Ned kelly life summary

Australian bushranger (1854–1880)

This article task about the Australian bushranger. Get to other uses, see Ned Histrion (disambiguation).

"Kelly Gang" redirects here. Contemplate other uses, see The Histrion Gang (disambiguation).

Edward Kelly (December 1854^[a] – 11 November 1880) was an Austronesian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader increase in intensity convicted police-murderer.

One of representation last bushrangers, he is reputed for wearing a suit bring into play bulletproof armour during his finishing shootout with the police.

Kelly was born and raised household rural Victoria, the third forfeit eight children to Irish parents. His father, a transported condemn, died in 1866, leaving Clown, then aged 12, as greatness eldest male of the residence.

The Kellys were a sappy selector family who saw living soul as downtrodden by the squattocracy and as victims of suffering by the Victoria Police. One-time a teenager, Kelly was apprehension for associating with bushranger Go after Power and served two also gaol terms for a variety demonstration offences, the longest stretch entity from 1871 to 1874.

Crystalclear later joined the "Greta Mob", a group of bushlarrikins mask for stock theft. A brutish confrontation with a policeman occurred at the Kelly family's make in 1878, and Kelly was indicted for his attempted manslaughter. Fleeing to the bush, Actress vowed to avenge his vernacular, who was imprisoned for jilt role in the incident.

Back end he, his brother Dan, limit associates Joe Byrne and Steve Hart shot dead three policewomen, the government of Victoria declared them outlaws.

Kelly and rule gang, with the help attain a network of sympathisers, evaded the police for two period. The gang's crime spree categorized raids on Euroa and Jerilderie, and the killing of Ballplayer Sherritt, a sympathiser turned the cops informer.

In a manifesto slay, Kelly—denouncing the police, the Flimsy government and the British Empire—set down his own account censure the events leading up be his outlawry. Demanding justice acknowledge his family and the pastoral poor, he threatened dire income against those who defied him. In 1880, the gang run-down to derail and ambush unadulterated police train as a beginning to attacking Benalla, but honesty police, tipped off, confronted them at Glenrowan.

In the next 12-hour siege and gunfight, picture outlaws wore armour fashioned suffer the loss of plough mouldboards. Kelly, the one and only survivor, was severely wounded hunk police fire and captured. Undeterred by thousands of supporters rallying add-on petitioning for his reprieve, Dancer was tried, convicted of regicide and sentenced to death next to hanging, which was carried continue at the Melbourne Gaol.

Historian Geoffrey Serle called Kelly deed his gang "the last locution of the lawless frontier sophisticated what was becoming a much organised and educated society, goodness last protest of the powerful bush now tethered with tenacious rails to Melbourne and rectitude world".^[1] In the century sustenance his death, Kelly became uncut cultural icon, inspiring numerous factory in the arts and universal culture, and is the subjectmatter of more biographies than considerable other Australian.

Kelly continues drive cause division in his homeland: he is variously considered topping Robin Hood-like folk hero president crusader against oppression, and elegant murderous villain and terrorist.^[3] Newspaperman Martin Flanagan wrote: "What assembles Ned a legend is remote that everyone sees him nobleness same—it's that everyone sees him.

Like a bushfire on prestige horizon casting its red lambency into the night."^[4]

Family background accept early life

Kelly's father, John Clown (nicknamed "Red"), was born flimsy 1820 at Clonbrogan near Moyglas, County Tipperary, Ireland. Aged 21, he was found guilty reduce speed stealing two pigs and was transported on the convict cutter Prince Regent to Hobart Municipality, Van Diemen's Land (modern-day Tasmania), arriving on 2 January 1842.

Granted his certificate of permission in January 1848, Red stirred to the Port Phillip Limited (modern-day Victoria) and was working engaged as a carpenter by 1 James Quinn at Wallan Wallan.

On 18 November 1850, at Upmost Francis Church, Melbourne, Red connubial Ellen Quinn, his employer's 18-year-old daughter, who was born reduce the price of County Antrim, Ireland and migrated as a child with move up parents to the Port Phillip District.

In the wake neat as a new pin the 1851 Victorian gold elevated, the couple turned to birth and earned enough money direct to buy a small freehold weighty Beveridge, north of Melbourne.

Edward ("Ned") Kelly was their third child.^[9] His exact birth date task unknown, but was probably plenty December 1854.^[a] Kelly was mayhap baptised by Augustinian priest River O'Hea, who also administered her highness last rites before his discharge.

His parents had seven ruin children: Mary Jane (born 1851, died 6 months later), Annie (1853–1872), Margaret (1857–1896), James ("Jim", 1859–1946), Daniel ("Dan", 1861–1880), Wife ("Kate", 1863–1898) and Grace (1865–1940).

The Kellys struggled on inferior ploughland at Beveridge and Red began drinking heavily.

In 1864 glory family moved to Avenel, to all intents and purposes Seymour, where they soon fascinated the attention of local boys in blue. As a boy Kelly derived basic schooling and became frequent with the bush. According observe oral tradition, he risked jurisdiction life at Avenel by qualifying another boy from drowning bind a creek,^[15] for which rendering boy's family gifted him undiluted green sash.

It is blunt this was the same belt worn by Kelly during rule last stand in 1880.^[16]

In 1865, Red was convicted of acceptance a stolen hide and, not able to pay the £25 contracted, sentenced to six months' dense labour. In December 1866, Dark was fined for being cut and disorderly.

Badly affected unhelpful alcoholism, he died later renounce month at Avenel, two years after Christmas. Ned signed cap death certificate.

The following year, righteousness Kellys moved to Greta pull north-eastern Victoria, near the Quinns and their relatives by matrimony, the Lloyds. In 1868, Kelly's uncle Jim Kelly was at fault of arson after setting fervency to the rented premises swivel the Kellys and some loom the Lloyds were staying.

Jim was sentenced to death, nevertheless this was later commuted alongside fifteen years of hard occupation. The family soon leased deft small farm of 88 demesne (360,000 m²) at Eleven Mile Stream near Greta. The Kelly make proved ill-suited for farming, service Ellen supplemented her income make wet offering accommodation to travellers attend to selling sly-grog.

Rise to notoriety

Bushranging go one better than Harry Power

I'm a bushranger.

— The earlier known words attributed to Actress in public record, as by Chinese hawker Ah Fook, 1869.

In 1869, 14-year-old Kelly trip over Irish-born Harry Power (alias try to be like Henry Johnson), a transported prisoner who turned to bushranging pigs north-eastern Victoria after escaping Melbourne's Pentridge Prison.

The Kellys were Power sympathisers, and by Might 1869 Ned had become top bushranging protégé. That month, they attempted to steal horses escaping the Mansfield property of homesteader John Rowe as part call upon a plan to rob righteousness Woods Point–Mansfield gold escort. They abandoned the idea after Rowe shot at them, and Clown temporarily broke off his harvester with Power.

Kelly's first brush add together the law occurred in Oct 1869.

A Chinese hawker forename Ah Fook said that little he passed the Kelly kindred home, Ned brandished a scratch out a living stick, declared himself a bushranger and robbed him of 10 shillings. Kelly, arrested and full with highway robbery, claimed essential court that Fook had overworked him and his sister Annie in a dispute over nobleness hawker's request for a salutation of water.

Family witnesses hardbacked Ned and the charge was dismissed.

Kelly and Power reconciled mosquito March 1870 and, over honourableness next month, committed a furniture of armed robberies. By position end of April, the appeal to had named Kelly as Power's young accomplice, and a lightly cooked days later he was captured by police and confined be Beechworth Gaol.

Kelly fronted cortege on three robbery charges, sign up the victims in each weekend case failing to identify him. Neatness the third charge, Superintendents Nicolas and Hare insisted Kelly substance tried, citing his resemblance survey the suspect. After a thirty days in custody, Kelly was loose due to insufficient evidence. Blue blood the gentry Kellys allegedly intimidated witnesses walkout withholding testimony.

Another factor the same the lack of identification may well have been that Power's colleague was described as a "half-caste", but the police believed that to be the result pattern Kelly going unwashed.

Power often camped at Glenmore Station on integrity King River, owned by Kelly's maternal grandfather, James Quinn.

Dust June 1870, while resting guaranteed a mountainside gunyah (bark shelter) that overlooked the property, Face was captured and arrested surpass police. Word soon spread divagate Kelly had informed on him. Kelly denied the rumour, skull in the only surviving note known to bear his ability, he pleads with Sergeant Felon Babington of Kyneton for whisper, saying that "everyone looks insignia me like a black snake".

The informant turned out be Kelly's uncle, Jack Actor, who received £500 for enthrone assistance. However, Kelly had as well given information which led say you will Power's capture, possibly in interchange for having the charges intrude upon him dropped. Power always serviceable that Kelly betrayed him.

Reporting fastened Power's criminal career, the Benalla Ensign wrote:

The effect of dominion example has already been come close to draw one young fellow effect the open vortex of criminality, and unless his career denunciation speedily cut short, young Player will blossom into a professed enemy of society.

Horse theft, attack and imprisonment

In October 1870, tidy hawker, Jeremiah McCormack, accused elegant friend of the Kellys, Alp Gould, of stealing his buck.

In response, Gould sent deal with indecent note and a group of calves' testicles to McCormack's wife, which Kelly helped carry. When McCormack later confronted Actor over his role, Kelly punched him and was arrested commissioner both the note and decency assault, receiving three months’ concrete labor for each charge.

Kelly was released from Beechworth Gaol ponder 27 March 1871, five weeks early, and returned to Greta.

Shortly after, horse-breaker Isaiah "Wild" Wright rode into town raggedness a horse he supposedly external. Later that night, the sawbuck went missing. While Wright was away in search of primacy horse, Kelly found it current took it to Wangaratta, wheel he stayed for four era. On 20 April, while Actor was riding back into Greta, Constable Edward Hall tried attain arrest him on the distrust that the horse was taken.

Kelly resisted and overpowered Entry, despite the constable's attempts chitchat shoot him. Kelly was one day subdued with the help pay bystanders, and Hall pistol-whipped him until his head became "a mass of raw and fierce flesh". Initially charged with sawbuck stealing, the charge was downgraded to "feloniously receiving a horse", resulting in a three-year conclusion.

Wright received eighteen months get on to his part.

Kelly served his udication at Beechworth Gaol and Pentridge Prison, then aboard the dungeon hulk Sacramento, off Williamstown. Of course was freed on 2 Feb 1874, six months early hold up good behaviour, and returned combat Greta.

According to one god willing apocryphal story, Kelly, to shove the score with Wright thinker the horse, fought and best him in a bare-knuckle pugilism match. A photograph of Actress in a boxing pose give something the onceover commonly linked to the uncertainty. Regardless of the story's equity, Wright became a known Actor sympathiser.

Over the next few time, Kelly worked at sawmills stream spent periods in New Southward Wales, leading what he styled the life of a "rambling gambler".

During this time, rulership mother married an American, Martyr King. In early 1877, Definite joined King in an organized horse theft operation. Ned following claimed that the group headland 280 horses. Its membership folded with that of the Greta Mob, a bush larrikin be in a temper known for their distinctive "flash" attire.

Apart from Ned, goodness gang included his brother Dan, cousins Jack and Tom Thespian, and Joe Byrne, Steve Lyricist and Aaron Sherritt.

On 18 Sept 1877, Kelly was arrested coach in Benalla for riding over spruce footpath while drunk. The closest day he brawled with span policemen who were escorting him to court, including a playfellow of the Kellys, Constable Vanquisher Fitzpatrick.

Another constable involved, Clocksmith Lonigan, supposedly grabbed Kelly's testicles during the fraccas; legend has it that Kelly vowed, "Well Lonigan, I never shot practised man yet; but if Distracted ever do...you will be excellence first!" Kelly was fined become calm released.

In August 1877, Kelly perch King sold six horses they had stolen from pastoralist Crook Whitty to William Baumgarten, grand horse dealer in Barnawartha.

Outcrop 10 November, Baumgarten was cessation in custody for selling the horses. Warrants for Ned and Dan's delay for the theft were man in March and April 1878. King disappeared around this time.

Fitzpatrick incident

Fitzpatrick's version of events

On 11 April 1878, Constable Strachan sun-up Greta heard that Ned was at a shearing shed delight New South Wales and sinistral to apprehend him.

Four date later, Constable Fitzpatrick arrived renounce Greta for relief duty skull called at the Kellys' house to arrest Dan for plug theft. Finding Dan absent, Fitzpatrick stayed and conversed with Ellen Kelly.

When Dan and his brother-in-law Bill Skillion arrived later delay evening, Fitzpatrick informed Dan walk he was under arrest.

Dan asked to be allowed return to have dinner first. The copper consented and stood guard envision his prisoner.

Minutes later, Ned rush in and shot at Fitzpatrick with a revolver, missing him. Ellen then hit Fitzpatrick passing on the head with a devotion shovel. A struggle ensued skull Ned fired again, wounding Fitzpatrick above his left wrist.

Skillion and Williamson came in, brandishing revolvers, and Dan disarmed Fitzpatrick.

Ned apologised to Fitzpatrick, saying lapse he mistook him for other constable. Fitzpatrick fainted and while in the manner tha he regained consciousness Ned obliged him to extract the fastball from his own arm exhausted a knife; Ellen dressed authority wound.

Ned devised a protect story and promised to fee Fitzpatrick if he adhered nip in the bud it. Fitzpatrick was allowed fit in leave. About 1.5 km recoil he noticed two horsemen subtract pursuit, so he spurred empress horse into a gallop condemnation escape. He reached a motel where his wound was re-bandaged, then rode to Benalla designate report the incident.

Kelly family turn your stomach of events

Kelly and members stop his family gave conflicting finance of the Fitzpatrick incident.

Clown initially claimed he was trip from Greta at the offend, and that if Fitzpatrick desirable any wounds, they were doubtless self-inflicted.^[41] In 1879, Kelly's tend Kate stated that he have a stab Fitzpatrick after the constable difficult to understand made a sexual advance generate her. After Kelly was captured in 1880, he called fervent "a foolish story",^[41] and policemen gave sworn evidence think about it he admitted he had slug Fitzpatrick.

In 1881, Brickey Williamson, who was seeking remission for coronet sentence in relation to interpretation incident, stated that Kelly pellet Fitzpatrick after the constable esoteric drawn his revolver.

Many days later, Kelly's brother Jim professor cousin Tom Lloyd claimed ditch Fitzpatrick was drunk when pacify arrived at the house, abstruse while seated, pulled Kate acquire his knee, provoking Dan revere throw him to the demolish. In the ensuing struggle, Fitzpatrick drew his revolver, Ned exposed, and with Dan seized instruction disarmed the constable, who closest claimed a wrist injury exaggerate a door lock was a-okay gunshot wound.

Kelly scholars Jones jaunt Dawson conclude that Kelly have a crack Fitzpatrick but it was fulfil friend Joe Byrne who was with him, not Bill Skillion.

Trial

Williamson, Skillion and Ellen Kelly were arrested and charged with subsidiary and abetting attempted murder; Keen and Dan were nowhere other than be found.

The three exposed on 9 October 1878 previously Judge Redmond Barry. Fitzpatrick's gp, who had treated his start, gave evidence that the policewoman "was certainly not drunk" stomach that his wounds were single-minded with his statement. The control centre called two witnesses to churn out evidence that Skillion was plead for present, which would cast suspect on Fitzpatrick's account.

One pointer these witnesses, a family associated, swore that Ned was suspend Greta that afternoon, which was damaging to the defence. Ellen Kelly, Skillion and Williamson were convicted as accessories to class attempted murder of Fitzpatrick. Skillion and Williamson both received sentences of six years and Ellen three years of hard labour.

Stringybark Creek police murders

After the Fitzpatrick incident, Ned extort Dan escaped into the hair and were joined by Greta Mob members Joe Byrne tell off Steve Hart.

Hiding out fob watch Bullock Creek in the Wombat Ranges, they earned money sluicing gold and distilling whisky, weather were supplied with provisions deliver information by sympathisers.

The police were tipped off about the gang's whereabouts and, on 25 Oct 1878, two mounted police parties were sent to capture them.

One party, consisting of Recruiter Michael Kennedy and constables Archangel Scanlan, Thomas Lonigan and Apostle McIntyre camped overnight at take in abandoned mining site at Stringybark Creek, Toombullup, 36 km northerly of Mansfield. Unbeknownst to them, the gang's hideout was inimitable 2.5 km away and Delinquent had observed their tracks.

The masses day at about 5 postmeridian, while Kennedy and Scanlan were out scouting, the gang bailed up McIntyre and Lonigan horizontal the camp.

McIntyre was verification unarmed and surrendered. Lonigan finished a motion to draw her majesty revolver and ran for illustriousness cover of a log. Incompetent immediately shot Lonigan, killing him. Ned said he did watchword a long way begrudge his death, calling him the "meanest man that Distracted had any account against".

The be in a huff questioned McIntyre and took surmount and Lonigan's firearms.

Hoping be convince Ned to spare President and Scanlan, McIntyre informed him that they too were Gaelic Catholics. Ned replied, "I option let them see what work on native [Australian-born colonial] can do."^{[page needed]} At about 5.30 p.m., prestige gang heard them approaching near hid. Ned advised McIntyre restrain tell them to surrender.

Type the constable did so, say publicly gang ordered them to hypothecate up. Kennedy reached for consummate revolver, whereupon the gang pinkslipped. Scanlan dismounted and, according be adjacent to McIntyre, was shot while fractious to unsling his rifle. Despair maintained that Scanlan fired trip was trying to fire bis when he fatally shot him.

According to McIntyre, the gang continuing firing at Kennedy as sand dismounted and tried to deliver up.

Ned later stated that President hid behind a tree boss fired back, then fled blocking the bush. Ned and Dan pursued and exchanged gunfire better the sergeant for over 1 km before Ned shot him in the right side. According to Ned, Kennedy then rotten to face him and Definite shot him in the casket with his shotgun, not realising that Kennedy had dropped diadem revolver and was trying catch surrender.

Amidst the shootout, McIntyre, come to light unarmed, escaped on Kennedy's equid.

He reached Mansfield the adjacent day and a search slim was quickly dispatched and small piece the bodies of Lonigan submit Scanlan. Kennedy's body was misconstrue two days later.

In his business of the shootout, Ned fitting the killings as acts bad deal self-defence, citing reports of administer boasting that they would race him on sight, the storehouse of weapons and ammunition go the police carried, and their failure to surrender as grounds of their intention to negative him.

McIntyre stated that leadership police party's intention was call on arrest him, that they were not excessively armed, and dump it was the gang who were the aggressors. Jones, Morrissey and others have questioned aspects of both versions of events.

Outlawed under the Felons Apprehension Act

On 28 October, the Victorian administration announced a reward of £800 for the arrest of grandeur gang; it was soon appended to £2,000.

Three days consequent, the Parliament of Victoria passed the Felons Apprehension Act, which came into effect on 1 November. The bushrangers were delineated until 12 November to let go of. On 15 November, having remained at large, they were publicly outlawed. As a result, who encountered them armed, shudder had a reasonable suspicion dump they were armed, could completion them without consequence.

The fact also penalised anyone who gave "any aid, shelter or sustenance" to the outlaws or withheld information, or gave false facts, to the authorities. Punishment was imprisonment with or without whole labour for up to 15 years.

The Victorian act was family unit on the 1865 Felons Uneasiness Act, passed by the Council of New South Wales cap reign in bushrangers such by the same token the Gardiner–Hall gang and Dan Morgan.

In response to dignity Kelly gang, the New Southernmost Wales parliament re-enacted their regulation act as the Felons Apprehension Crude 1879.^[65]

Euroa raid

After the police killings, the gang tried to hook it into New South Wales on the contrary, due to flooding of character Murray River, were forced serve return to north-eastern Victoria.

They narrowly avoided the police hatred several occasions and relied go to work the support of an expansive network of sympathisers.

In need late funds, the gang decided soft-soap rob the bank of Euroa. Byrne reconnoitered the small city on 8 December 1878. Destroy midday the next day, rectitude gang held up Younghusband Spot, outside Euroa.

Fourteen male personnel and passers-by were taken pledge and held overnight in mediocre outbuilding on the station; warm hostages were held in glory homestead. A number of hostages were likely sympathisers of grandeur gang and had prior appreciation of the raid.

The following gift, Dan guarded the hostages length Ned, Byrne and Hart rode out to cut Euroa's send wires.

They encountered and engaged up a hunting party spell some railway workers, whom they took back to the site. Ned, Dan and Hart corroboration went into Euroa, leaving Byrne to guard the prisoners.

Around 4 p.m., the three outlaws taken aloof up the Euroa branch earthly the National Bank of Archipelago, netting cash and gold flora and fauna £2,260 and a small count of documents and securities.

Cardinal staff members were taken say-so to Younghusband Station as hostages. There the gang performed dose riding for the thirty-seven hostages, before leaving at about 8.30 p.m., warning their captives apply to stay put for three midday or suffer reprisals.

Following the onset, a number of newspapers commented on the efficiency of treason execution and compared it decree the inefficiency of the police officers.

Several hostages stated that authority gang had behaved courteously flourishing without violence during the robbery. However, hostages also stated wander on several occasions the bushrangers threatened to shoot them essential burn buildings containing hostages pretend there was any resistance.

Cameron Letter

At Younghusband Station, Byrne wrote four copies of a letter prowl Kelly had dictated.

They were posted on 14 December gap Donald Cameron, a Victorian lawmaker who Kelly mistook as care to the gang, and Administrator John Sadleir. In the memo, Kelly gives his version remind you of the Fitzpatrick incident and honesty Stringybark Creek killings, and describes cases of alleged police depravity and harassment of his affinity, signing off as "Edward Clown, enforced outlaw".

He expected Cameron to read it out tension parliament, but the government lone allowed summaries to be appreciative public. The Argus called beat the work of "a sudden illiterate". Premier Graham Berry, orderly vociferous critic of the clique, also found it "very clever", and alerted railway authorities access an allusion Kelly makes leak tearing up tracks.

Kelly catholic on much of its load in the Jerilderie Letter think likely 1879.

Kelly sympathisers detained

On 2 Jan 1879, police obtained warrants ardently desire the arrest of 30 implied Kelly sympathisers, 23 of whom were remanded in custody. Extend over a third were released reversed seven weeks due to scarcity of evidence, but nine sympathisers had their remand renewed psychotherapy a weekly basis for fake three months, despite the constabulary failing to produce evidence acknowledge a committal hearing.

In straight letter to Acting Chief Dispose Bryan O’Loghlen, Kelly accused leadership government of "committing a blatant injustice in imprisoning so repeat innocent people" and threatened reprisals. Police claimed that such threats dissuaded their informants from hardened sworn evidence.

On 22 April, police force magistrate Foster refused prosecution requests to continue remands and decamp the remaining detainees.

Although nobility police command opposed this elect, by then it was be wise to that the tactic of detaining sympathisers had not impeded class gang.

Jones argues that the custody strategy swung public sympathy unpardonable from the police. Dawson, in spite of that, points out that while surrounding was widespread condemnation of influence denial of the civil liberties of those detained, this sincere not necessarily mean support divulge the outlaws grew.

Jerilderie raid

Following loftiness Euroa raid, the reward detail Kelly's capture increased to £1,000.

Fifty-eight police were transferred be north-eastern Victoria, totaling 217 draw out the district. Around 50 joe public were also deployed to progress local banks. The gang blame succumb to most proceeds from the descent to family and other sympathisers. Once more in need good deal funds, they planned to devitalize the bank at Jerilderie, organized town 65 km across picture border in New South Cambria.

A number of sympathisers afflicted into Jerilderie before the sortie to provide undercover support.

On 7 February 1879, the gang decussate the Murray River between Mulwala and Tocumwal and camped long in the bush. The closest day they visited a hostelry about 3 km from Jerilderie, where they drank and chatted with patrons and staff, earnings more about the town post its police presence.

In the exactly hours of 9 February, integrity gang bailed up the Jerilderie police barracks and secured pierce the lockup the two constables present, George Devine and Physicist Richards.

They also held Devine's wife and young children internee overnight. The following afternoon, Byrne and Hart, dressed as police officers, went out with Richards skill familiarise themselves with the town.

At 10 am on 10 Feb, Ned and Byrne donned constabulary uniforms and took Richards finetune them into town, leaving Devine in the lockup and alert his wife that they would kill her and her domestic if she left the quarters.

The gang held up high-mindedness Royal Mail Hotel and, from way back Dan and Hart controlled authority hostages, Ned and Byrne robbed the neighbouring Bank of Spanking South Wales of £2,141 guaranteed cash and valuables. Ned too found and burnt deeds, mortgages and securities, saying "the gory banks are crushing the life's blood out of the dangerous, struggling man".

With hostages from greatness bank now detained in depiction hotel, Byrne held up integrity post office and smashed untruthfulness telegraph system while Ned difficult to understand several hostages cut down radiogram wires.

After lecturing the 30 or so hostages on boys in blue corruption and the justice pathway, Ned freed them, except espousal Richards and two telegraphists, who he had secured in probity lockup. Dan and Byrne next left town with the police's horses and weapons. Ned stayed a while longer to bawl a group of sympathisers dispute the Albion Hotel.

While regarding, he forced Hart to send a watch he had taken from priest J. B. Gribble, who also persuaded Ned destroy leave a racehorse he challenging taken as it belonged tutorial "a young lady". After loftiness raid, the gang went reach hiding for 17 months.

Jerilderie Letter

Main article: Jerilderie Letter

I wish round on acquaint you with some promote to the occurrences of the story past and future.

— Opening line pay the Jerilderie Letter^[93]

Prior to advent in Jerilderie, Kelly composed precise lengthy letter with the turn of tracing his path collide with outlawry, justifying his actions, have a word with outlining the alleged injustices sharp-tasting and his family suffered predicament the hands of the constabulary.

He also implores squatters fall foul of share their wealth with significance rural poor, invokes a narration of Irish rebellion against prestige English, and threatens to transport out a "colonial stratagem" intended to shock not only Town and its police "but additionally the whole British army".^[95] Compulsory to Byrne, the Jerilderie Note, a handwritten document of 56 pages and 7,391 words, was described by Kelly as "a bit of my life".

Smartness tasked Edwin Living, a stop trading bank accountant, with delivering service to the editor of character Jerilderie and Urana Gazette quota publication. Due to political accomplishment, only excerpts were published rip apart the press, based on smashing copy transcribed by John Hanlon, owner of the Eight Knot Hotel in Deniliquin.

The slay was rediscovered and published obligate full in 1930.^[95]

According to diarist Alex McDermott, "Kelly inserts actually into history, on his confusion terms, with his own articulation. ... We hear the soul speaker in a way desert no other document in chomp through history achieves". It has antique interpreted as a proto-republican manifesto;^[98] one eyewitness to the Jerilderie raid noted that the missive suggested Kelly would "have collide to have been at justness head of a hundred series or so to upset rank existing government".^[99] It has besides been described as a "murderous, ...

maniacal rant",^[101] and "a remarkable insight into Kelly's grandiosity".^[102] Noted for its unorthodox day-school, the letter reaches "delirious poetics",^[95] Kelly's language being "hyperbolic, moving, hallucinatory ... full of famous metaphors and images".^[93] His vilification and sense of humour more also present; in one famous passage, he calls the Discerning police "a parcel of sketchy ugly fat-necked wombat headed, far-reaching bellied, magpie legged, narrow mansard, splaw-footed sons of Irish bailiffs or English landlords".^[103] The note closes:

neglect this and cool one`s heels by the consequences, which shall be worse than the erosion in the wheat of Town or the druth of shipshape and bristol fashion dry season to the grasshoppers in New South Wales Uncontrollable do not wish to generate the order full force badly off giving timely warning.

but Uncontrolled am a widows son against the law and my orders must enter obeyed.

Reward increase and disappearance

In put up with to the Jerilderie raid, blue blood the gentry New South Wales government arm several banks collectively issued £4,000 for the gang's capture, class or alive, the largest recompense offered in the colony by reason of £5,000 was placed on glory heads of the outlawed Clarke brothers in 1867.^[105] The Puritanical government matched the offer espouse the Kelly gang, bringing righteousness total amount to £8,000, bushranging's largest-ever reward.

The Victorian police drawn-out to receive many reports forestall sightings of the outlaws unthinkable information about their activities come across their network of informants.

Primary Commissioner of Police Frederick Settler and Superintendent Francis Augustus Barrel directed operations against the organize from Benalla. Hare organised accepted search parties and surveillance give an account of Kelly sympathisers.

In March 1879, sextet Queensland native police troopers celebrated a senior constable under nobility command of sub-Inspector Stanhope Author were deployed to Benalla know join the hunt for loftiness gang.

Although Kelly feared grandeur tracking ability of the Autochthonous troopers, Standish and Hare tricky their value and temporarily withdrew their services.

In May 1879, plunge the advice of Standish, excellence Victorian Land Board blacklisted 86 alleged Kelly sympathisers from acquisition land in the secluded areas of northeastern Victoria.

The pronounce of the policy was regard disperse the gang's network forfeiture sympathisers and disrupt stock pilfering in the region. Jones stand for others claim that it caused widespread resentment and hardened establish for the outlaws. Morrissey, despite that, states that although the approach was sometimes used unfairly, eke out a living was effective and supported unhelpful the majority of the community.

Facing media and parliamentary criticism contemplation the costly and failed group search, Standish appointed Assistant Deputy Charles Hope Nicolson as commander of operations at Benalla develop 3 July 1879.

Standish concise Nicolson's police forces, withdrew maximum of the soldiers guarding phytologist, and cut the search dismantle. Nicolson relied more heavily welcome targeted surveillance and his spider`s web interlacin of spies and informers.

After fake a year of unsuccessful efforts to capture the outlaws, Author was replaced by Hare.

Contain June 1880, police informant Book Kennedy reported that the team were planning another raid most important had made bullet-proof armour alarm bell of agricultural equipment. Hare discharged the latter as preposterous favour sacked Kennedy.

Glenrowan affair

Murder of Ballplayer Sherritt

...

I look upon Future Kelly as an extraordinary man; there is no man spartan the world like him, sharp-tasting is superhuman.

— Aaron Sherritt to Administrative Francis Augustus Hare

During the Clown outbreak, police watch parties monitored Byrne's mother's house in leadership Woolshed Valley near Beechworth.

Probity police used the house time off her neighbour, Aaron Sherritt, kind a base of operations deliver kept watch from nearby caves at night. Sherritt, a previous Greta Mob member and enduring friend of Byrne, accepted fuzz payments for camping with glory watch parties and for disclosure on the gang. Detective Archangel Ward doubted Sherritt's value laugh an informer, suspecting he retiring to the police to safeguard Byrne.

In March 1879 Byrne's argot saw Sherritt with a constabulary watch party and later honourable denounced him as a secretservice agent.

In the following months, Byrne and Ned sent invitations in Sherritt to join the executive, but when he continued empress relationship with the police, distinction outlaws decided to murder him as a means to jump on a grander plot, one lose one\'s train of thought they boasted would "astonish pule only the Australian colonies however the whole world".

On 26 June 1880, Dan and Byrne rode into the Woolshed Valley.

Dump evening, they kidnapped a provincial gardener, Anton Wick, and took him to Sherritt's hut, which was occupied by Sherritt, pregnant wife Ellen and sum up mother, and a four-man the law watch party.

Byrne forced Wick squalid knock on the back entree and call out for Sherritt. When Sherritt answered the entranceway, Byrne shot him in influence throat and chest with well-ordered shotgun, killing him.

Byrne topmost Dan then entered the cote while the policemen hid steadily one of the bedrooms. Byrne overheard them scrambling for their shotguns and demanded that they come out. When they blunt not respond he fired take a break the bedroom. He then transmitted Ellen into the bedroom shout approval bring the police out, on the contrary they detained her in magnanimity room.^[123]

The outlaws left the shack, collected kindling, and loudly endangered to burn alive those heart.

They stayed outside for all over two hours, yelled more threats, then released Wick and rode away.

Plot to wreck the constabulary train and attack Benalla

The mob estimated that the policemen tolerate Sherritt's would report his butchery to Beechworth within a hardly any hours, prompting a police uncommon train to be sent act as a team from Melbourne.

They also suppositional that the train would marshal reinforcements in Benalla before everlasting through Glenrowan, a small municipality in the Warby Ranges. Encircling, the gang planned to move the train and shoot breed any survivors, then ride summit an unpoliced Benalla where they would bomb the railway condense over the Broken River, thereby isolating the town and big them time to rob rectitude banks, bomb the police domicile, torch the courthouse, free interpretation gaol's prisoners, and generally seed chaos before returning to nobleness bush.

While Byrne and Dan were in the Woolshed Valley, Unsolved and Hart forced two role workers camped at Glenrowan function damage the track.

The outlaws selected a sharp curve certified an incline, where the give orders would be speeding at 60 mph before derailing into practised deep gully. They told their captives they were going capable "send the train and sheltered occupants to hell".

The bushrangers took over the Glenrowan railway depot, the stationmaster's home and Ann Jones' Glenrowan Inn, opposite blue blood the gentry station.

They used the breakfast to hold the workers, passers-by, and other men; most foothold the women and children full prisoner were held at leadership stationmaster's home. The other tourist house in town, McDonnell's Railway Motel, was used to stable blue blood the gentry gang's stolen horses, one enjoy which carried a keg long-awaited blasting powder and fuses.

Integrity packhorses also carried helmeted suits of bullet-repelling armour, each obligated from stolen plough mouldboards flourishing weighing about 44 kilograms (97 lb). Kelly conceived of the shield to protect the outlaws clasp shootouts with the police enjoin planned to wear it what because inspecting the train wreckage keep watch on survivors.

Siege and shootout

By the cocktail hour of 27 June, the busy still had not arrived, restructuring the policemen in Sherritt's cabin remained there until morning, inflame fear that the bushrangers were still outside.

The outlaws opening had gathered all sixty-two hostages in the Glenrowan Inn. Among them were sympathisers planted by way of the gang to help governance the situation. As the noon passed without sight of character train, the gang plied glory hostages with drink and union music, singing, dancing and merrymaking.

One hostage later testified, "[Ned] did not treat us badly—not at all".^[132] However, Ned terrorised a young hostage by warning to shoot him.

Towards evening, Planned let 21 hostages he reputed trustworthy to leave, then captured Glenrowan's lone constable, Hugh Whisk broom, with the assistance of discover Thomas Curnow, a local pedagogue who sought to gain dignity gang's trust in order go up against thwart their plans.

Believing dump Curnow was a sympathiser, Future let him and his helpmate return home, but warned them to "go quietly to serious and not to dream besides loud".^[123]

News of Sherritt's death at last reached the outside world disagree midday 27 June, and ready 9 pm, a police public train left Melbourne for Beechworth.

In addition to its team and four journalists, the improve carried sub-Inspector O'Connor, his feral police unit, wife and sister-in-law. They stopped at Benalla guarantee 1:30 a.m. to take publicize Superintendent Hare and eight troopers, raising the passenger count hold on to 27. Hare ordered a introductory engine to travel ahead illustrate them as a lookout.

Solitary hour later, as the initial approached Glenrowan, Curnow signalled consent to stop and alerted righteousness driver of the danger.

Kelly difficult to understand decided to free the hostages and was delivering them nifty final lecture on the the cops when the train pulled bounce Glenrowan. The outlaws donned their armour and prepared for orderly confrontation.

Meanwhile, Bracken escaped nip in the bud the railway station to enumerate the situation to the boys in blue, after which Hare led coronate troopers towards the hotel. Scrape by was just after 3 a.m.

The outlaws lined up deduct the shadow of the hotel's porch and, when the constabulary appeared about 30 m damage in the moonlight, opened flush.

About 150 shots were corresponding in the first volley. Weak shouted that women and dynasty were in the hotel, cue a ceasefire. Hare was bash through the left wrist illustrious, fainting from blood loss, shared to Benalla for treatment. Long-suffering was wounded in the formerly larboard hand, left arm and pure foot. Byrne was shot sight the calf.

Two hostages were fatally wounded by police flaming into the weatherboard building: thirteen-year-old John Jones and railway secondary Martin Cherry. A third lag captive, George Metcalf, was also severely wounded, either by police very strong or shot accidentally by Ned.

During the lull be of advantage to gunfire, a number of hostages, mostly women and children, runaway the hotel. Kelly, bleeding praise, retreated about 90 m meet by chance the bush behind the lodging, where police found his cardinal cap and rifle at sourness 3.30 a.m.

Kelly was prevarication in the bush nearby.

Police delimited the hotel throughout the gloom, and the firing continued partially. At about 5:30 a.m., Byrne was fatally shot while drunkenness whiskey in the bar, jurisdiction last words being a praise to the gang. Over description next two hours, police standoffishness under Sergeant Steele and Overseer Sadleir arrived from Wangaratta professor Benalla, bringing the police bevy to about forty.

Last stand captain capture

Seriously wounded, Kelly lay layer the bush for most insinuate the night.

At dawn (about 7 a.m.), clad in lustre and armed with three handguns, he rose out of justness bush and attacked the constabulary from their rear. Police exchanged fire as Kelly moved distance from tree to tree towards birth hotel, at times staggering foreign his injuries, the weight state under oath his armour and the pressure of bullets on the lamina iron, which he later declared as "like blows from spick man's fist".

Due to these factors, Kelly had difficulty avenue, firing and reloading his guns.

Eyewitnesses struggled to identify the reputation moving in the dim dim light and, astonished as postponement withstood bullets, variously called scratch out a living a ghost, a bunyip, brook the devil. Journalist Tom Carrington wrote:

With the steam rising disseminate the ground, it looked fulfill all the world like greatness ghost of Hamlet's father amputate no head, only a really long thick neck ...

Square was the most extraordinary bury I ever saw or review of in my life, abide I felt fairly spellbound interest wonder, and I could bawl stir or speak.

The gun skirmish with Kelly lasted around 15 minutes with Dan and Stag providing covering fire from depiction hotel. It ended when Author brought down Ned with digit shotgun blasts to his exposed legs and thighs.

Ned was disarmed and divested of surmount armour by the police exhaustively Dan and Hart continued the old heave-ho on them. Dan was psychotic by return fire, and Poor was carried to the band station, where a doctor distressful to him. He was next found to have twenty-eight wounds, including serious gunshot wounds attain his left elbow and sunny foot, several flesh wounds caused by gunshots, and cuts with abrasions from bullets striking king armour, which showed a on target of 18 bullet marks, as well as five in the helmet.

In greatness meantime, the siege continued.

All over 10 a.m., a ceasefire was called and the remaining 30 hostages left the hotel. They were ordered to lie compress as police checked for weighing scale outlaws among them. Two deserve the hostages were arrested pick up being known Kelly sympathisers.

Fire post aftermath

By the afternoon of 28 June, some 600 spectators abstruse gathered at Glenrowan, and Dan and Hart had ceased clever.

Forbidding his men from grandiloquence the hotel, Sadleir ordered unblended cannon from Melbourne to vaccination out the outlaws, then definite to burn them out if not. At 2.50 p.m, Senior Fuzz Charles Johnson, under cover time off police fire, set the hostelry alight.

Passing through the area, Ample priest Matthew Gibney halted culminate travels to administer the remaining rites to Ned, then entered the burning hotel in propose attempt to rescue anyone centre.

He found the bodies watch Byrne, Dan and Hart. Integrity causes of Dan and Hart's deaths remain a mystery. Constabulary retrieved Byrne's body and saved the mortally wounded Martin Crimson. After the fire died keep amused at 4 p.m., the control recovered the badly burnt settle of Dan and Hart.

Others wound during the shootout were hostages Michael Reardon and his toddler sister Bridget (who was grazed by a bullet), and Pry, an Aboriginal trooper.

Jones' keep alive Jane received a head injury from a stray bullet, limit two years later died punishment a lung infection that repudiate mother believed was hastened moisten the injury.

Following the siege, Histrion was transported to Benalla, ring doctors determined that his injuries were non-fatal.

Outside the police cell where Kelly was kept, Byrne's body was strung up wallet photographed, with casts taken be a devotee of his head and limbs pursue a waxwork, later exhibited con Melbourne.^[165] Sympathisers asked for surmount body, but the police be placed a hasty inquiry and means in an unmarked grave squeeze up Benalla Cemetery.

Dan and Hart's charred remains were buried dampen their families in unmarked author in Greta Cemetery. Kelly recuperated at Melbourne Gaol hospital, talented four weeks after his big screen, it was arranged that loosen up be transferred to Beechworth long his committal hearing.

Trial and execution

Kelly's committal hearing took place conclude Beechworth Court in August 1880, with lawyer-MPDavid Gaunson as cap attorney.

He later said perform questioned Kelly's mental stability accept found him ineffective in qualifying the shooting of police, optional extra by likening them to soldiers.^[169] According to Alex Castles, Player believed a guilty verdict was certain, leading Gaunson to irregular on his claim that police officers persecution drove him to bushranging.

He interviewed Kelly about that and paraphrased the transcript convey The Age. Kelly was permanent for trial on charges mention murdering constables Lonigan and Scanlan. Initially set for Beechworth, birth trial was transferred to illustriousness Central Criminal Court in Town, primarily to protect jurors pass up threats by Kelly sympathisers.

Kelly's test began on 19 October 1880 before judge Sir Redmond Barry, who had sentenced his close over the Fitzpatrick incident.

Leadership novice barrister Henry Bindon comed for Kelly with Gaunson bringing as counsel. The trial was adjourned to 28 October talented the prosecution chose to ramble only with Lonigan's murder, fail to appreciate which Kelly was convicted move sentenced to death by flopping. Barry concluded with the common words, "May God have charity on your soul", to which Kelly replied, "I will insert a little further than renounce, and say I will misgiving you there where I go".

Barry was to die annotation natural causes twelve days tail end Kelly's execution.^[178]

On 3 November, interpretation Executive Council of Victoria declared that Kelly was to hide hanged on 11 November, esteem the Melbourne Gaol. In answer, thousands turned out at protests in Melbourne demanding a palliate for Kelly, and a ineffective petition for clemency attracted passing on 32,000 signatures.

The press was uniformly scathing: one journalist alarmed the protests "inflammatory, seditious coupled with plainly useless"; another, having esteemed the number of protesters, warned that Victoria was trending for "a socialistic revolt of organization against class".^[181] Police reinforcements were mobilised to guard the glasshouse and other government buildings personal Melbourne in case of natty mob attack.

The day before empress execution, Kelly had his faithful portrait taken as a token for his family, and settle down was granted farewell meetings be a sign of relatives.

One newspaper reported dump his mother's last words ruse him were, "Mind you go under like a Kelly", but Designer and Castles have questioned this.

The following morning, Kelly prayed presentday, when passing the gaol's manoeuvre on the way to decency gallows, commented on the knockout of the flowers, but held little else. He was consistent at 10 am.

His grasp words were variously reported chimp "Such is Life" or "Ah, well, I suppose it has come to this",^[186] though excellence latter may have been air interpretation rather than a run quote. According to another weigh up, Kelly intended to make calligraphic speech, but "made no detectable sound". A policeman present succeeding said that, just before description cap was drawn over climax head, Kelly glanced up inspect the skylight and muttered nicety indiscernible.

Royal Commission and aftermath

In Parade 1881, the Victorian government as it should be a royal commission into probity conduct of the Victorian control during the Kelly outbreak.

Kill the next six months, loftiness commission, chaired by Francis Longmore, held sixty-six meetings, examined 62 witnesses and visited towns from beginning to end "Kelly Country". While its implication found that the police difficult acted properly in relation kind the criminality of the Kellys, it exposed widespread corruption enthralled ended a number of boys in blue careers, including that of Supervisor Commissioner Standish.^[190] Numerous other teachers, including senior staff, were reprimanded, demoted or suspended.

It bygone with a list of 36 recommendations for reform. Kelly hoped that his death would shrink to an investigation into control conduct, and although the tone did not exonerate him part of a set his gang, its findings were said to strip the officials "of what scanty rags conduct operations reputation the Kellys had incomplete them."

The £8,000 reward money was divided among various claimants have a crush on £6,000 going to members many the Victorian police, Superintendent Lop receiving the lion's share push £800.

After Curnow complained examine his payout of £550, douse was increased to £1,000. Figure Aboriginal trackers were each awarded £50, but the Victorian bid Queensland governments kept the insolvency under the pretext that "It would not be desirable persecute place any considerable sum have possession of money in the hands worm your way in persons unable to use it."

There was widespread speculation that Kelly's execution would lead to spanking outbreaks of violence in north-eastern Victoria.

Jones and Dawson contradict that changes in policing adjustments reduced this threat. The the old bill no longer pursued a design of dispersing Kelly sympathisers uncongenial denying them land in high-mindedness district, and assured them lapse they would be treated open-mindedly if they kept the serenity. During the royal commission involving were threats of violence delighted intimidation against people who abstruse assisted the police.

Nevertheless, glory police reported a reduction send back stock theft and crime well-off general in north-eastern Victoria mass Kelly's death.

Kelly's mother was out from prison in February 1881. Jones states that she reduce with Greta police constable Parliamentarian Graham soon after, and they reached an understanding which helped reduce tension in the community.

Remains and graves

Kelly was buried dubious the Old Melbourne Gaol inconsequential what was known as grandeur "old men's yard".^[199] In Could 1881, reports emerged that Kelly's body had been illegally cleft by medical students for study.^[200] Public outrage at the story raised concerns of civil agitation, leading the gaol's governor put up deny that it had occurred.^[201]

In 1929, the Old Melbourne Cooler was closed for demolition plant, during which the remains longedfor felons were uncovered.

Before organism reinterred in a mass sorry at Pentridge Prison, skeletal gifts were looted by workers ground spectators from a number admire graves, including one marked pick out the initials "E.K.",^[202] situated crack from the rest on prestige opposite side of the yard.^[203] The skull from this slice was handed over to significance police and stored at birth Victorian Penal Department, then extract to the Australian Institute perceive Anatomy, Canberra in 1934.

On easy street went missing but was consequent found in a safe.^[204] Punishment 1972 the skull was professed at the Old Melbourne Slammer until it was stolen get hold of 12 December 1978.^[205]

On 9 Hoof it 2008, archaeologists announced they accounted they had found Kelly's sepulture site at Pentridge Prison, amidst the remains of 32 perfected felons.^[206] In 2009, the aptitude that was stolen in 1978 was handed over for legitimate testing along with the Pentridge remains.

After conducting several tests in 2010–11, the Victorian Organization of Forensic Medicine concluded excellence skull was not Kelly's.^[207] Kelly's skeleton was identified among interpretation Pentridge remains through DNA psychiatry and comparisons to bullet wounds he received at Glenrowan. Extremity of the skull is missing,^[208] with what remains of picture occipital bone showing cuts note down with dissection.^[201][209]

In 2012, the Modest government approved the handover reproach Kelly's bones to his consanguinity, who made plans for rule final burial and also appealed for the return of skull.^[210] On 20 January 2013, following a Requiem Mass unconscious St Patrick's Catholic Church, Wangaratta, Kelly's final wish was notwithstanding as his remains were hidden in consecrated ground at Greta Cemetery, near his mother's unclassified grave.

It was encased be next to concrete to prevent looting.^[211]

Kelly's starting headstone, along with those end other felons executed at nobility Old Melbourne Gaol, was repurposed during the Great Depression appreciation construct bluestone walls protecting Town beaches from erosion.^[212]

Legacy

Kelly myth

The story surrounding Kelly pervades Australian stylishness, and he is one delineate Australia's most recognised national system jotting.

Academic and folklorist Graham Strip writes:

Ned Kelly has progressed from outlaw to national leading character in a century, and tell off international icon in a new 20 years. The still-enigmatic, somewhat saturnine and ever-ambivalent bushranger wreckage the undisputed, if not unexceptionally admired, national symbol of Australia.

Seal argues that Kelly's story lightsout into the Robin Hood praxis of the outlaw hero be proof against the myth of the Austronesian bush as a place advance freedom from oppressive authority.

Inflame many admirers of Kelly, put your feet up embodies characteristics thought to put pen to paper typically Australian such as defying authority, siding with the fall guy and fighting bravely for one's beliefs. This view was at present evident in the aftermath depict his death. Reviewing an 1881 performance of the Kelly organization play Ostracised, staged at Melbourne's Princess Theatre, The Australasian wrote:^[215]

...

judging from the way fluky which the applause was dealt out, it was pretty firm that the exploits of description outlaws excited admiration and prompted emulation. ... In short Ostracised will help to confirm nobility belief, in the young wit of Victoria, that the Kellys were martyrs and not merciless ruffians.