Advocate (Melbourne, Vic. : 1868 – 1954), Saturday 31 July 1880, page 16
A VICTIM OF THE KELLYS.
GEORGE METCALFE, whose eyes were severely injured by the effects of a shot in the conflict between the police and the Kelly Gang of outlaws at Jones’s Hotel, Glenrowan, is at present an inmate of the Eye and Ear Hospital, in Spring-street, Melbourne. It is feared that the unfortunate man has lost the sight of his left eye completely, and the right is also severely injured. It will be remembered that Metcalfe was one of the first lot of men taken prisoners by the outlaws. With five other men he was occupied in taking stone from the quarries in Glenrowan, which, after breaking, they forwarded by train to Benalla. These men lived in a tent, which was situated about 150 yards from Glenrowan, and the same distance from Jones’s Hotel. On the Saturday night preceding the conflict they retired to bed in their tent, at about half-past eleven. At two o’clock on Sunday morning they were awakened by Ned Kelly and Hart, who, by the superior force of firearms, compelled the six stonebreakers to march to Jones’s Hotel. After being made to stand in front of the hotel for half-an-hour they were taken to the stationmaster’s house. Metcalfe describes the coercion used by the gang, and the story of the navvies being fetched from higher up the line, and the rails and sleepers being torn up, as it has already been represented by several eye-witnesses. After the destruction of the part of the line the prisoners were taken again to the stationmaster’s house, where they were detained all the afternoon. In the evening they were marched again to Jones’s Hotel, and placed altogether in one of the rooms. Metcalfe saw or heard very little of the movements or utterances of the outlaws after this time. Their first intimation of the arrival of the police was a volley fired into the house. At that time Dan Kelly, Hart and Byrne were drinking; Ned Kelly was out of the house. On hearing the firing all the men lay down on the floor. Metcalfe was lying on his side near the brick fireplace with his face turned towards the only window in the room. During the encounter he was blinded by something striking his eyes. It could not have been a bullet, and he believes that it was a portion of the brickwork of the fireplace which, being struck by a bullet from the outside, glanced in a sidelong direction, and grazed one eye and lodged in the other. No one was moving in the room at the time. There were eleven men there, all kept prisoners, and all lying prostrate, as he himself was. Metcalfe attributes no blame whatever to the police, but considers that the shots from the attacking party were purposely fired high at the room in which they were placed in order that no one lying down might be injured. When the men rushed from the house at daylight, at the summons of the police, Metcalfe was led away to the station, and afterwards taken to Benalla by the contractor by whom he was employed, and who had also been one of the men bailed up. At Benalla he was advised by Dr. Nicholson to come to the Eye and Ear Hospital, in Melbourne, which he at once did, and he is now progressing as favourably as can well be expected, under the experienced care of Dr. Grey.—Age.
Glenrowan 