Kelly's first govenor letter Kelly's first govenor letter

Public Record Office Victoria

Public Record Office Victoria (State Archives of Victoria, Australia)
North Melbourne, Australia

Addressed to His Excellency the Governor, Ned dictated this seven-page letter to Warden William Buck from his prison cell. The letter is one of three that Ned dictated whilst incarcerated and brings forth his views on various incidents, most notably the Fitzpatrick shooting, the Stringy Bark Creek murders and the discrepancies in McIntyres reports. Once the letter was completed it was forwarded to Sheriff Rede by J. B. Castieau the gaols governor. The annotations made along the left-hand side of the letter acknowledge that the letter was received after the Executive Council meeting and was then forwarded to the Premier Graham Berry. The letter did little to sway the opinion of the Executive Council, and the date of 11 November was set for his execution

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Details

Title: Kelly's first govenor letter Kelly's first govenor letter
Creator: Public Record Office Victoria, Public Record Office Victoria
Date Created: 1880-11-03
Provenance: VPRS 4966 P0 UNIT 2 ITEM 4 RECORD 11, VPRS 4966 P0 UNIT 2 ITEM 4 RECORD 11
Transcript:
on to the place were I was working with the full intention of shooting me not to arrest me. Though I have had plenty of grounds for revenge I never looked for it after the arrest of my mother there was none of our Family left but five sisters the Police would come to the House Inspector Brook Smith in particular he as since been discharged for his cowardly conduct towards my family They used to search the place & destroy all the provisions by empting them out on the floor. he would say to my sisters see all the Police I have out today I will have as many out to morrow in will blow your Brothers in to pieces as small as the paper that is in our guns. Some told my Sisters that they would not ask there Brothers to stand as they knew they intended to fight they would shoot them first & then tell then to stand afterwards I will not trouble you any further with their cowardly conduct as they are too numerous to mention what I wish is Constable McIntyres first Depositions statement to be compared with his depositions of both Courts & you will at once see the disparity between the two also the Photograph of the place & the position of the oven at the time of Kennedy & Scanlans advance McIntyre says Two men was in the Spear Grass one in the tent & one at the fire these being in a direct line in front of Kennedy & Scanlan
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