The Australasian Sketcher.
NED KELLY'S STATEMENTS.
I was going down to meet the special train with some of my mates, and intended
to rake it with shot; but it arrived before I expected, and I then returned to
the hotel. I expected the train would go on, and I had the rail & pulled up
no that these black trackers might be settled. I do not say what brought me to
Glenrowan, but it seems much. Anyhow I could have got away last night, for 1 got
into the bush with my grey mare, and lay there all night. But I wanted to see
the thing end. In the first volley the police fired I was wounded on the left
foot ; noon afterwards I was shot through the left arm. I got these
wounds in front of the house. I do not care what people say about
Sergeant Kennedy's death. I have made my statement of the affair, and if the
public don't believe me I can't help it; but I am satisfied it is not true that
Scanlan was shot kneeling. He never got off his horse. I fired three or four
shots from the front of Jones's hotel, but who I was firing at I do not know. I
simply fired where I saw police. I escaped to the bush, and remained there
overnight. I could have shot several constables if I liked. Two passed close to
me. I could have shot them before they could shoot. I was a good distance away
at one time, but came back. Why don't the police use bullets instead of duck-shot?
I have got one charge of duck-shot in my leg. One policeman who was firing at me
was a splendid shot, but I do not know his name. I daresay I would have done
well to have ridden away on my grey mare. The bullets that struck my armour felt
like blows from a man's fist. I wanted to fire into the carriages, but the
police started on us too quickly. I expected the police to come." Inspector
Sadlier-" You wanted, then, to kill the people in the train?" Kelly.-"Yes,
of course I did; God help them, but they would have got shot all the same. Would
they not have tried to kill me?"
NEXT: ARMOUR