The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-03-09

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M VIZ for one at least. Of the
J4kl most popular novels Of
hez%5 ~, Australian bush life has
~. w been founded upon It.
= The Kelly gang was the
w !; last Of those outlawed
osia companies that had their
B home in the back country
Of New South Wales ana
4 victoria in earlier days, and between
1870 and 1879 their exploits terroriSed
those two Australian colonies and nv
aied the achievements Of the James
boys.
New South Wales that came to be
known as the Kelly country, "a dis
trlct peopled largely by Irish. settlers,
many Of whom actively sympathlzsd
with the cattle marauders. as the Kei
lys. were before they 5iew at greater
game. Theirs was difficult country
and they knew 1t by heart, and though
their hiding place was more or less de-
terminable, their intimate knowledge
Of every pass, raVine and gully rem
dered their capture impossible.
When the whole colony began to be
stirred by the constant cattle thetts,
the authorities resolved to make de.
terntned effort to arrest the maraud-
ers. At this point, and disregardlng
J the earlier activities OF this clan, we
may begin to resprd the Kellys' acuV'
tiles. tfsSS3,.4.a. j,
sergt Kennedy, who was in charge
OF the police station at aasfeld, was
put in command Of the police opera
lions, and, at his suggestion, an ad.
vance post was established beyond the
Wombat range Of mountains in the
stringybank. hills, neighborhood In
which, the ,Kellys had their Ltamping
Erounds. There were four members
OF this force: sergt. Kennedy, Lonf
gan, scanlan and Macintyre. Kennedy
and scanlan went out to reconnoiter
the bush, leaving Lonigan In camp TO
prepare supper, while Macihtyre took
his gun and went forth alone to pro-
cure a kangaroo or some other game
for the pot. His shots attracted the no.
tiee OF the Kellys, who were even
nearer at hand than their pursuers
had believed. They crept up to
the camp just as Macintyre returned,
and fell upon 1t with the customary
aaa4nings Bal up
Macintyre, who was unarmed, could
( oifer no resistance, but "Lonigan at
\ tempted to draw his revolver, and was
! at once shot dead by Ned Kelly, the
leader Of the four outlaws. The KeF
lys then took possession of the weap.
ons, sat down, lit their pipes and en-
tered into conversation with their
prisoner. They advised Macintyfe 10
request the two other policemen to
make no resistance, promising under
{ those circumstances to spare them.
About half.past four ssrgt. Kennedy
and, Seaman rode Into the camp and
Macintyre, advancing toward Them
said: Icy ~ 70 ""
1--we are surrounded, and lsSmlnk
you had better surrender"
The four outlaws sprang forward
with their customary demand. Scan
Ian attempted to seize his rifle, but
, was shot dead and fell from his horse.
Kennedy leaped TO his feet and rushed
into the bush, where an unequal duel
between the one and four continued
from behind trees until it was termina'
ted by the sergeant's death. The body
was riddled with bullets. Meanwhile
Macintyre, having caught Kennedys
horse, flung himself upon 1t and made
a successful dash for life.
This was known as the Wombatt, al
fair and convinced the authorities that
thenceforward there would be no peace
In New South Wales until the Kelly
gang was hunted down and, extermina'
ted Prompt measures were taken. A
reward Of thousand pounds was Of
fered for the arrest Of the outlaws. a
body OF picked men was sent up from
the coast under the command ofan as
sistant commissioner. Mr.. Nicholson
and several repeating rifles were fur
nished to the police under his com
mand. While the 1000 square miles
Of bush were being secured for the des
peradoes the most sensational OF al
their exploits was accomplished. This
was the sticking up" Of the Euroa
National bank.
The robbing Of the Euroa bank OF
I December 10, 1878, displayed that COO
Judgment, forethought and intimate at
tentlon to details which are among the
most essential requisites of military
generalship. Euroa is town situated
on the railway line about a hundred
miles from Melbourne, the capital Of
the state OF Victoria, and at the TINT
Of the outrage, contained some $50 In
habltants. 1t is In the vicinity Of thC
strathbogie ranges, thickly wooded
country which afforded the outlaws az
excellent hiding place. The robbery
was effected in broad daylight wher
the whole town was alert, and upward
of two thousand pounds was obtained
in plumber.
The first care OF the gang was t
provide themselves with base Of op
.eratlons, and this they secured b!
"sticking up" the station OF a sQnatte