In Ned Kelly’s footsteps: Tasmanian bushrangers Sutherland & Ogden

In 1883, Kelly Gang wannabes James Sutherland and James Ogden carried out their brief but bloody bushranging careers near Epping Forest, Tasmania. But they never achieved the same infamy as their hero Ned Kelly.

In the middle of the night, William Wilson and his wife Theresa were woken by the sound of stones hitting the roof of their small house in the north midlands of Tasmaina. But when William went outside to see what it was, he was shot. And so began a night of terror for the family as bushrangers James Sutherland and James Ogden shot at them, set their house on fire and dragged off their 11-year-old daughter.

Just two days later, they repeated their violent actions when they shot, then scalped, coachman Alfred Holman as he drove his lemonade cart along the main road. 

But it was a short-lived career as outlaws. They were arrested and sentenced to death.

While awaiting execution, the pair sang ballads about their idols, the Kelly Gang, and newspapers reported that it was their desire for the same kind of notoriety as Ned Kelly that had set them on the path to criminality.

But was that the only reason?

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