THE ATTEMPT ON THE TRAIN.
According to Ned Kelly, the gang, after shooting Sherritt at Sebastopol, rode openly through the streets of Beechworth, and then came on to Glenrowan for the purpose of wrecking any special police train which might be sent after them, in the hope of destroying the black trackers. They descended on Glenrowan at about 3 o'clock on Sunday morning, and rousing up all the inhabitants of the township, bailed them up. Feeling unable to lift the rails themselves, they compelled the line-repairers of the district and others to do so. The spot selected was on the first turning after reaching Glenrowan, at a culvert and on an incline. One rail was raised on each aide, and the sleepers were removed. The diabolical object in view was the destruction of the special train. Having performed this fiendish piece of work Kelly returned to the township, and, bailing all the people up, kept them prisoners in the station-master's house and Jones's hotel.
BY 3 o'clock on Monday morning, they gathered
all their captives into the hotel, and the number of those unfortunate people
amounted at one time to 47, as already stated. The police then arrived, and the
prisoners escaped at intervals during the night.
The first attack of the police was a brilliant
affair. They approached the house quickly, but stealthily. Their arrival,
however, was expected, and they were met with a volley from the verandah of the
hotel. Special trains were run during the morning between Glenrowan and Benalla,
and Mrs. O'Connor and her sister who may justly be called the heroines of the
day, for they behaved bravely were taken on by one of them to Benalla in the
forenoon. Ned Kelly after being secured quieted down, and became absolutely
tame. He is very reserved as to anything connected with his comrades, but
answered questions freely when his individual case was alone concerned. He
appeared to be suffering from a severe shock and exhaustion, and trembled in
every limb. Now and again he fainted, but restoratives brought him round, and in
his stronger moments he made the following statements.