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Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission evidence

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The Royal Commission evidence for 7/6/1881

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full text

(see also introduction to day 26)

Mr Carrington giving evidence

10091 Those blank sides are the chimney end?— One is the chimney end; they are both blank ends. They could come up this way, open out and take the house in front and rear—[pointing to the plan]—besides there was Kelly's armour on the platform. If it was good enough for him to face the police with, surely some one could have put it on and have gone in, besides with the knowledge that the only two left in the place were the youngest, and they were both cowed and frightened, and both in their armour.

10092 You make use of this expression in your letter to Mr. Hare, “Looking back on the past, I sincerely regret that you were wounded so early in the fray, as from that moment the police were virtually without a leader, as Mr. Sadleir did not take any active part outside to my knowledge”?— Yes.

10093 Is the evidence you have given now full information that you have as to the part he took or not?— Yes, that is all I know about it. You must remember all this time I was doing my own work,

10094 Have you now given full information to supplement that statement in your letter?— That is all I know about it. I never saw Mr. Sadleir outside on the field.

10095 Would you, with all you have heard since the date of this letter, write this letter in the same words again?— I would exactly.

10096 That letter was written solely in consequence of the letter that Mr. Hare wrote to you, conveying thanks for your action to him?— Yes, it was a reply to him. I did not answer it for a long time.

10097 Did you hear any remarks—you have stated that the men appeared without a leader; in your opinion—did you hear any remarks by civilians or police as to the want of a leader?— Well, the civilians round about were offering suggestions, and saying, “What a pity they do not do this or that, rush the hotel or do something.” I did not hear any remarks of the police about it. I left half an hour after the hotel was burned.

10098 From what you have seen, did you approve of that action of burning the hotel?— Certainly not—most ridiculous. I never heard of such a thing in my life. Of course I do not know much about military tactics, but it seemed to be almost as mad as sending for a cannon. If the police had joined hands round the hotel the outlaws could not have got away, they could have sat down on the ground and starved them out.

10099 Had you heard that day that some of the police had volunteered to rush the hotel?— Yes.

10100 Could you give the names of any?— No, I did not know the names of the police.

10101 As a matter of fact, was it known by spectators that the police were prepared to rush the hotel if they had permission from their superior officers?— Yes, it was thoroughly well known. The remarks of the civilians were all uncomplimentary to the police in that way.

10102 Did you hear any civilians say they were willing to do it?— I heard two or three working men say, “I would do it if I had some firearms myself. I would rush the hotel myself.”

10103 Did those uncomplimentary remarks apply to the police as policemen, or to the officers and ‑their discipline?— To the police generally—spoke of them as they, “Why do not they rush the hotel ?” “Why do not they put on the armour?” and so on.

10104 Did you form the conclusion at that time that there was a feeling of cowardice amongst the men as constables?— No, no cowardice amongst the men.

10105 No want of courage on the part of the men?— No, only they seemed not to know what to do next.

10106 Did it strike you as a lack of supervision?— Yes.

10107 The want of a head?— Yes. It seemed to me that some of them would have liked to rush the place, but thought if they did, perhaps they would have got a wigging from their superior officer when he came.

10108 Where were you when the house was set on fire?— At the railway gates.

10109 You saw the priest enter?— Yes, we ran over and were just behind him.

10110 You were at the station gate there—[pointing to the plan]?— This cross gate—the large gate.

10111 How near were the nearest persons to the hotel when the priest went in?— That is difficult to say—twenty or thirty yards.

10112 The priest went in the front door?— Yes, towards the front door. I am not sure whether he went in at the front door.

10113 Did you see him come out?— I do not think I did. We rushed up with the crowd. The first thing we saw was two or three men pulling the dead body of Byrne out, and I followed them to make a drawing of Byrne.....

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