Coo-ee is a regular column highlighting events in Benalla's history.
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The Benalla area is notorious for the misdeeds of the Kelly Gang – Ned, Dan and their mates.
However, the Kellys were not the only bushrangers operating in the Benalla area.
Before the Kellys, in May 1872, Henry Cook and Alfred De Bolereaux made their only foray into bushranging.
On a wintry evening as a carter was driving his team towards Winton on the main road between Benalla and Winton, the two sprang from behind a bush.
"Bail Up!" De Bolereaux yelled. "If you resist, you are a dead man."
He brandished a six-barrelled pepperpot pistol at the carter.
The carter named, in a delicious irony, Daniel Kelly, cried "Don’t shoot me with that iron."
He handed over his purse. De Bolereaux took the money out – nine one pound notes, a sovereign and three half sovereigns (totaling about $24).
He handed the purse and a cheque back to Kelly.
"Thank you. Now drive on," called De Bolereaux, obviously revelling in his role as bushranger.
Even at his trial, he laughed loudly when this evidence given against him.
Then, taking the reins of a horse held by Cook, De Bolereaux mounted and the two rode away.
By Monday, Ernest Flood and Patrick Mullane, two police officers from Greta, were hunting the two bushrangers in the bush towards the Glenrowan ranges.
Flood later harried the Kelly family and arrested a number of them.
Within 24 hours Flood and Mullane had arrested Cook and De Bolereaux at a bush camp about 7km from Greta.
The bushrangers were arrested and searched.
They were well supplied with ammunition, but only had one gun.
The two readily confessed.
They explained that they were broke and desperate.
They had not eaten for four days.
De Bolereaux denied that he had threatened Kelly.
Flood and Mullan received $10 each as a reward for their prompt capture of the bushrangers.
The court "rewarded" Cook and De Bolereaux with six years imprisonment.
Winton Rd seemed a popular spot for bushranging.
In 1888, eight years after the so-called "Kelly outbreak", William Phillips bailed up Edward Bain 5km from Benalla on the Winton Rd.
He demanded $1.50. No weapon was used.
Phillips held the horse’s bridle and would not let Bain continue until the money was paid.
When Phillips appeared on a lesser charge of demanding money with menaces in Benalla Supreme Court before Justice Webb, he admitted his actions.
"It was an act of drunken folly. I did not know what I was doing."
The judge gave a favourable instruction to the jury - If the jury found that Phillips was drunk without an intention to steal or frighten, they should find him not guilty.
Perhaps the jury felt sorry for him.
Despite Phillips’ confession, it came back with a verdict of not guilty.
Perhaps Phillips’ brush with the law frightened him or perhaps he gave up the drink.
He never came before a court again.
Edward Bain is buried in Benalla cemetery.
- John Barry, Coo-ee