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Queensland Times
July 9, 1880
Capture of the
Kelly gang!
Further particulars.
(from The
S.M. Heralds own correspondents)
The following
details show the manner
in which Ned Kelly
was captured, and
he's conduct afterwards.
The outlaw maintained a
stubborn resistance to
the last, and
it was only when
completely disabled that
the police succeeded in
rushing him. Sergeant
Arthur Loftus Maule Steele
of Wangaratta states;
I arrived at Glenrowan,
with five men,
about 5:00 a.m. the
others came down by
train, I was
challenged in the
vicinity of the hotel
by the police,
and informed them
who we were;
I scattered men
around the house;
I went up to the
nearest tree behind
the back door,
and heard no firing
up to that time;
a woman and child
came to the back
door screaming; I
told her to run
on quick, and
she would not be
molested; and men
then came to the
back door, and
I called upon him
to throw up his
arms, or would
fire on him;
I was only about
20 yds from the house;
the man did not
hold up his hands,
but stooped, and
ran towards the stable;
I fired at him
and he turned and
ran back into the
house; I am
certain that the man
must have been injured,
and he screamed and
fell towards the door;
I was firing with
slugs; there was
then some hot firing,
and bullets were
whistling all round;
from the ring of
the slugs, I
at once recognize that
the man wore mail.
I then heard some
men roaring out;
it was then just
breaking day, and
when I looked round
I saw Ned Kelly
stalking round behind
me in the bush;
he was marching down
on the house quite
deliberately, and,
from his rig-out I
supposed him at first
to be a blackfellow,
until I saw him
present a revolver
and fire at the
police.
Here follows
a description of the
capture similar to
that already published.
Having divested
him of his armour,
we carried him to
the railway station;
just after I had
seized him, the
rush of the other
people knocked Kelly
and me over,
and I received a
rather awkward twist,
and his armour injured
my side.
Mr. Gibney said:
I am a Catholic
priest of Perth,
West Australia; I
was travelling on
the northwestern line,
having left Melbourne
the first down train;
in the morning,
on arrival at Glenrowan
station, having heard
while going out there
that the Kelly gang
were at Jones's Hotel,
I got out of
the train, abandoning
my intention to proceed
further on; consequently
my presence at the
scene was, so
to speak, accidental;
I got out at
Glenrowan because I
thought I might be
of use in my
capacity; the train
arrived at Glenrowan
between 12 noon and
1:00 and I went
at once into the
room when Ned Kelly
was lying at the
station; I don't
think he is dying;
he is penitent and
shows a very good
disposition; when
I asked him to
say Lord Jesus,
have mercy on me,
he said it,
added, it is not
today I begin to
say that; I heard
his confession, which
I shall not be
expected to repeat;
as I at first
thought he was dying,
I anointed him;
Kelly freely confessed
his intention of wrecking
the train, &c.
After the
house had been burned,
Ned Kelly's three
sisters and Tom Wright
(sic) were allowed an
interview with him.
Tom Wright, as
well as the sisters,
kissed the wounded
man, and a
brief conversation ensued,
Ned Kelly having,
to a certain extent,
recovered from the
exhaustion consequent of his
wounds. At times
his eyes were quite
bright, and,
although he was,
of course, excessively
weak, his remarkably
powerful physique enabled
him to talk rather
freely. During the
interview he stated:
I was at last surrounded
by the police,
and only had a
revolver, with which
I fired four shots;
but it was no
good. I had
half a mind to
shoot myself. I
loaded my rifle,
but could not hold
it after I was
wounded. I had
plenty of ammunition,
but it was no
good to me.
I got shot in
the arm, and
told Byrne and Dan
so. I could
have got off,
but when I saw
them all pounding
away I told Dan
I would see it
over and wait until
morning. What
on earth induced you
to go to the
hotel? inquired a
spectator. We could
not do it anywhere
else, replied Kelly,
eyeing the spectators
who were strangers
to him suspiciously.
I would, he
continued, have fought
them in the train,
or else upset it,
if I had the
chance. I did
not care a ------
who was in it,
but I knew on
Sunday morning there
would be no usual
passengers. I first
tackled the line,
and could not pull
it up, and
then came to Glenrowan
station. Since
the Jerilderie affair, remarked a
spectator, we thought you
had gone to Queensland.
It would not do
for everyone to think
the same way,
was Kelly's reply.
If I were once
right again, he
continued, I would
go to the barracks
and shoot every
one of the -------
traps, and not
give one a chance.
Mrs. Skillion to her
brother: It's a
wonder you did
not keep behind
a tree. Ned Kelly:
I had a chance
at several policemen
during the night,
but declined to
fire; my arm
was broken the
first fire; I
got away into the
bush, and found
my mare, and
could have rushed
away to 'beggary' (sic) ,
but wanted to see
the thing out,
and remained in
the bush. A sad
scene ensued when
Wild Wright led
Mrs. Skillion to
the horrible object
which was all that
remained of her
brother Dan. She
bent over it,
raised a dirge
like cry, and
wept bitterly
..
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