Thomas Curnow re Kelly's attempt to ambush police Thomas Curnow re Kelly's attempt to ambush police

Copy On Sunday morning 27 June at about eleven oclock Mrs Curnow, my sister, brother-in-law, and myself were out for a drive when, in passing through Stanistreets railway gate, we were bailed up by an armed man on horseback who turned out to be Ned Kelly, the outlaw. Another armed man was behind him and I was told that he was Byrnes. After a while Ned Kelly gave directions for the horse and buggy to be taken into Mr Joness yard. Mrs & Miss Curnow went into Mrs Stanistreets, and my brother-in-law and I stayed at the gates taking part in the conversation going on there. We had not been bailed up many minutes, before I was informed by Mr Stanistreet that the outlaws had caused part of the railway line to be torn up with the purpose of wrecking a special train which they expected would pass through Glenrowan. Some one, I forget who, also told me that the gang had been at Beechworth during the night before, and had shot several Police. I doubted this but afterwards ascertained from Dan Kelly that they had actually been in the vicinity of Beechworth and had done some shooting. The gang afterwards told me, in fact they made no secret of it, that they had caused a part of the line to be torn up at a dangerous part beyond the Station in order to wreck a special train of Inspectors, Police and black-trackers which would pass through Glenrowan for Beechworth to take up the Kelly trail from there. They stated that they would shoot down all those who escaped death from the wrecked train, and that if any civilians were in the train, they should share the same fate as they