Royal Commission report day 12 page 14

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The Royal Commission evidence for 13/4/1881

(full text transcription)

(see also introduction to day 12)

Superintendent Sadeir giving evidence

2519 Had you authentic information as to the whereabouts of the Kellys?— I think there was very late information about them at that time.

2520 You had seen the “stock inspector’s” letters?— I had seen them.

2521 Was Mr. Hare made aware of all this? This person referred to had several communications before this time, and after. Some of them were very long dated, and I do not suppose those were brought under Mr. Hare's special notice. They had passed and gone, and were out of date, several of his communications. Mr. Nicolson left Benalla that evening by train, and that was his last appearance in the district.

2522 What time was this?— The first interview between Mr. Hare and Mr. Nicolson was about half-past eleven or twelve.

2523 What was the latest time at this particular interview—was Mr. Nicolson at the office?— I think they were both in and out of the office until luncheon time—until one.

2524 What time did Mr. Nicolson leave?— By the six o'clock train.

2525 What time was the last official communication?— The communications did not last long; they were over before that time.

2526 What do you mean long?— Perhaps half-an-hour or twenty minutes' talk between them, more or less. It took about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes to relate the different matters between them.

2527 Were the documents all there?— Some of the most important of the secret ones were in the drawer, and that was drawn open by Mr. Nicolson. They were filed together and handed to Mr. Hare just as they were, as all the contents were named, as you would form an index or catalogue.

2528 The contents would be on the back of the letter?— Well, I found them later so. I think they were endorsed with the informant's name— “Communication from so-and-so and so-and-so” —but the contents were not shown on the back. There was a much larger correspondence on the shelf in the corner of the room. That was what had been mostly dealt with in the past, and extended over the whole time from October 1878 to this date.

2529 Whose office was that?— Mine, but it was used by them.

2530 Is it your office now?— Yes.

2531 Was it used by Captain Standish?— Yes.

2532 It was the Superintendent’s office?— Yes, and is now, but it was used by all those officers in charge at the different times.

2533 Did Mr. Nicolson explain the whole matter to Mr. Hare so as to give him an idea how to go to work?— Mr. Nicolson, without any reserve that I could see (and I knowing the whole business and looking on), explained the whole matter to Mr. Hare.

2534 In about 25 minutes?— A quarter of an hour to twenty minutes.

2535 That is what you may call the salient points of the matter, and he asked had he forgotten anything?— Mr. Nicolson asked me if I remembered anything else, if he had forgotten anything.

2536 Did he say if he had forgotten you were to tell him?— I would have told him, no doubt, if he had forgotten anything. I should not have allowed Mr. Nicolson to go away without giving Mr. Hare all the information that was necessary.

2537 Do you believe you had as much information as Mr. Nicolson of what was passing?— Yes.

2538 Had you access to all the papers?— Yes, I had access to all the papers.

2539 Did Mr. Nicolson keep any document from you?— I have not the slightest suspicion he ever did.

2540 Did he give full information of everything?— I am sure he did, he has always assured me he gave me everything.

2541 Did you actually know where the Kellys were at that time?— I am pretty sure we had information that they had appeared a week before that in the neighborhood of Beechworth, but I am speaking from recollection. If you like I will refer and make it sure—[the witness referred to his papers]. —yes, we had information that they had appeared in the Beechworth neighborhood. I mean somewhere near Sheep Station Creek.

2542 About Byrne's house?— Yes, Byrne's or Sherritt's; I forget which now.....

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