Ned Kelly

Ned Kelly is the most famous of all Australian bushrangers. He was born in the Glenrowan area in 1855 and at age 15 had his first altercation (ссора) with the police. He was charged with helping bushranger Harry Power during robberies.

Shortly after, he was sentenced (приговорен) to 6 months hard labor for assault (нападение).

After his release (освобождение), he got a job working in a sawmill (лесопилка) and stayed out of trouble for a time. He developed a reputation as a rider and boxer during this time, and seemed to have learned his lesson well.

When the saw mill closed in 1876 he was accused of stealing a bull, and soon became a target of the police who took out their frustrations on his female relatives. Kelly's resentment (возмущение) of this harassment grew and he developed a hatred for the police, which lasted through his short lifetime.

Over the next few years the police tried many times to gain evidence on Kelly to get him behind bars (за решетку) until, on the 20^th of June, 1880, Kelly with a gang comprised of his brother and others, attacked Glenrowan, cutting the telegraph wires. In the ensuing (последовавший) gun battle with police Kelly was shot in the knee and captured. On 11 November 1880, at the age of twenty-five, he was hanged in the Melbourne jail. His last words were " Such is life ". Some 4, 000 Melbourne people attended the hanging.

The suit of armor (доспехи, латы) which Kelly designed to protect himself in gun battles with police is now a part of Australian folklore. It comprised an iron helmet, something like an inverted bucket, with a slit (щель) for the eyes to see through.

Ned Kelly is an integral part of Australian folklore and expressions like " As game (храбрый) as Ned Kelly" have become part of the language. A statue of Ned Kelly wearing his famous armor will be found in the town of Glenrowan. He is buried in the Old Melbourne Jail.