Last week’s story about Rowe’s General Store, on the corner of Wyndham and High Sts, mentioned that it was used to watch and protect the bank (south-west corner) from the Kelly Gang. In 1878, after the brush with the police at Greta, the gang went into hiding in the Strathbogie Ranges. Four policemen from Mansfield set out to find the outlaws, but the police were ambushed and three of them were shot dead.
In December 1878, the gang committed their most infamous crime, the robbery of the National Bank of Euroa. They stole a significant amount of money in gold and notes. They then crossed the Murray and went to Jerilderie, where, having imprisoned the two constables in their own lockup, they held up the Bank of New South Wales and collected about two thousand pounds. The following excerpt about the Kelly Gang was published in Raymond West’s book about Shepparton, called Those Were the Days.
“The gang’s next port of call was Shepparton! Their ‘arrival in the town causing the utmost consternation — especially to the banking fraternity’. Included in the scheme for guarding the Commercial Bank had been the provision of loop holes (for rifle fire) in Rowe’s general store, diagonally opposite the bank. A squad of soldiers, with barracks in a weatherboard shop, (where the AMP Society’s office now stands) had been brought from Melbourne to help protect the town from the bushrangers. However, apparently the gang was not after loot this time, for nothing untoward happened; on the contrary, the morning after their arrival a notice was found tacked up outside the Bank of Victoria (now Commercial Banking Company of Sydney), corner of Wyndham and Fryers Streets. It appears that the local bank manager, Mr John White, had once helped Ned Kelly over a cheque transaction. The notice read: ‘John White, the Kellys won’t harm you’.”
The gang’s actions in the region fuelled a great sense of fear and intrigue surrounding their reputation as outlaws. Stories and rumours were spread like wildfire and many were picked up by local newspapers. The following account was in the McIvor Times (24-12-1878). “So effectually has the bushranging scare settled upon this district that the small bands of troopers riding about occasionally create quite a sensation. Last week a body of police, numbering seven men, were prospecting for the outlaws in the neighbourhood of Kialla, and for some good reason they separated, three taking one route, and the remaining four another; but it so chanced that these latter, being mounted on three brown horses and one grey, bore in the distance, a striking resemblance to the Kelly Gang. We understand that the consternation created was something to be remembered in that neighbourhood… It has also been reported that before many hours had elapsed a telegram was forwarded to Melbourne, announcing as a fact that the Kelly Gang were in the vicinity of Shepparton!” The same paper further states: “The police appear to be making Murchison their headquarters, from whence to operate against the Kelly Gang. Additional reinforcements arrived here last Monday night, also a further consignment of rifles: we believe these latter are Martini-Henry.”
Another interesting link to the Shepparton area was related to the three policemen that died. Lonigan was from Violet Town, Kennedy from Mansfield, and apparently Scanlan was originally from Mooroopna.
A number of other district newspapers had published various eyewitness accounts of the gang and rumours surrounding their movements in 1878-79. This account was found in the Goulburn Valley Stock and Property Journal in 1938. Headlines: Memorable Days of the Kelly Gang. Outlaws Swoop Down on Shepparton. “Although Ned Kelly’s mission on that occasion was bank robbery he had no designs at that moment to relieve the Shepparton banks of their bullion. His need in Shepparton was refreshment — spiritous and malt. Accordingly, he made for the Shepparton Hotel, within a stone’s throw of the police station. Confronting the proprietress, Mrs Burberry, alone in the parlour, and satisfying himself that he was not likely to be molested by any of the inmates of the hotel, he summoned the gang into the bar, and the doors were locked until they had drunk their fill. Then they mounted their horses and were lost in the darkness.”
It is unlikely that the Kelly Gang actually made it to Shepparton, as I don’t think it has been substantiated by historians. There is no doubt though that the Sheppartonians gossiped widely about what they were hearing and reading. The banking establishments were especially worried about a possible visit of the outlaws, with preparations of troopers and police in key locations around town such as Rowe’s store.