Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), Tuesday 29 June 1880, page 3
MRS MACDONNELL INTERVIEWED — PROCEEDINGS OF THE OUTLAWS ON SUNDAY
(BY OUR OWN REPORTER.)
GLENROWAN, This Day.
I interviewed Mrs MacDonnell, the land-lady of the Railway Tavern, at Glenrowan this morning. She stated:— Early on Sunday morning I was awakened by my husband getting out of bed. He went outside, and some one, who turned out to be Ned Kelly, said, “Don’t you know me, Mac?” My husband said “No,” “Oh, you must know me. I’m Ned Kelly,” and he laughed whilst he said it, and so did the others. He then asked to see me, and being told that I was in bed he pushed open the door, and said, “How are you Mrs Mac?” I said, “Who are you?” He said, “ I’m Kelly, get up and dress yourself.” I then got up and went out and saw Hart and Byrne outside on horseback. I at once recognised Ned Kelly and said, “Oh! Ned, how altered you are.” He said, “Don’t call me Ned. My name is Jack Hoyle;” and then they all laughed. They had not got on the armor-plates then, and did not put them on until Sunday night, when the police came. Hart went by the name of Collie, and
BYRNE WAS CALLED “SUGAR.”
That was because he was so sweet on the girls. Byrne asked me if I know him, and I said I did not know him as Byrne. He said “No, I thought not; I have been here often enough under another name.” I then remembered having seen him several times at my house during the last six months. After they had had a drink,
THEY TALKED QUITE PLEASANTLY
with me and my husband. Ned Kelly told us that we were wanted over at Mrs Jones’s Hotel, and said “You must all go over there, children and all.” We then went over to the gatehouse, and they left Hart to guard us all. The women were kept there all day Sunday.
THE OUTLAWS WERE VERY CIVIL
and joked and laughed with us constantly. They brought us brandy when we required it. Hart said that he had drunk six nobblers of brandy, and it was so bad that if he took another he thought he would lose his head. During the day Ned Kelly amused himself and the others by various games, and he boasted that he could jump further than any other man. He also
GOT UP A BIT OF A DANCE
with the ladies there, and none of us were afraid. In the afternoon he rode off to find Bracken, the constable, as he wanted his horse, and brought him back. We were then all put into the hotel. We made tea and took our meals with the Kellys, but they forced us to taste everything before they ate it themselves. We all lay down at night and were easy in our minds. They told us we would be let go as soon as the Beechworth train was smashed up when suddenly we
HEARD THE WHISTLE OF THE ENGINE,
and just then Dan said, “That Bracken has gone.” Ned called out to them to stand by the front of the house and they went into the verandah. The train came up slowly and some police got out at the station. We could see them greatly excited and gesticulating wildly. Then several of them came marching up to the hotel. Dan said,
“GIVE IT TO THEM, BOYS,”
and they all fired. We saw one of them fall, and then they scattered and began to fire at us. The bullets came into the house from every direction, and the women were very much afraid, and kept screaming. One of the bullets struck Mrs Jones’s poor little boy, and he said
“OH, MOTHER! I AM SHOT,”
and fell down on the floor. Mrs Jones screamed, and we lifted him on to the bed. Just after this another bullet struck the girl in the head, but she pulled it out with her finger, and is all right now. It was only half a spent ball. Ned left us soon after daylight to look after the horses. He had got on his armor, and said “It’s all right boys, they can’t hurt me.” Soon after we saw them fire at him from the back of the house. He fell.
DAN SHOUTED WITH RAGE WHEN HE SAW HIS BROTHER FALL,
and rushed outside shooting at everyone he could see. He was struck in the leg, and forced to come back. Someone outside called out to let out the women and the boys. Young Delaney and my little boy Jack asked Dan to let them go, saying they might as well be shot outside as in, and then they let us all out one at a time. A line repairer climbed up a telegraph pole to fix on a wire, and he did a brave thing, for
THE BULLETS WHISTLED ALL ROUND HIM,
but he was lucky, and escaped. Ned’s two sisters soon after came up, and Mrs Skillian wanted to go into the house, but Mr Sadlier would not let her go. Father M‘Gibony then said he would go, but —— kept him back. They soon after set fire to the hoteI. One constable went to the side with
A BIG BUNCH OF STRAW SOAKED IN KEROSENE,
and the police kept firing at the other side all the time, but they were all dead then. As soon as the place was blazing the priest walked to the doorway and looked inside. He then waved his hat as a signal that all was right, and dragged out old Cherry. He received the dying man’s last words, and gave him the sacrament. The bodies of Dan and Steve were found lying side by side in an inner room.
THEY HAD SHOT THEMSELVES,
And lay down dead together. Father M‘Gibony attended Ned and gave him consolation. Ned seemed to be very sorry for what he had done, and said it was not his fault. He says that he says his prayers every night, and is a God-fearing man. I believe he is to, but he was driven to crime. The people came up in hundreds to the station, and crowded round to see the dead bodies, it was
A PITIFUL SIGHT TO SEE THE TWO POOR GIRLS
holding up Ned’s head and bathing his temples. Kate was very self-possessed, and scarcely cried, although any one could see how she suffered. Miss Lloyd, Ned’s cousin, who was very fond of him, went down to Benalla.
SHE WILL BREAK HER HEART POOR GIRL IF HE IS HANGED.
I hope he will not be for it was a dreadful days work for them all shooting at innocent people, and not caring whom they hurt.
Glenrowan 