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

quickly dressed and hurried out. See.
ing the4outline Of q man on horseback
they approached demanding to know
what the trouble was, when Kelly
shouted, presenting pistol:
Bail up! l am Ned kelly"
His three companions, springlng out
Of their hiding places, quickly seized
the two policemen, took them into the
barracks and, after securing all the
arms, ammunition and keys, locked
them into cell. The following day
being Sunday, the wife. of one of the
constables was allowed to prepare the
courtroom hard by for mass, the
butcher was permitted to bring the
meat, and the day passed without the
townsfolk> becoming aware that the
dreaded Kelly gang was actually in
their midst and, In possession of the
police station. Early on Monday morn
ing Byrne took the horses to the
blacksmith and had them shod. About
eleven o'clock Ned Kelly and Byrne
attired, themselves in police uniforms
and, taking one Of their captiyes with
them, walked along the. main street,
Steve Hart and Dan Kelly in plain
clothes following on horseback, All
suspicion was1thus removed from the
minds OF the Inhabitants. In this style
the outlaws made their way to the
Royal hotel where Ned Kelly ad-
dressed the owner in these words:
81 am. Ned Kelly. I will do you no
harm as long as you carry. out my
wishes. am come to stick.up the
bank and / want your room as lock-
up"
The terrified hotelkeeper offered
him the bar parlor. All the visitors
and servants, together with the owner,
were at once imprisoned there, and
then, standing at the front door, Kelly
invited all and sundry who passed to
enter and refresh themselves. AS the
inhabitants one after another walked
into the trap Represented his revolver
Eand said, Pm Ned Kelly. Go I'M" I,
The coast being clear, Byrne, stag,
gering like drunken man, entered
the back door Of the bank, which ad-
| Joined the hotel. While the clerks
were attempting to persuade him to
leave Ned came to his assistance and
ordered them to bail up" The man
ager, Mr.. TarIeton, was at that mo-
ment having bath upon the prem
ises. Ned Kelly ordered him to dress
at once, and then leading him into the
office compelled him to deliver up the
keys Of the safes and drawers. The
banks money bags were found to. be
too small to contain all the cash and
notes, 80 four large flour sacks were
obtained and filed with the plumber,
(which amounted to more than two
thousand pounds A passing van was
impressed, the sacks were thrust In
side and the captive policeman, the
postmaster and the telegraph operator
were placed inside and driven to the
barracks, where they were all impris-
oned. Then, organizing band Of in
habitants, the gang compelled them to
cut down all the telegraph poles for a
mile out Of the town, after which they
returned to the barracks and spent a
lively evening drinking and feastlng,
while none dared to modest them. To
ward mldnlghtathey mounted their
horses and rode away.
When the news OF this daring out.
rage reached the authorities the gov
ernment Of NeS South Wales and the
banks offered additional rewards total
ling eight thousand pounds for the ap-
lprehension Of the outlaws. Black
trackers were placed upon their trail
and a former associate, Aaron Sher-
rift, was enlisted in the causelof hunt
Ing down the iugitives. Sheriff was