The Jerilderie Letter [Dictated to Joe Byrne in 1879

Dear Sir,

I wish to acquaint you with some of the occurrences of the present past
and future. In or about the spring of 1870 the ground was very soft a
hawker named Mr Gould got his waggon bogged between Greta and my mother's
house on the eleven mile creek, the ground was that rotten it would bog a
duck in places so Mr. Gould had abandon his waggon for fear of loosing
his horses in the spewy ground. he was stopping at my Mother's awaiting
finer or dryer weather Mr. McCormack and his wife. hawkers also were
camped in Greta the mosquitoes were very bad which they generally are in
a wet spring and to help them Mr. Johns had a horse called Ruita Cruta
although a gelding was as clever as old Wombat or any other Stallion at
running horses away and taking them on his beat which was from Greta
swamp to the seven mile creek consequently he enticed McCormack's horse
away from Greta.

Mr. Gould was up early feeding his horses heard a bell and seen McCormack
horses for he knew the horse well he sent his boy to take him back to
Greta. When McCormack's got the horse they came straight out to Goold and
accused him of working the horse; this was false, and Goold was amazed at
the idea I could not help laughing to hear Mrs. McCormack accusing him of
using the horse after him being so kind as to send his boy to take him
from the Ruta Cruta and take him back to them.

I pleaded Goulds innocence and Mrs McCormack turned on me and accused me
of bringing the horse from Greta to Goolds waggon to pull him out of the
bog I did not say much to the woman as my Mother was present but that
same day me and my uncle was cutting calves Gould wrapped up a note and a
pair of the calves testicles and gave them to me to give them to Mrs
McCormack. I did not see her and I gave the parcel to a boy to give to
her when she would come instead of giving it to her he gave it to her
husband consequently McCormack said he would summons me I told him
neither me or Gould used their horse.

he said I was a liar & he could welt me or any of my breed I was about 14
years of age but accepted the challenge and dismounting when Mrs
McCormack struck my horse in the flank with a bullock's skin it jumped
forward and my fist came in collision with McCormack's nose and caused
him to loose his equillibrium and fall postrate I tied up my horse to
finish the battle but McCormack got up and ran to the Police camp.
Constable Hall asked me what the row was about I told him they accused me
and Gould of using their horse and I hit him and I would do the same to
him if he challenged me McCormack pulled me and swore their lies against
me I was sentenced to three months for hitting him and three months for
the parcel and bound to keep the peace for 12 months.