit, the outlaws fire ceased;
still the officers of the law were too care
| full of their skins to make rush on the
building, though they feared the inmates
would escape if night closed prior to their
arrest. Kerosene was procured as even
ing approached and straw saturated with
it being placed against the building, it was
soon in flames, but not before a brave
Roman Catholic priest, named Gibney,
rushing in, found dying railway official
named Cherry, removed him and gave
him the last consultations of his faith.
The flames at the time disclosed the
dead bodies of Dan Kelly and Hart lying
side by side as if they had shot themselves
or each other, finding escape hopeless.
When the flames were extinguished only
the charred trunks of the pair, neither Of
whom was twenty years old, remained,
and by their side was found two suits of
armor similar to that their leader wore.
He, the arch find of the gang, is now
recovering and will expiate his crimes on
the scafold. The cowardice Of the police
in firing on the building and not assault
ing it early in the day is strongly ccm-
mented upon, as three persons death,
apart from the outlaws, lies at their door.
To this the only answer is that the officer
In charge did not wish to sacrifice the
lives of his men.