Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-27
BUSHRINGERS.


there are many Of them on the coast this
year-has numerous stories to relate in
reference 10 the bushrangers of that coun-
try. Bushmngers were most numerous In
the early days Of gold discovery. but the
most poted band of these men existed in
the province Of Victoria less than 10 years
ago. The band consisted of only four men
and was under the leadership OF free
booter named Ned Kelley. Kelley was
about 80 years Of age and was one Of the
best bushmen that ever lived. The other
members OF the band were Ned's brother
Dan and two relatives
The Kelleys got into trouble with the POI
lice over case Of horse stealing and took
to the mountain ranges. 1t appears that q
cattle grower named Watkins caused the
arrest of one of Kelley's gang for the Of
fense. A case was made against the offend
er, and while out on bail the gang baid for
Watkins. They caught him alone. but an
ticipating such visit he had his winches-
Der In easy reach, and by a bold stand drove
them away without any trouble.
Soon after this Watkins purchased a
bunch OF cattle and drove them to his
ranch. The Kelleys accused him Of steal
ing stock and swore out a warrant for his
arrest. While the man was being taken
suddenly appeared gang of masked ruff
fans On horse back, who surrounded the Of
ficer and his prisoner. One villain threw a
lasso over the head of Watkins, and put
ting the spurs to his horse darted off, drag
ging their victim by the neck distance OF
half mile to a bridge overthe river, where
the body of Watkins was found suspended
to beam.
Shortly afterward they killed a man
called BOLD Tam" as he was entering a
little store. Four police officers were i'm.
mediately dispatched 20 arrest the offend
ers. These officers were also good BUSH
men, and after being on the trail few days
camped In the ranges mt a point remote
from any established settlement. One
morning, while two policemen were out
hunting and their two companions were at
the campfire, the latter were suddenly sur
rounded by Kelley and his band, who called
upon them to surrender. One Of the officers
seized his revolver, but was instantly killed.
The other man surrendered. The rangers
then concealed themselves In ambush near
the camp. ordering the prisoner to go on
with his ordinary duties as though nothing
had happened.
The two hunters soon appeared In sight
upon their horses, not dreaming of any
up their hands. Both showed fight. Five
shots rang upon the air, and one man fell
dead while the other was mortally wound
ed. In the midst of the excitement the
prisoner who was the last survivor of the
police detail. sprang to the side of the dead
mans horse, leaped into the saddle and
made his escape, followed by volley Of
rifle balls The officer reached the nearest
settlement and gave the alarm.
A strong body of police, together with n
force of black trackers, was dispatched to
the scene of the triple murder. The black
track ers are natives who have a marvellous
capacity for picking up and following
trail and are employed by all the govern
ments of Australia for that work. In this
department they ar" said to surpass the
American Indian. With the aid thus af-
forded the police were soon upon the trail
of the Kelleys, but the superior bushman-
ship of the outlaws enabled them to elude
their pursuers, and for weeks no trace of
the band could be found.
In the meantime 1t was known that Kel-
ley was surreptitiously obtaining supplies
from his relatives, and large reward was
offered by the government Of Victoria for
the capture Of the robber band. Some
weeks later the colony was electrified by
the intelligence that a quiet little town on
one of the main lines of railway, miles
away from the scene already described,
had been entered by the Kelleys, the whole
town terrorized, and leading bank robbed
of $4,000. The outlaws were enabled to
seek the cover of the ranges before outside
help could be obtained. The police re-
doubled their efforts. Again the Kelleys
raided a town upon the frontier more than
100 miles from the place of the previous
robbery, and for the second time got back
safely to their hiding place, carrying with
them many thousands Of dollars.
The Kelleys obtained information that
special train conveying dozen police Off
GERS was to pass over one of the lines on
certain Sunday. On the Saturday night
previous they surprised a little railway
town called Glencouver, drove all the In
habitants into the only hotel In the village
and prepared to wreck the train. In or
der to carry out their plans they compelled
two local tracklayers at the muzzle of the
revolver to tear up the rails at the edge of
canyon, and there the train would have
been dashed to pieces but for the bravery
of a schoolmaster who had been driven into
the hotel with his wife.
Feigning that his wife was sick, the
schoolmaster prevailed upon the murderers
he reached his home he snatched up red
hapdkerchief and a box Of matches, crept
unobserved to the railroad track and start
ed to warn the engine driver Of the danger.
1t was dark when the schoolmaster reached
the track, and the train was then due.
Holding a light behind the red handker-
chief, he moved forward until the rumbling
announced the approach of the train. The
driver saw the danger signal, reversed the
lever, and the train came to q stop q mile
out Of the town.
After a hurried consultation the train
was moved slowly through the darkness
into the station and then began desper-
ate combat, which did not terminate until
long after daybreak. The Kelleys were
surrounded in the hotel, where they had
over 20 people In confinement. The police
poured volley after volley into the build
ing, but the robbers responded with per-
sistent energy, and had It not been that
three of them were in half drunken con-
dition, the effects of jug Of whisky which
they found in one of the storerooms, It IL
probable that the whole band would have
escaped.
At daybreak three of the Kelleys had
been killed and as many of their unfor-
tunate prisoners. Several hours later the
leader of the band. who was still unharmed.
was seen leaving the building and making
toward the cover of the brush. The engine
driver and two of the police followed the
retreating man and poured volley upon
him. Their bullets had not the slightest
effect. Suspecting a coat Of armor, the