Ned Kelly

Jerilderie

Though the brazen daylight raid at Euroa had further burnished Kelly's mystique. It had also dramatically fattened his coffers. But Kelly was far from satisfied. The authorities had suppressed his manifesto, and so in February of 1879, Kelly launched another daring raid, this time on the bank at Jerilderie just across the border in New South Wales. If anything, this attack was even more sophisticated than the heist at Euroa. This time, Kelly and his cohorts, banking on the fact that they were widely unknown in the area except by reputation, kidnapped two local constables and stole their uniforms. Kelly and Byrne then walked around the town, introducing themselves as the newly appointed defenders of law and order.

They dropped the masquerade as soon as they entered the bank. Once again, the Kelly gang pocketed more than 2,000 pounds. But Kelly was not finished.

According to an article published by the State Library of Victoria on its website," After holding up the Bank of New South Wales and stealing more than 2000 pounds, the gang took over the town for several days. During that time Kelly sought out Samuel Gill, the editor of the "Jerilderie Gazette" with the specific demand that the letter be published.

Gill could not be found but the bank's accountant, Edwin Living, offered to accept the letter and pass it on to Gill. Kelly gave it to him saying 'mind you get it printed, or you'll have me to reckon with next time we meet'. Undeterred, Living did not have the document printed."

In fact, the 8,000-word letter, purported dictated by Kelly and written by Byrne, did not get a broad public hearing until Kelly's trial. But by that point, its contents, the insolent wit with which Kelly skewered his pursuers, its implicit condemnation of the social injustices that marked colonial Victoria at the time, and most importantly, it's rugged defiance of heavy handed authority, had become deeply ingrained in the Kelly legend.

In short, the wild colonial boy had become the authorities' worst nightmare. He had become a folk hero.

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1. The Man in the Metal Mask
2. The Enigma Behind the Mask
3. The Roots of Rebellion
4. A Small-Time Crook
5. First Conviction
6. A Beggar on Horseback
7. Home
8. A Shot in the Dark
9. The Temperature Rises
10. Showdown at String Bark Creek
11. Recasting the Rebellion
12. First Draft of History
13. Jerilderie
14. Desperate Times
15. Suits of Armor
16. Last Stand
17. The Verdict of History
18. Bibliography