re: N.Kelly, from what little I've read, Neds gang surely sealed their own fate after conducting a brazen pre-emptive ambush
on the police patrol encamped at Stringybark creek, killing three of the four police in an ensuing shootout. If I read correctly,
It was only after that incident , that they were then officially declared outlaws and rewards posted. Following that the gang
then robbed a bank.
Police of those times were to a degree like a mercenary force where people could not necessarily expect fair and just dealings
with them. But the Kelly family and associates were no angels themselves. Unfortunately things escalated to tragic ends for both
sides...and both rightfully should bear some blame for that. Those were no doubt different and harsher times.
You are half right. The Kelly's did seal their fate at Stringybark creek. The issue is what lead to that? A drunk officer attended the Kelly homestead with a telegram of a Warrant for Dan. That much is agreed on. What is n It agreed on is what followed. Some say Fitzpatrick pulled Ned's sister onto his lap, and Mrs Kelly hit him with a fire iron. Other claim Mrs Kelly told Dan that Fitzpatrick only had a telegram of a warrant, not a warrant and that he didn't gave to go. Hearing this Fitzpatrick pulled his revolver out, and a scuffle broke out. Mrs Kelly hit him with a fire iron, Dan disarmed him and sent him away.
Fitzpatrick now makes a claim that Ned, Dan Mrs Kelly and 2 others were all in the house and that he was assaulted and that Ned fired at him hitting Fitzpatrick in the wrist. This incident is the reason warrants for attempted murder were issued for Dan and Ned.
There are many issues with what Fitzpatrick claimed happened. Firstly, the 2 others who Fitzpatrick claimed to be in the single room hut, Williamson and Skillion couldn't gave been there. Skillion never left the Winton pub, and Williamson was past by Fitzpatrick on the way to the Kelly homestead splitting wood, yet he ran 500 yards unseen and went around the back of the hut removed a slab of bark and got in before Fitzpatrick's horse could trot there. Secondly, Fitzpatrick claims to have been shot, yet the surgeon found no bullet in the wound, and there was no exit.
Kelly was supposed to have fired 3 times at Fitzpatrick and missed twice from about 4 feet. At stringybark creek Kelly was in a tree to tree exchange with Kennedy, and was able to hit him multiple times on the run at 20 and 30 yards. So how did he miss at point blank range?
Its also worth noting that the Kelly's were in the forest panning Gold to pay for a defence lawyer for their mother. The police went to find them, not the other way around.
And as for being a cold blooded killer, why did the only officer to surrender not killed, when Kelly knew he would be giving evidence against him?
