Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 – 1954), Saturday 10 July 1880, page 6
WHAT IS KNOWN OF JOSEPH BYRNE.
Very little is known regarding the past life of Joe Byrne, except that for several years his mother has resided near a gorge known as “Rats’ Castle,” some miles from Beechworth, and that a younger brother, named Patrick, and several of his sisters have lived in the same locality with her. Patsey Byrne works as a labourer for the surrounding farmers, and also breaks in horses, while his sisters are nearly all kept, at home. Joe was always a wanderer, continually associating with horse and cattle duffers and was on particularly friendly terms with the “Greta mob.” Byrne has been identified with gangs of horse and cattle stealers since boyhood, and has been convicted and served several years in gaol. He is 6ft. high, rather well built has mild grey eyes, brown bushy whiskers, and a very light moustache. There was nothing in his appearance to indicate that he possessed criminal proclivities, nor was there even so much in Ned Kelly’s face as one would expect from what is known of his career; but both Dan Kelly and Steve Hart had most repulsive features and a cruel look about the eyes and mouth, even when in their happiest moods.
It has been ascertained beyond doubt that at Euroa and Jerilderie as well as at Glenrowan, the gang indulged in too much strong drink. It will be remembered that at Jerilderie, Joe Byrne got so drunk while “larking” with the barmaid of an hotel, and during the time his mates had possession of the police station that he had to be assisted to mount his horse, and received in consequence, a severe reprimand from his chief who told him he would yet spoil all their plans by getting drunk; and this prediction has in a manner been fulfilled as Byrne is known to have drunk heavily before shooting Aaron Sherritt, and both he and the others took nobbler after nobbler of brandy in Jones’s hotel on the Sunday night and Monday morning before they were shot. There is not the slightest doubt that, but for this, the gang would have had the forethought to have made their escape as soon as they saw that their plans had failed, and that the police were about to surround the house. Altogether, Byrne seems to have led a charmed life. Not only was he in the habit of making periodical visits to Beechworth “to see his girl,” but he has also been seen by members of the police force in Wangaratta who, however, failed to identify him as one of the outlaws, on whose head a reward of £2,000 was set.
It is also stated that a few days before the murder of Sherritt, he was drinking in Marchain’s hotel, Benalla, and one of those were bailed up in the Glenrowan hotel asserts he “shouted” for him on that occasion.
Horrible as the deaths of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart were, many of their friends and relations wish Ned had met a similar fate rather than be hanged, and they profess even to be more satisfied at every vestige of what they possessed being destroyed, than that their clothes and effects should have fallen into the hands of the police. The reason for this is that it is believed Dan and Hart had letters in their possession which would criminate more than one of their numerous sympathisers now at large. Regarding the capture of the Kelly gang a great deal of comment has been passed by many residents of the North-eastern District that Superintendent Nicholson’s name has not received any prominence, whereas it appears that the plans for capturing the outlaws, which for months he had been maturing before his removal from that district, have, in a great measure, been carried out. In support of this, several influential residents of Benalla have got up a testimonial and presentation, both of which are of a very flattering nature.
When it became known in Wangaratta that the Kelly’s had broken out again, precautions were at once taken to guard the approaches to the town. Trooper Dwyer and Trooper Dixon were stationed at the two principal bridges with orders to challenge everyone crossing towards the town. The Kelly’s expressed a wish to get into Wangaratta if they could not take Benalla. As an instance of quick riding in connection with the Kelly tragedy, it may be mentioned that, when the news of the fight having commenced at Glenrowan reached Wangaratta, Sergeant Steele and Troopers R. Cawsey, Moore, and Montefort started on horseback from the latter town a few moments before the special train, and galloped the eleven miles to Glenrowan in thirty-five minutes, getting to the scene of the fight ahead of the special, and placing themselves in position at once. It should be mentioned that some credit is due to Troopers Cawsey and Moore for their presence of mind in sticking to their posts at the side of the house towards the range when most of the other constables rushed to surround Ned Kelly, and keeping a steady fire directed towards Jones’s hotel, thus preventing the other outlaws from rushing out to the assistance of their chief, or, in all probability, attempting to escape to “Morgan’s Look-out,’’ where they could probably have fought the police with greater advantage to themselves. In connection with the Kelly tragedy very little mention is made of Mr. Osborne, the line repairer, who pluckily climbed the telegraph-pole at Glenrowan, and affixed a wire to the railway line, from whence it was carried into the stationmaster’s room, where a pocket instrument was unflaggingly worked by Mr. H. Cheshire, of Beechworth. Osborne, during the time, he was climbing the pole became a target for the outlaws’ guns; and more credit is due to him in consequence of his being obliged to repeat the same performance some hours after, when the firings got out of repair. It may also interest the public to know that during the five days (from Mon-day to Friday) ; that he excitement lasted over 50,000 words were despatched from Benalla to all parts of Australia—the great bulk being, of course, forwarded by the repre-sentatives of the Melbourne Press—and the transmission of which was highly crediable to Mr. Saxe, then post and telegraph master at Benalla, and Messrs. Cregan and Mickle, operators from the Melbourne office, sent up specially, and who, together with the line repairers and assistants, had very little rest either day or night while the excitement lasted.
It should be mentioned, too, that all through the fight Mr. Madeley, photographer, of Wangaratta, and now in Melbourne, was busily engaged taking views of the principal objects of interest—a task of no little danger, as the bullets, both from the police and the outlaws, were flying around in all directions, and more than once whistled unpleasantly close to himself and his apparatus, in spite of which, however, the views are decidedly good, and give a correct representation of the different scenes.
Glenrowan 