AH FOOK. 1869

Ned's first brush with the law.

It is alleged that Ned found his sister Annie in an argument with a Chinese man
named Ah Fook. Apparently Fook visited the Kelly house to get a drink. He may
have wanted alcohol, or simply water. However he was offered creek water.
He argued with one of the Kelly girls causing Ned to intervene. The Chinaman
accused Ned of robbing him of ten shillings, however it was later shown that he
still had the large sum of twenty five pound in his boot after this so-called robbery.

An interesting fact was that Ah Fook had been held up by Harry Power six
weeks earlier.
Was young Ned involved with Harry at this stage and seen by Fook?
Maybe Ned was on a 'work experience' day.

There were now several firsts to come for Ned. It was the first time he had been 
called a 'bushranger' (by Ah Fook), it was his first appearance in the press 
(Benalla Ensign, who reported this episode) and his first stint in a lock up.

On October 26th 1869 thanks, perhaps to the many witnesses (including family) 
Ned could muster, and the lack of witnesses for Fook, Kelly was acquitted of the
highway robbery of Ah Fook.