The Age
2 /7/1880
... part of the KellyGang story
The Age continued with its report of the KellyGang at Glenrowan
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STATEMENT OF CONSTABLE ARTHUR
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The statement of Constable James Murdoch Arthur with regard to the …… shows the effect which the appearance of Ned Kelly and his extraordinary conduct had upon the police.
Arthur says:- 'I was one of the party of police who arrived at Glenrowan with the special train, and was just behind Mr Hare when he was shot. After Mr Hare asked Senior constable Kelly to place the men and he did so. He took me round to the north western side of the hotel, and we crawled on under what shelter we could find. We paused behind a tree about 100 yards from the hotel. There was a bush close to the tree, and I kneeled down to get a look at the hotel. In doing so I put my hand on a revolving rifle. It was covered with blood, and there was a skullcap close beside it. I was so startled I could not speak; but I drew the attention of Senior constable Kelly to the rifle and cap, and he picked it up. We formed the opinion that one of the outlaws had passed that way just previously; and hearing a sort of ringing noise we listened, but we could not see or hear anything. I have no doubt however but that Ned Kelly was near us then. He told me afterwards that he was and said he could have shot both me and Kelly. We moved from that tree to a log within eighty yards of the house, into which I commenced to fire. A bullet from the hut tore up the ground underneath my stomach and I consequently determined to go to another part of the log.
It was very cold and I filled my pipe to have a smoke. It was just daylight, and I was in the act of lighting my pipe when I heard Ned Kelly coming up behind me.
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