Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), Monday 24 February 1879, page 3
THE KELLY GANG.
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There appears to be absolutely nothing definite known as to the movements of the gang. Rumors even for the last day or two have been quiet. It would appear as though te gang, since the Jerilderie coup, are resting themselves and arranging future movements, just as they did after the Euroa affair.
In the recent debate on the Outlawry Act an objection was made (says a Sydney journal) that it was possible that the wrong men might be shot. Of course no one can say that this is absolutely impossible, but the chances are infinitesimally small that any honest man could be mistaken for the Kellys. We are not, in this matter, without experience, and it cannot be stated that when this law was in force any such mistake occurred, or was on the eve of occurring.
On Saturday evening, by the last train to Melbourne, Mr Leving, of the Bank of New South Wales, paused through Sandhurst on a visit to his relatives at Castlemaine (writes the Bendigo Independent). A member of our staff interviewed the gentleman, and in the course of conversation, was shown about 30 telegrams from different papers asking for Mr Leving to forward for publication the Kelly autobiography in his possession, all of which requests had, of course, to be refused. The original document was shown to our reporter. It was written on 56 pages of blue notepaper. The ink is red, and the writing is like that of a schoolboy. Mr Leving said that on the Saturday night previous to the. robbery (a Monday) the coachdriver between Jerilderie and Urana met four men trotting along the road. He jocularly remarked as they passed, “Hallo, Kelly gang!” but had no idea as to who they were until after events gave the explanation. However, the four stopped, and the driver states that one of the men wanted to shoot him. but another of the gang told the would-be assassin to ”go to (a very vulgar word).” The driver then again said, ” Hallo, Kelly,” and continued his journey. The men stopped on the road consulting for some time afterwards, but again went on towards Jerilderie, Of course it will be scarcely necessary to state that at the time the coach was going to Urana. The gang shortly afterwards met a man named Devine. Thinking that the driver might inform on them, it is said that the gang wanted to go back and shoot him, but Dan Kelly said, “What will we then do with the coach?”
The conduct of the gang after the robbery of the bank at Jerilderie is generally well-known. Mr Leving states that after threatening Rankin he would shoot him, Ned Kelly got into better humor, and asked for Mr Gill, the proprietor of the little paper published in the township, and “what sort of a man” was he? On being told that Gill was a quiet individual, Kelly said: “Look for him in the first empty barrel.” What he meant by the expression is beyond our interpretation.
Mr Leving knows Hart. The fellow cheated Mr Leving out of a pound note some 18 months ago, he having as teller of the bank overpaid the man that much in cashing a draft. At Jerilderie he states that since the robbery they have been considerably “chaffed” during business. He relates, as a sample of this thing, that a day or two ago a man came in to borrow £200 on good security, but the bank did not care to make the advance. The man was indignant, and said, “I bring good security, and can’t get £200. Why, only the other day you gave £2000 away without a wipe of the pen.” The conversation proceeding, Mr Leving says he can get £100 for the manuscript left him by Kelly, but that he will not sell it. It would make about four columns of the Bendigo Independent. The report about the gang having been since seen about 10 miles from Jerilderie, three days after the robbery, is disbelieved there. Incidents in reference to the “bailing up” of the populace in the Royal Hotel are as common in the township as blackberries in an English hedgerow. Mr Leving relates a fresh one. In the bar-room the unfortunate prisoners opened the window for the sake of coolness. Hart yelled out “shut it.” They did not. Hart then put a revolver into a man’s earhole, and requested him to shut the window. It went down. In regard to Mr Leving’s health, he appears to be much better than on his first journey.
Mr Leving, who was stuck up in the bank at Jerilderie by the Kellys, arrived in Castlemaine (says the Mount Alexander Mail) on Saturday night, and proceeds to Melbourne today. He is, we understand, to have a holiday, which will be all the more agreeable to him after the late exciting events, and the promise which Kelly has made to shoot him as soon as he came across him. Mr Leving does not foster similar feelings towards the bushranger, as he would not shoot him for £80,000, he being of opinion that any civilian who despatches the Mansfield murderer will pay the penalty with his life to some of the gang or their confederates.
Glenrowan 