IN THE KELLY COUNTRY 



helped themselves. They got away with a little over 

 three thousand pounds in gold and small notes. 



They had come across the border from Victoria 

 into New South Wales, and made their way back to 

 the Burrabogie Ranges. They had plenty of sympa- 

 thisers in the district, and even the police had the 

 greatest difficulty in getting any information. Some 

 years before I was up at Euroa, in Victoria, and out of 

 curiosity and a thirst for news — I was on a journalistic 

 stunt — I asked different people whether there was 

 any news lately about the Kellys. There was not 

 even an evasive reply, but stony silence : such was the 

 terror inspired. I couldn't get a word. 



Ned Kelly was passionately fond of racing, and more 

 than once came down from the ranges and went to a 

 small meeting, sending a few pounds in to have a bet. 

 They had plenty of friends, not one of whom dreamed 

 of giving them away. I just missed by two or three 

 hours the finish of the gang. It was the desire for 

 revenge which led to their undoing. I know the hut 

 well which they surrounded and called to a man who 

 was thought to be an informer to come to the door as 

 they wished to speak to him. Opening it, his form was 

 outlined by the light inside, and he had three bullets 

 in him straight away. His murder was soon known, 

 and a big force of constabulary under Inspector Hare 

 went there after them. It was known that all the lot 

 were in the small hotel which nearly forty police sur- 

 rounded a day or two afterwards. The verandah was 

 barricaded and the windows boarded up. The shots 

 from inside were so good that the police made no 

 attempt to rush the building, but kept up a fusillade 

 from a distance. Suddenly from behind them shots 

 rang out, and Inspector Hare was wounded. A few 

 of them wheeled round and saw a man in armour. 



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