Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Ned Kelly's Descendants Want a Proper Burial

The May 5th RTE News reports that the descendants of Australia's most famous robber want Australian authorities to hand over his remains for a proper burial.

Archaeologists have located what they believe to be his remains in a mass grave at the site of former Pentridge Prison in Melbourne. Female descendants, including a grand niece have submitted DNA for testing.

He was hanged at Old Melbourne Gaol in 1890, but his remains and those of 32 others executed there were exhumed and reburied at Pentridge in 1929.

Ned Kelly, a bank robber who killed three policemen, evaded capture for nearly two years until he led his gang into a shootout in Glenrowan in norther Victoria State June 28, 1880. Three of four members of his gang were killed, but Kelly, wearing armor made from ploughshares was wounded and captured. Some in Australia view him as a modern-day Robin Hood.

His reputed last words on the gallows were, "Such is Life."

I've heard of him before when visiting Australia. Interesting character.

Have Mercy on Those Robbing Bones. --Da Coot

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