THE SENTENCE ON NED KELLY.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 87, 6 November 1880, Page 3

THE SENTENCE ON NED KELLY.

When Judge Barry wai about sentencing Ned Kelly, the latter made a long speech, m which he accused himself of foolishness, m not taking the crossexamination of witnesses out of the hand 8 of Counsel.itating that he would have done so only he knew such conduct would be attributed to flashness. He asserted that up to two years ago, he would have allowed himself to be shot down sooner than take life, but boasted that he feared death just as little as he did drinking a cup of tea. He said that no Jury could hear the evidence without convicting him, but if he had couducted his own case the testimony would be quit© different. The Judge after an impressive address upon the enormity of his crimes, told him that even by his own statement he had stolen over 200 horses. The prisoner : " Who proves that !" His Honor : " More than one witness has testified that you made tbat statement on several occasions." The prisoner : " That charge has nevor been proved against me, and it is beld m English law that a man is innocent until he is found guilty." His Honor ; "You are self -accused. The statement wag made voluntarily by yourself that you and your companions committed attacks on. two banks, and appropriated therefrom large sums of money amounting to several thousands of pounds. Your unfortunate aod miserable companions have died a death which probably you might rather envy, bu; you are not offered the opportunity. The prisoner: I don't think there is much proof they did die the death.. His Honor :Jln your case the law vrUjbe carried out by its ofticrs- The gentlemen of the jury have done their, and my duty, will be to forward to th,e. proper quarter the notes of your trial, and "to lay'heEore.the Executive all the circumstances connected with your trial that may be r. *> ured. I can hold out to you no he ;, and I do not see that X o$.A entertain the slighlMsti reason for, saying, that you can expect anything. I desire" to spare you any more pain, and I absolve inyse l ? from laying anything ■willing 1 ;?" m. any of my utterances; that may have unnecessarily increased the agitation of your mind. I have.now to pronounce your ientence." Hii Honor then sentenced tha prisoner to death m the ueual form, ending with the usual ■words, " May the Lprd hare mercy on your soul." The prisoner: "I Trill go a little further than that, and say I TRitt ».•• you; there, where I go." The Court was cleared, and the prisoner was removed to the Melbourne Grao],, I^Yerything wm v«ry quitb,^^

nothing approaching to any scene occurred, although some of Kelly's relatives were m Court.