Const Faulkiner

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Side of Authority
This page contains content from police and those who supported authority.
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Mounted Const A J Faulkiner

Meet the people of the KellyGang story

Importance of Const Alfred John Faulkiner 2784

Links to the KellyGang below, Early Years , Mansfield Murders , Sebastopol Cavalcade , Euroa Robbery , Jerilderie Robbery , Autum 1879 , Hare replaced by Nicolson , Spring 1879 Early 1880 , Ned Kelly's Trial , Royal Commission , Early service , Later service , Family ,

Links to the KellyGang

Early Years I have been with horses all my life Photograph Mansfield Murders 26/10/1878 I was stationed at Oakliegh before being sent up to Benalla on 28/10/1878 after the Mansfield Murders. I went up on the special train with Consts Kelly , Dakin and others.(RC5141)

I arrived at Wangaratta on 29/10 and went out with serach parties under Sgt Steele. The first party I went out with went up over the King River and arrived in Mansfield on 3/11/1878. From there we went to Benalla.

That night I caught the train to Beechworth. While passing through Wangaratta we heard that the KellyGang had gone into the Warby Ranges from Const Twomey. (RC5298)

Sebastopol Cavalcade 7/11/1878 When we arrived in Benalla there was a special police train there that took us to Beechworth.

We then searched the ranges into Yackandandah on 5/11/1878; and to The Gap on the 6th. On the 6th Sup. Sadleir met a large party of police at The Gap. (RC5662) (RC5697)

Very early on the morning of 7/11/1878 we met up with other police and moved from Beechworth to Sebastopol. There was about 40 mounted police. I thought AssCom Nicolson was in charge.

I was in the Warby Ranges with the hunt after the KellyGang for a short time (RC5756)

I was on the Upper Murray soon after this time (RC5311)

Euroa Robbery 10/12/1878

I was stationed on the Mitta Mitta River watching a bridge in January 1879 but soon asked to be relieved because ther was too much traffic. (RC5155). I was there at the time of the Euroa robbery.

I then spent some time in Rutherglen before I went back to Benalla on about 13/1/79

Sup Hare picked a group of really good horses and gave them to the best riders amongst the police, Const Canny, Lawless and myself. (RC1427)

I joined Sup Hare on search parties to the Warby Ranges. (RC5596)

Jerilderie Robbery I was at the River Murray when the Jerilderie robbery took place in February 1879. I returned to Benalla, and there joined Senior-Constable Mullane's party, and travelled some distance up the Murray, the other side of the Curryong. After some time we returned to Wodonga, after searching the place up there, when we heard of the Howlong wires being cut (RC5163)

I went out on search parties with Sup Hare and was out with parties most of the time

Whorouly Race meeting 3/1879 I attended the race meeting at Whorouly with other police in an attempt to try and catch the KellyGang. While Mr Hare thought he had a wonderful plan I am not convinced. This is what I told the Royal Commission, "I passed the remark to Senior-Constable Johnson that if this was the man we could consider the information a hoax either on the part of Sherritt or Byrne. I said it was not at all likely that a man twelve or thirteen stone weight was going to ride in a country hurdle race when Byrne and Hart had brothers of their own, good horsemen. I believe from the remark Mr. Hare made afterwards that Johnson must have told Mr. Hare what I had said."(RC 5312)

Later in about April or May I was out on a search party with Sup Hare. Two young fellows gave us some cheek and Mr Hare ordered that the boys be taken home. A short distance from home they were observed by their parents, who took one of the constables to be Ned Kelly and the other to be Steve Hart. The father called out for the constable whom he took to be Hart. He was in the waterhole, bathing, at the time (the old man was)-to come to him. (RC5234)

During that search with Consts Canny and Lawless, we found three or four saddles hanging up at a place near the Lloyd's home that had been recently uses, noticing they had surcingles on made by a saddler at Wangaratta. The person who occupied the place was a man with one hand, a bachelor, which clearly showed that he had not a use for four saddles. When the KellyGang was captured, and the horses and saddles brought to Benalla, I identified those saddles as the ones I had seen hanging up in the house near Lloyd's(RC5327)

See also (RC 1099) (FH) (FH)

I was out with a search party with Hare and Const Canny and I think Constable Lawless.

We came across a hut near Lloyd's, in the small bush paddock. No one was at home. We searched the place and found three or four saddles hanging up that had been recently uses, noticing they had surcingles on made by a saddler at Wangaratta. The person who occupied the place was a man with one hand, a bachelor, which clearly showed that he had not a use for four saddles. When the KellyGang was captured, and the horses and saddles brought to Benalla, I identified those saddles as the ones we had seen hanging up in the house near Lloyd's. (RC5327)see also (RC5312)

Hare replaced by Nicolson 2/6/1879 I was then in Benalla, up to the time of the Lancefield robbery (RC5239)

In July Ass Com Nicolson started regular rifle practice for the officers stationed at Benalla. See my scores (RC1014)

Cave Party 2/12/1879 -1/4/1880 I was a member of the Ass Com Nicolson's cave party to watch for the KellyGang at Mrs Byrne's home. I arrived there on 15/12/1879 (RC5248) See Also Const Alexander and (RC13588) (RC1717)

The instructions we received with reference to this duty were that four of us would be told off with Aaron Sherritt as a guide in watching the house (Mrs. Byrne's) at night-lime. If possible, we were to try to capture Byrne, to stick a handkerchief in his mouth and bring him in to Beechworth. We were to try to capture the others if they came to the place. I was introduced to people by Aaron Sherritts's wife as a friend from New South Wales. (RC5251)

We were required to confine ourselves to the cave during the day, and about whatever time it suited to go down to this house at night. We were boiling our tea with spirits of wine, so as to cause no smoke, and living on bread and fish.(RC5253)

After nine or ten days of that duty we would be relieved for four or five days, returning to Beechworth. The duty I had to undertake, when relieved from this cave duty for a few days, was-I was sent out a distance of about twenty miles all round Beechworth, serving summonses, attending inquests, and other police duty by myself. I got very close to the family and that concerned me. If I complained to my officers they might think it was cowardice on my part. At the same time I thought it was unfair to be sending me as a constable to a place where I was doing secret duty. I was at the cave duty from December 1879 to April 1880 and during the later period we were based in Aaron Sherritt's home. (RC5257)

We had a problem with our report of the incident to SConst Mullane on 2/4/1880.

I told Sup Hare 'Of course, if I am called upon to produce the document, I have the document in my possession, and can show it to the Commission with the minute upon it.' (RC1619) See text of my of 5/4/1880 (RC13858)

There were others besides the eight policemen engaged in the matter; there were men carrying food, and the whole of the Sherritt family, consisting of seven or eight daughters, -Sherritt himself and the whole family knew it, and they were in constant communication with Mrs.Byrne. They used to convey the provisions up to the cave, and with seven or eight girls, ranging from eighteen to six years old in constant communication with the Byrne family, how is it possible to know who it was divulged by. (RC1622) See also (RC5262) (RC5526) and the text of my reports at (RC5291) and at (RC5431). There is a big difference. See alo (RC12118) (RC13857)

Did I loose a letter? (RC12120)

Spring 1879 early 1880 I spent some time with the cave party watching Mrs Byrne's place. At the end was asked by SConst Mullane to put in a report. (RC13558)

Muallane and Det Ward had problems with my report and I produced another two. See the text of my third report of 2/4/1880. (RC5332) (RC5882) (RC5902)

I produced a report about some saddles found near Jacob Wilson's place but I don't know what happened to it. (RC5410)

On the 11/6/1880 Hare sent for Const Canny and me, and directed us to take a tour round the country, and see if we could not get some information of the outlaws. (RC5479)

On 16/6/1880 I wrote to Mr. Hare from Cotton-tree, that I and Const Canny had been informed, on good authority, that the KellyGang had been seen coming home frequently. (RC5480)(RCApp15)

I wrote again on 22nd, and 23rd June (RC5481)(RCApp15)

We had good information that the KellyGang were being supplied from a Chinese store on the Buckland Flat .

Const Canny and I went to the Chinamen's camp, and employed some of them to come and wash sheep. We asked them if they were not frightened of the KellyGang. One of them replied that they were too far away; he said that the KellyGang were getting their provisions from the Chinese store at the Buckland Gap, and had pack-horses to carry it away. He said they came down from the ranges, two at a time; this, he stated, they did frequently. We asked him why he did not tell the police. He replied that the police were too frightened to go near them. He asked us not to tell the police; that they had been threatened if they told the police they would be shot and then burnt. We told the Chinamen that we were living on the sheep station.

We then returned to Wangaratta, and, on 25/6/1880 and sent a telegram to Mr. Hare stating that we would be back to Benalla in the evening, and wished to see him. (RC5483) see also (RC5775)

I never heard about the possibility that the KellyGang might have armour. (RC5744)

I left Benalla at eleven a.m. on the morning of the 26th, and went by myself to see the Chinaman on 27/6/1880, and got all the information I required.(RC5484) (RC5672)

As I was returning to Benalla on the morning of the 28th, I was informed of the fight with the police and the KellyGang at Glenrowan. I reached Glenrowan that evening, and returned to Benalla in the same train that the same train that Ned Kelly and the body of Joe Byrne were brought down to Benalla. (RC5484) (RCApp15)

In about August I returned to my police station at Oakleigh until I was involved in transfering Ned Kelly up to Beechworth for his committal. (RC5487)

Reward Board

I applied for a reward but was not successful. (RC5798). The press thought that I did a good job (Herald4/7/1880) (Argus6/7/80)

Ned Kellys trial

On 1/8/1880 Sgt Steele, and Const Bracken and I were given the task of meeting the train at Newmarket Station in Melbourne and taking Ned Kelly up to Beechworth to attend my committal hearing. While he would not answer any questions he did talk as the train took him back to the scene of his many criminal deeds. (Argus2/8/80) see also (RC5855)

On the way up Ned Kelly expressed himself with reference to the police and the officers. He said if he had a tail (that is, a Chinaman's tail) he would go home to China, as one Chinaman was worth all the Europeans, and he would rather trust his life to them than any European living. From the manner in which he expressed himself with reference to the Chinamen, he clearly showed he had received some sympathy or assistance from them. (RC5488)

He then began to speak with reference to the officers

My application for a share in the reward was rejected by the Reward Board but later the decision was altered (Argus11/4/83)

Royal Commission

I gave evidence to the Royal Commission on 10/5/1881 (RC5141) and 11/5/1881 (RC5292)

See how my evidence was reported by the press (Argus11/5/81) (Argus12/5/81)

Sgt Steele accused me of having a go at him at the Royal Commission (RC8857)

Later Service

I was stationed at Oakliegh.

Family

wife ?... children ?.... home ?..

What happened to Const Faulkiner's family

KellyGang