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Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission evidence
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== The Royal Commission evidence for 21/6/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 21/6/1881|day 32]])
[[../../people/peA/armstrongHPC.html|'''Const Henry Armstrong''']] ''''''giving evidence''''''
<span id="rc12268">[[#rc12268|12268]]</span> Were you selected on your entrance into the police for special service?— Yes.
<span id="rc12269">[[#rc12269|12269]]</span> What was it?— I was told off for cab duty after I joined; that is a privilege, and then; I was told off for plain-clothes duty with Sergeant Dalton.
<span id="rc12270">[[#rc12270|12270]]</span> That was amongst the criminal classes in Melbourne , Little Bourke street and those streets?— Yes, and general duty.
<span id="rc12271">[[#rc12271|12271]]</span> Here is a [[Government and other documents|letter]] you have written to Mr. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]], 31st May 1881 , in which you write— “You also gave us instructions on that occasion to keep a vigilant guard or watch night and day, which order was also obeyed. A strict watch or guard would also have been kept by the men in Sherritt's but at the time of the murder, in accordance with your previous instructions, were it not that I had received orders from a person to the contrary.” Who was that person?— Detective [[Ward|Ward]].
<span id="rc12272">[[#rc12272|12272]]</span> “Who I suppose acted on the advice of your successor. Although no man looks on the conduct of the police at [[Sebastopol|Sebastopol]] in a worse light than I do myself, I think those who sent us there with improper instructions, namely, to keep no watch, immediately beside Byrne's, knowing [[Aaron Sherritt|Sherritt]] to be a marked man, made the first blunder and are not free from blame.” Why was he a marked man?— It was pretty well known he was in the employ of the police, and the shot fired over the hut would show be was a marked man.
<span id="rc12273">[[#rc12273|12273]]</span> Your officers had not told you of that at the time?— No.
<span id="rc12274">[[#rc12274|12274]]</span> Is that what you complain of–that you got no information?— Yes, I look on it as a general misfortune. It does not affect me; I will soon be where no one will know me.
<span id="rc12275">[[#rc12275|12275]]</span> Have you seen your record sheet?— No.
<span id="rc12276">[[#rc12276|12276]]</span> If you were in the same position again would you venture out under the same circumstances?— I believe I would, but I would be shot.
<span id="rc12277">[[#rc12277|12277]]</span> It is right to tell you that your record sheet, from all your officers, speaks in the highest terms of your courageous conduct. You were one of the party going to search [[Rat's Castle|Rats' Castle]]?— Yes.
<span id="rc12278">[[#rc12278|12278]]</span> Were you aware how many were at Wangaratta on duty when you left it?— I could not say.
<span id="rc12279">[[#rc12279|12279]]</span> Were you in Sergeant [[Steele|Steele]]'s party?— Yes, I was always with Sergeant Steele.
<span id="rc12280">[[#rc12280|12280]]</span> Was it your impression that those were the traces of the Kellys at the time at the bridge?— Yes, I am thoroughly confident they were, but we were not going to Rats' Castle at that time–we were going round to beat the ranges.
<span id="rc12281">[[#rc12281|12281]]</span> Did you feel you were justified in going away from the tracks?— I did not hear what instructions Sergeant Steele got from Constable [[Const Twomey|Twomey]] at the time.
<span id="rc12282">[[#rc12282|12282]]</span> We have it in evidence that Mr. Sadleir gave the instructions?— Yes, he did, to go round to [[Yackandandah|Yackandandah]] the ranges, but Twomey gave those instructions to Steele at Wangaratta, in the train.
<span id="rc12283">[[#rc12283|12283]]</span> Steele has said that, although he was on other duty, and could not turn round, he stated there was nothing to prevent him going?— Well Sergeant Steele, I think, would hardly like to disobey Mr. Sadleir's instructions, I fancy. I could not give any other opinion on that. He was in charge of the party, and he thought he was justified in going on.
<span id="rc12284">[[#rc12284|12284]]</span> You do not think it was an act of cowardice?— By no means; Steele is the wrong mark for that; in fact, I have noticed no cowardice. Any of the constables would have been only too glad to meet the Kellys on equal terms.
''The witness withdrew.''
''Adjourned to Tuesday next at'' ''Eleven o'clock'' ''.''
[~[[see report of proceedings 21/6/1881]|6315]~]
'''See next day'''
'''[[Royal Commission report day 33 page 1|28/ 6/1881]]''' ....
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[[Royal Commission report day 32 page 12|previous page]] / [[Royal Commission report day 33 page 1|next page]]
== The Royal Commission evidence for 21/6/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 21/6/1881|day 32]])
[[../../people/peA/armstrongHPC.html|'''Const Henry Armstrong''']] ''''''giving evidence''''''
<span id="rc12268">[[#rc12268|12268]]</span> Were you selected on your entrance into the police for special service?— Yes.
<span id="rc12269">[[#rc12269|12269]]</span> What was it?— I was told off for cab duty after I joined; that is a privilege, and then; I was told off for plain-clothes duty with Sergeant Dalton.
<span id="rc12270">[[#rc12270|12270]]</span> That was amongst the criminal classes in Melbourne , Little Bourke street and those streets?— Yes, and general duty.
<span id="rc12271">[[#rc12271|12271]]</span> Here is a [[Government and other documents|letter]] you have written to Mr. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]], 31st May 1881 , in which you write— “You also gave us instructions on that occasion to keep a vigilant guard or watch night and day, which order was also obeyed. A strict watch or guard would also have been kept by the men in Sherritt's but at the time of the murder, in accordance with your previous instructions, were it not that I had received orders from a person to the contrary.” Who was that person?— Detective [[Ward|Ward]].
<span id="rc12272">[[#rc12272|12272]]</span> “Who I suppose acted on the advice of your successor. Although no man looks on the conduct of the police at [[Sebastopol|Sebastopol]] in a worse light than I do myself, I think those who sent us there with improper instructions, namely, to keep no watch, immediately beside Byrne's, knowing [[Aaron Sherritt|Sherritt]] to be a marked man, made the first blunder and are not free from blame.” Why was he a marked man?— It was pretty well known he was in the employ of the police, and the shot fired over the hut would show be was a marked man.
<span id="rc12273">[[#rc12273|12273]]</span> Your officers had not told you of that at the time?— No.
<span id="rc12274">[[#rc12274|12274]]</span> Is that what you complain of–that you got no information?— Yes, I look on it as a general misfortune. It does not affect me; I will soon be where no one will know me.
<span id="rc12275">[[#rc12275|12275]]</span> Have you seen your record sheet?— No.
<span id="rc12276">[[#rc12276|12276]]</span> If you were in the same position again would you venture out under the same circumstances?— I believe I would, but I would be shot.
<span id="rc12277">[[#rc12277|12277]]</span> It is right to tell you that your record sheet, from all your officers, speaks in the highest terms of your courageous conduct. You were one of the party going to search [[Rat's Castle|Rats' Castle]]?— Yes.
<span id="rc12278">[[#rc12278|12278]]</span> Were you aware how many were at Wangaratta on duty when you left it?— I could not say.
<span id="rc12279">[[#rc12279|12279]]</span> Were you in Sergeant [[Steele|Steele]]'s party?— Yes, I was always with Sergeant Steele.
<span id="rc12280">[[#rc12280|12280]]</span> Was it your impression that those were the traces of the Kellys at the time at the bridge?— Yes, I am thoroughly confident they were, but we were not going to Rats' Castle at that time–we were going round to beat the ranges.
<span id="rc12281">[[#rc12281|12281]]</span> Did you feel you were justified in going away from the tracks?— I did not hear what instructions Sergeant Steele got from Constable [[Const Twomey|Twomey]] at the time.
<span id="rc12282">[[#rc12282|12282]]</span> We have it in evidence that Mr. Sadleir gave the instructions?— Yes, he did, to go round to [[Yackandandah|Yackandandah]] the ranges, but Twomey gave those instructions to Steele at Wangaratta, in the train.
<span id="rc12283">[[#rc12283|12283]]</span> Steele has said that, although he was on other duty, and could not turn round, he stated there was nothing to prevent him going?— Well Sergeant Steele, I think, would hardly like to disobey Mr. Sadleir's instructions, I fancy. I could not give any other opinion on that. He was in charge of the party, and he thought he was justified in going on.
<span id="rc12284">[[#rc12284|12284]]</span> You do not think it was an act of cowardice?— By no means; Steele is the wrong mark for that; in fact, I have noticed no cowardice. Any of the constables would have been only too glad to meet the Kellys on equal terms.
''The witness withdrew.''
''Adjourned to Tuesday next at'' ''Eleven o'clock'' ''.''
[~[[see report of proceedings 21/6/1881]|6315]~]
'''See next day'''
'''[[Royal Commission report day 33 page 1|28/ 6/1881]]''' ....
=== Previous page / Next page ===
<br />
{{MicroficheCopy}}<br />
'''The [[Royal Commission report day 31 page 1|previous day]] / [[Royal Commission report day 33 page 1|next day]] . . . Royal Commission [[Royal Commission Index|index]]'''
[[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:August 1621]] [[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:Commisioner Standish]] [[Category:history]]
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{{^|Original page location \documents\RoyalCommission\RC810621_32_13_12268.html}}
