Kingston records (regionally related)

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Kelly the Sympathizer.

Another of these outlaws Kelly by name, alias Berth alias Millis an Irishman by birth who left his native country at a very early period sometimes canadian sometime yankee, possessing all the idle habits of a border smuggler. At the breaking out of the rebellion in 1837 bands of such men associated themselves together, took advantage of the times invaded Canada, where they indulged in the most cruel hostility and robbery towards the peaceable unoffending inhabitants, with a malevolence and complete disregard to all the ties of that moral feeling, and a bitter contempt for those institutions which bind mankind and civilized nations together

It was amongst the labyrinth of the thousand Islands that this brigand associated himself with the notorious Bill Johnson, a sketch of whose (life) character has been given in the preceeding chapter where they contrived and concerted their schemes of plunder and divided the spoil of their nocturnal robberies concealed and protected by the mazy intricacies of these woody isles. The lawless and outrageous conduct of these reckless men knew no bounds encouraged and excited by the disaffected they rose the Standard of independence proclaimed liberty and freedom in Canada where they were upheld by the rebels as patriots, whilst on the American border they were lauded as sympathizing brethren ready to shed the last drop of their blood in the

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cause of Canadian freedom and American independence.

Sheltered under the laws of neutrality like his confrere Johnson settled at French Creek so Kelly established himself at Goosebay on the American soil in one of the beautiful deep inlets of the thousand islands immediately opposite to Grenadier island situated on the British side.

There resided on this island Mrs. Millis the widow of a Canadian farmer whose husband had left her in the possession of a well cleared cultivated farm. Kelly found it actually necessary the better to carry on his deep schemes to have a friend in whom he could repose the most implicit confidence whose friendship might assist him in his conspiracies, afford him shelter in the day of difficulty, and the hour of need, Like Johnson he had no daughter to assist him in faithful duty and obedient service, still he felt the want of such a friend, And where was such a friend to be found, but in the possession of a female heart. One that would be alive to all his interest and enter into all his plans Could he find such a friend in the bosom and fidelity of the widow Millis? He feared in answer to this question that his own deformity and hideous countenance would be a bar to his suit

The most superficial observer would at first glance proclaim Kelly a bandit, In person he was tall and though slight in make there was a firm and sinewy toughness about his limbs.

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in a Canoe.

Her establishment consisted in the vassalage of two young labourers employed on the farm and a young female who acted in the double capacity of humble companion and assistant in the menage unlike most of the settlers in the back woods she had received a tolerable education which was sadly misplaced from a total want of that moral instruction and religious restraint the absence of which too frequently causes these people to indulge in wild misrule anarchy and crime.

The hostile excursions and robberies of Kelly were contrived and concerted with so much cunning as heretofore to baffle every search and effort made for his seizure. His wife had all the while been permitted to remain in the undisturbed possession of her house and farm occasionally visited by her husband, who was watched as well as the thinly peopled and disaffected state of the district would permit. The well known desperate character of this mercenary and unprincipled villain with his threats and determination to murder any person who endeavoured even to thwart his views so intimidated the constables and others in the vicinity on the Lake Shore, that they were actually afraid to approach the islands contiguous to his locality.

On the occasion of his robbing the Mail he seemed to lose sight of all his usual precaution and cunning. Having bought a number of cattle from the farmers of the island for the purpose of

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transporting them to the states for sale, the purchase money was paid in Bank notes he had abstracted from the letter bags. The dates and numbers being known the parties presenting them became implicated in the robbery so far as the act of uttering went. The notes were handed over to the Bankers by the venders. The sale became void, and the farmers refused to give up the Cattle to Kelly who thereupon became furious, threatning death and destruction to the persons and property of any one who dare oppose his removing them.

On Government receiving information that it was the intention of a band of villains to seize the cattle and remove them from the island by force, application was made to Captain Sandom Commanding the Naval establishment for assistance.

One of Her Majesty's Schooners was despatched to the thousand islands for the protection of the inhabitants and by means of armed Boats to scour the Lake and use all means for his apprehension, at the same time directing the Officers not to infringe upon the American waters, and on no account to attempt to pursue him towards that shore.

Lieutenant Mc.Clure anchored his vessel close in to the westermost point of Grenadier Island whilst Willoughby the other Officer proceeded to the Easternmost where he established a bivouac on the island in a commanding position which offered a good sweep for his twelve pounder over the surface of the Lake. Every suspicious Boat that approached

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the Island was watched and overhauled and a look out sentinel kept up day and night. On three different occasions Willoughby gave close chase frequently exchanging shot, but the robbers six oared skiff was so much lighter consequently pulled so much faster, that he invariably made his escape to the opposite shore evidently with the intention of drawing the young Officer in the ardour of his pursuit into the bush where a party of armed (men) ruffians were lying in wait, ever alert to the movement of their chief and from where they occasionally discharged their rifles on the British Boat as it retired from the chase. The Officer frequently felt much inclined to follow up the chase on shore, but so imperative were the Orders he had received regarding the respect to be observed towards the American soil that he had the strictest injunctions in no instance whatever was the law of neutrality to be infringed and positively directing not even to seize Kelly in the American side of the waters of the St. Lawrence

Thus all the plans and ambuscades for his apprehension were utterly unsuccessful, the intricate windings and perplexing navigation of the wooded isles of the Lake favoured these perpetual escapes. He went about constantly armed with a double barrelled rifle, Pistols and bowy knife and notwithstanding the careful watch which was constantly kept he spread terror and dismay throughout the entire Island, He tried every ruse to induce the Officer to follow him into the