Following Ned's arrest, Kate would often attempt to visit him in prison, as well as raising money for legal fees. She joined the Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment, which campaigned for Ned's death sentence to be changed. Kate collected signatures for a petition of clemency and later presented them with a personal appeal to the Governor, the Marquis of Normanby. Despite the huge public outcry and vast mass public street demonstrations, all appeals for clemency for Ned Kelly were refused. Ned was hanged on 11 November 1880. The night before the execution a visibly affected Kate Kelly appeared in a public silent vigil.