The Police Enquiry Commission (06/04/1881)

Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 – 1929), Wednesday 6 April 1881, page 3

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THE POLICE ENQUIRY COMMISSION.

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(FROM OUR MELBOURNE CORRESPONDENT.)

Tuesday.

The sittings of the Commission were continued to-day. Mr Hare continued his statement, which was commenced on Friday. Amongst the papers handed over to him by Mr Nicolson there were, he thought, a dozen letters from the diseased stock man and other agents. There were letters also from Ned Kelly and Joe Byrne to — and Detective Ward, (These letters will be produced later on.) Before parties went out they would have to communicate with him, and get his permission to go out. Some of the men were taken specially because of their knowledge of the gang and country. Gave one man a discharge, so as to better find out information from the relatives of the outlaws. Also sent Constables Canny and Faulkiner about on squatters’ horses seeking for information. About three days before Sherritt was shot they came into Benalla with some most important information. He subsequently told witness that in conversing with a Chinaman one of the constables said: “The Kellys are out of the country. They have gone to California.” The Chinaman replied: “No fear; Kellys up at Buckland. They get supplies from Chinaman there. They come down from mountains often with pack horses for provisions. You not tell police, because Chinaman’s store be burnt down, and my garden be destroyed.” Further received information that the Kellys were dependent on their blood relations for provisions. Stationed parties at Sherritt’s, Mrs Hart’s, and Glenrowan police station. Orders were given to the men never to leave the places in the daytime. The police were in the hut when Sherritt was shot, and unfortunately they (the police) acted as they did. They ought to have died, or shot the Kellys. He did not agree with Captain Standish that they would have been shot. Believed the Kellys broke cover because their supplies had been stopped by the action of the police. Ned Kelly, from his conversation at Glenrowan, showed that he had a “down” on witness. Had an interview with Aaron Sherritt after he arrived at Benalla; met him with Ward. Witness said: “Aaron, I am sorry to see you have not worked well since I left the district; you have given dissatisfaction.” He replied that he could not work for “that cranky Scotchman, Mr Nicolson.” He used to lose his temper because, he said, Mr Nicolson distrusted him. He did not care to work for him. He said the outlaws were about still, and he wished to capture them. He was only sorry that witness had left the district. Beyond doubt the police would have them, as they were knocking about the district for some time. His mother and sisters had seen them there. This concluded the interview. Witness had some doubt about the way the men were doing their duty at Sherritt’s hut. Visited the hut in company with Detective Ward, and found that only Sherritt was watching. Had a long talk with Sherritt, who said that Constable Armstrong, the officer in charge of the party, was a good man. Witness asked Armstrong what would he have done if the outlaws came to the hut. He said he would shoot them dead. Sherritt seemed confident of success.

Witness here explained that the Outlaw Act was only enacted for one Parliament, and that Parliament was dissolved on the Saturday previous to the capture and destruction of the gang. He thought the four men in the hut were greatly to blame. They did not give information in Beechworth until 12 o’clock of the day after Sherritt’s murder. They should have done something more than they did. They appeared never to have fired a shot, but to have retired to the bedroom and remained there without doing anything. Did not know if they hid themselves under the bed. Believed that the gang did not know the police were in Sherritt’s hut. Witness then described the affair at Glenrowan, as already appears in his statement to the press. He then offered a few remarks about Mr O Connor’s evidence. He did not deny that Mr O Connor ordered the men to cease firing, but he (witness) also did so before. He quoted a paragraph from the Age to show that he fired a number of shots, and generally acted pluckily on the occasion of the fire. Witness next mentioned that at Mrs Byrne’s there was kept in training a grey mare, said to be for Joe Byrne. It was reported that this mare was taken out at two o’clock one morning, while the men were supposed to be watching the place. A constable reported this fact, and witness instructed the police in future to follow up such tracks. Witness then went back to the time of his return to Benalla. On that occasion he saw the diseased stock man. He told witness they were soon going to make a raid on a bank. He said there was no doubt they would wear armor, and that it was bullet proof. He could not say what bank they intended robbing. This man was a most respectable person. He was rather sanguine. The Kellys used to use the telegraphs in the same way as the police. On one occasion one of the sympathisers sent a message to Greta, telling someone to turn the bullocks out of the paddock. He highly complimented Mr Sadlier, who afforded him all possible assistance, although he thought it was a mistake for witness to relieve Mr Nicolson.

To Mr Graves: Heard that Tom Lloyd and Kate Kelly purchased ammunition at —s, in Melbourne, for the Kellys’ weapons. Mr Hare then gave a detailed account of the operations which led up to and resulted in the capture of Power, the bushranger. His remarks went to show that he had not been properly treated on that occasion. The Board then adjourned until to-morrow, when Mr Hare’s examination-in-chief will probably be concluded.