Ovens and Murray Advertiser at KellyGang 24/7/1880
Full text of the article
There is no wonder the Kellys were not caught sooner, for there was evidently a deal of jealousy existing among the officers of the Police
Department.Superintendent Hare has had his innings, and now Mr Nicolson is going to have a turn. When his letter is published, it will, no doubt, enlighten the public as to the reason the Kelly gang were not caught sooner. All the cry has been about the police not doing their duty; but the subordinates have evidently been trammelled, even according to the statements made by the officers. There is, however, something plucky in Mr Sadleirs report. He distinctly states, that his men wanted to rush the shanty at Glenrowan; but he had forbade them, because he thought more lives would be lost, and that he was anxious to avoid.So the croakers who have been talking about the cowardice of the police ought to be silenced. The onus is now upon the shoulders of Mr Sadleir, and he is well able to bear it. He has exonerated his men from the charge laid against them; and so the matter ends.When Mr Hare took charge of the district, he had carte blanche to do as he pleased; but after being disabled, the command fell upon Mr Sadleir who put an end to the reign of terror.
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MR CURNOWS STATEMENTS.
The Chief Commissioner of police has received the following report from Mr Curnow, late schoolmaster at Glenrowan, of his proceedings in connexion with the Kelly gang:—
““On Sunday morning, 27th June, at about 11 o’clock, Mrs Curnow, my sister, brother-in-law, and myself were out for a drive, when, in passing through Stanistreet’s railway gates, we were bailed up by an armed man on horseback, who turned out to be Ned Kelly, the outlaw.Another armed man was behind him, and I was told that he was Byrne. After a while Ned Kelly gave directions for the horse and buggy to be taken into Mrs Jones’s yard.Mrs and Miss Curnow went into Mrs Stanistreet’s, and my brother-in-law and I stayed at the gates, taking part in the conversation going on there.
We had not been bailed up many minutes before I was informed by Mr Stanistreet that the outlaws had caused part of the railway line to be torn up, with the purpose of wrecking a special train which they expected would pass through Glenrowan.Some one―I forget who―also told me that the gang had been at Beechworth during the night before, and had shot several police.I doubted this, but afterwards ascertained from Dan Kelly that they had actually been in the vicinity of Beechworth, and had done ‘some shooting.’ The gang afterwards told me―in fact, they made no secret of it―that they had caused a part of the line to be torn up at a dangerous part beyond the station, in order to wreck a special train of inspectors, police, and blacktrackers, which would pass through Glenrowan for Beechworth, to take up the ‘Kelly’ trail from there.They stated that they would shoot down all those who escaped death from the wrecked train, and that if any civilians were in the train, they would share the same fate, as they had no business accompanying the police.The outlaws affirmed that they were justified in doing this.
On hearing their intentions I determined that if I could by any means whatever baulk their designs, and prevent such a sacrifice of human life, I would do so. This purpose governed the whole of my sayings and doings while I was with the outlaws. On reflection I thought it best to inspire them with confidence in my sympathising heartily with them, and, if I could do this, I thought that they would allow me enough liberty to be able to do something to frustrate their intentions.In the early part of the afternoon the outlaws proposed a dance, and came and asked me to join in it.I objected on the ground of having on nailed boots, when the thought flashed through my mind that if I could induce Ned Kelly to accompany me to the school for a pair of dancing boots, on the journey there in passing the police barracks, Bracken, the trooper stationed there, might see him and give the alarm. I felt sure that as Bracken had been stationed at Greta he would know him.
So I said to Ned Kelly, after being pressed to dance, that I would do so with pleasure if he would accompany me to my home for a pair of dancing boots.He agreed quite readily to go with me, and we were getting ready when Dan Kelly interfered, and said that Ned had better stay behind and let him or Byrne accompany me.Some one else also urged Ned Kelly to stay back, and said that the house was near the police barracks.Ned turned and asked me if it was, and I replied, ‘Yes; we shall have to pass the barracks.I had forgotten that.’
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