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04:04, 15 November 2015 Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission evidence
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== The Royal Commission evidence for 3/5/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 3/5/1881|day 14]])
'''[[Insp Wliiam Montfort|William Bradish Montfort sworn and examined.]]'''
<span id="rc3168">[[#rc3168|3168]]</span> ''By the Commission''. —What are you?— Inspector of police.
3169 Did you occupy any position in the North-Eastern district formerly?— Yes.
<span id="rc3170">[[#rc3170|3170]]</span> At what time?— I went to it in [[1854-1863 Events|1858]].
<span id="rc3171">[[#rc3171|3171]]</span> And remained how long?— Until 1867.
3172 What were you then?— Sergeant of police—superintendent's clerk.
3173 What station?— First at Benalla, then at Wangaratta.
3174 Did you know the police wants of the district intimately when you were up there?— Yes.
<span id="rc3175">[[#rc3175|3175]]</span> The nature of crime in the district and the criminals—the district generally?— The lower part of what is now called the North-Eastern district; it was then the Benalla district.
3176 Did you know the Kelly country?— Yes.
<span id="rc3177">[[#rc3177|3177]]</span> And the [[KellyGang|Kellys]]?— Yes.
3178 And their friends?— Yes.
3179 Have you any idea what led up to the break-out of the Kellys?— Only from hearsay.
<span id="rc3180">[[#rc3180|3180]]</span> Yes; but would the district have been safer under any other conditions than that in which it was when the outbreak took place?— I think so, decidedly.
<span id="rc3181">[[#rc3181|3181]]</span> Will you state your opinions?— I think from what I have heard—I do not know the strength of the various stations—but I heard the number and the strength of the police at the stations was reduced, and the number of stations was reduced, and that pressure thereby was taken off the criminal classes.
3182 You mean supervision?— Yes.
3183 Do you mean supervision or pressure?— Supervision in the same sense as pressure.
<span id="rc3184">[[#rc3184|3184]]</span> What stations were done away with?— The [[Glenmore Run|Glenmore]] station, for example.
3185 Who was responsible for doing away with those?— That I cannot say of my own knowledge; of course I can form an opinion.
<span id="rc3186">[[#rc3186|3186]]</span> What is your opinion. Were you the superintendent's clerk at [[Wangaratta|Wangaratta]] when it was done away with?— No, sub-inspector of police at [[Melbourne police Head Quarters|Melbourne]]. I opposed its being done away with every time it was hinted at.
3187 For what reason?— Because I think the station was one of the most important in the district.
<span id="rc3188">[[#rc3188|3188]]</span> Why?— To keep down horse and cattle stealing, and the free passage of the criminal class, the Quinns and Kellys and their associates, backwards and forwards from Mansfield .
<span id="rc3189">[[#rc3189|3189]]</span> Were there any other stations reduced in strength?— I believe the [[Greta|Greta]] station was reduced.
<span id="rc3190">[[#rc3190|3190]]</span> When was the Glenmore station done away with—what year?— I cannot tell; I was in the station at Melbourne at the time.
3191 Was it before the shooting of [[Fitzpatrick|Fitzpatrick]]?— Yes, decidedly.
3192 Years before?— Yes, I think so.
<span id="rc3193">[[#rc3193|3193]]</span> Was it after [[Harry Power|Power]] was caught?— It was established in consequence of that being Power's head-quarters.
3194 You said you opposed it on all occasions?— Yes.
3195 What was the nature of the opposition you offered?— My advice.
<span id="rc3196">[[#rc3196|3196]]</span> To whom?— Superintendent Barclay, who was in charge of the Ovens district.
<span id="rc3197">[[#rc3197|3197]]</span> Was he in a position to accept or refuse your advice?— Decidedly he was; it was he who recommended its abolition.
<span id="rc3198">[[#rc3198|3198]]</span> On what grounds?— I do not know. Ostensibly the ground was, as well as I can remember (the report is now in the Chief Commissioner's office), that it was not needed, that it was a loss of power having men where there was no population.
<span id="rc3199">[[#rc3199|3199]]</span> His report would be forwarded to the Chief Commissioner of Police?— I saw it. I read it and reported on it, and my report is no doubt attached to it. It was in 1872, about the month of March or April.
3200 That it was abolished?— No; that I had to report on it.
3201 Were you the officer there?— Yes, sub-inspector of police.
3202 That was after Power's capture?— Yes. I was promoted after that.
<span id="rc3203">[[#rc3203|3203]]</span> For the reason that Power was captured—was that one of the reasons given for abolishing it?— Oh, no. It was established in consequence of Power having established himself there. It was considered by Mr. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]] and Mr. [[Hare|Hare]], who were there, and had to do with the capture of Power, advisable that a police station should be placed there for the express purpose of preventing what I have already stated, the free movement of criminals. It was abolished in direct opposition, I believe, to the officers who originally had established it. I had the station erected by direction of Messrs. Nicolson and Hare.....
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