The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-16
BATTLING WITH BUsHRANaERs.
a Desperate Campaign in the Aus
tralian Woods.
From the New York Tribune


Los Angeles, Cal, June 20-Almost ev-
cry visitor from Australia, and there are
many Of them on the coast this year, has
numerous stories to relate in reference to
the bushrangers of that country Bush
rangers were most numerous in the early
days of gold discovery, but the most noted
band of these men existed in the province
of Victoria less than ten years ago. The
band consisted of only four men, and was
under the Leadership of freebooter named
Ned Kelley. Kelley was about thirty
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 police over case Of
horse stealing, and took to the mountain
ranges. 1t appears that a cattle-thrOwer
named Watkins caused the arrest of one
of Kelley's gang for the offense. A case
was made against the offender, and while
ont on bail the gang laid for Watkins.
They caught him alone, but anticipating
such a visit he had his Winchester rife
in easy reach, and by 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 for a hearing at a neighboring
town, there suddenly appeared gang of
masked rutlians on horseback, who sur
rounded the officer and his prisoner One
villain threw a lasso over the head of
Watkins and, putting the spurs to his
horse, darted off, dragging their victim
by the neck a distance Of half a mile to q
bridge over the river, where the body Of
Watkins was found suspended 10 a beam.
Shortly afterward they killed man
called BOLD Tam as he was entering
little store -Four police officers We're i'm
mcdiately dispatched to arrest the offend
ers. These officers were also good bush
men, and after being on the trail few
days camped in the ranges at a point re-
mote from any esta blshed settlement.
One morning while two policemen We're out
hunting and their two companions were at
the camp fire, elatter 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 surren-
dered The rangers then concealed
themselves in ambush near the camp, or
derinn the prisoner to go on with his Ordi-
nary duties, as though nothing had hap
peued. The two hunters soon appeared
in sight upon their horses, not dreaming
of any danger. They were commanded
10 throw up their hands. Both showed
fight. Five shots rang upon the air, and
one man fell dead, while the other was
MORALLY wounded. 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 es-
cape, followed by volley Of rife balls.
The officer reached the nearest settlement
and gave the alarm.
A strong body Of police, together with
a force of black crackers, was despatched
to the scene Of the triple murder. The
black truckers are natives who have
marvellous capacity for picking up and
following a trail, and are employed by all
OF the governments of Australia for that
work IN this department they are said to
surpass the American Indian. With the
AID thus afforded, the police were soon
upon the trail of the Kelleys, but the SUI
perior bushmanship of the outlaws en-
abled them TO elude their pursuers, and
for weeks no trace of the band could be
found. In the mean time it was known
that Kelley was surreptitiously obtaining
supplies from his relatives, and large
reward was offered by the gov