Meet the people of the KellyGang story
Arrested as a sympathizer.
Links to the KellyGang below , Early Years., Teenage years., First run in with the law., Fitzpatrick Incident., Gold Mining., Mansfield Murders., Escape North., Euroa Robbery., Mass arrest of sympathizers., Jerilderie Robbery., Later in 1879., Early in 1880., Death of Aaron Sherritt., Glenrowan Siege., Ned Kelly's Trial., Royal Commission., Family., Photograph
On 2/1/1879 Commissioner Standish ordered the arrest of about 20 sympathizers including myself. He took that action under section 5 of the Felony Apprehension Act. Most of the sympathizers were held in Beechworth goal.
I was arrested near Benalla by ... (Argus4/1/79)(Argus6/1/79)(OMA7/1/79)
We were held without ever being given a chance to defend them selves. We were remanded in custody for periods of 7 days. Only one of the sympathizers was represented by a lawyer. The magistrates repeated the remands each week for over 3 months before the sympathizers were finally released
After a time we got on each others nerves. Wild Wright bashed me up in the Beechworth Goal for no reason. (JJK)
It was decided that I should challenge the mass arrests by seeking a writ of habeas corpus. Mr M'Farland represented me before Judge Barry. See the documentation. (Argus21/2/79)
Mr Zincke represented me at the remand hearings, see (OMA11/2/79) (OMA18/2/79) (OMA20/2/79)
We made the big application in the Supreme Court in Melbourne on 18/2/1879.
Sir Redmond Barry rejected the application
for technical reasons. I was released a week later with some of my colleagues.
See also (Argus17/2/79)
At the start, the arrests had public support in Melbourne but that turned into general contempt for the police. The mass arrests resulted in fewer people being prepared to assist the police or to supply information about the KellyGang
My brother Michael and I were eventually released (Argus26/2/79) (OMA27/2/79)
I was charged with with intent to do grievous bodily harm as a result of an incident where it was alleged that I had snapped a loaded gun at Quinn. Insp Montfort prosecuted the case against me. The Justices found me not guilty. I also charged Quinn with using insulting language against me Mrs Dobson's public-house, (RC App1,App10, 28)
George McElroy was arrested in Melbourne a few days before Ned Kelly's execution. (Argus10/11/80)
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26-aug-11