Jerilderie Letter Jerilderie Letter

one. I advanced & took possession of their two revolvers & fowling-piece which I loaded with bullets instead of shot. I asked McIntyre where his mates was he said they had gone down the creek & he did not expect them that night he asked me was I going to shoot him & his mates. I told him no. I would shoot no man if he gave up his arms & leave the force he said the police all knew Fitzpatrick had wronged us. and he intended to leave the force, as he had bad health, and his life was insured, he told me he intended going home and that Kennedy & Scanlan were out looking for our camp and also about the other Police he told me the N.S.W Police had shot a man for shooting Sergeant Walling I told him if they did, they had shot the wrong man & I expect your gang came to do the same with me he said no they did not come to shoot me they came to apprehend me I asked him what they carried Spencer rifles & breech loading fowling pieces & so much ammunition for as the Police was only supposed to carry one revolver and 6 cartridges in the revolver but they had eighteen rounds of revolver cartridges each three dozen for the fowling piece & twenty one spencer rifle cartridges & God knows how many they had away with the rifle this looked as if they meant not only to shoot me only to riddle me but I don't know either Kennedy Scanlan or him and had nothing against them, he said he would get them to give up their arms if I would not shoot them as I could not blame them. they had to do their duty I said I did not blame them for doing honest duty but I could not suffer them blowing me to pieces in my own native land and they knew Fitzpatrick wronged us and why not make it public and convict him but no they would rather riddle poor unfortunate creoles. but they will rue the day ever Fitzpatrick got among them, Our two mates came over when they heard the shot fired but went back again for fear the Police might come to our camp while we were all away and manure bullock flat with us. on our arrival I stopped at the logs & Dan went back to the spring for fear the troopers would come in that way but I soon heard them coming up the creek. I told McIntyre to tell them to give up their arms, he spoke to Kennedy who was some distance in front of Scanlan he reached for his revolver & jumped off, on the off side of his horse & got behind a tree when I called on them to throw up their arms & Scanlan who carried the rifle slewed his horse around