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:
taken as sympathisers, there was a hundred Pounds offered for my apprehension for the shooting of Constable Fitzpatrick on the 13th of April 1878. If I had witnesses to show that I was a great many miles from the place at the time but as I was not tried on that charge, I could not call my witnesses & show the illegality of the charges put against me & which as led up to my present position and on the conviction of my mother who was arrested on the 16th of April by four or Six Police I could not say which rushing into the House with revolvers in hand & threatened to blow her brains out if she moved, they handcuffed her and took her away to the lockup & only the third day after her Confinement Mr Williamson & Mr Skillion was also taken into custody & convicted for aiding and abetting me with attempt to murder Constable Fitzpatrick even according to his own statement a most ridiculous charge. From February to October I can prove I never was seen nor never was in the locality where the alledged offence took place and after the conviction of my mother on the 9th October the reward I believe was increased to Four hundred Pounds for the alleged shooting of Constable Fitzpatrick at the Stringy bark Creek. I believe John Martin a Wild Dog Poisoner and Boundry Rider in the employ of Mr Johnsins Station owner at the Wombat gave
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