Royal Commission report day 12 page 10
The Royal Commission evidence for 13/4/1881
(see also introduction to day 12)
[[../../people/peU_Z/wyattMag.htm|'Alfred Wyatt, P.M. giving evidence']]
2426 Will you tell us what you heard about that?— I heard that from Detective Ward or Detective Wilson. He told me the case of Miss Kelly, and, I think, one of the Lloyds being down for the purpose of getting ammunition of a particular sort from Rosier, the gunsmith. He (Rosier) immediately communicated with the police, and they made an appointment for them to come back, but they never did come back, and so gave the police the slip. I myself saw Kate Kelly and one of the Lloyds going about at the time; and it was in reference to my having seen them that I was told this.
2427 Did you hear whether the ammunition got up to them?— No; I never heard of any particular fact of that sort.
2428 Do you consider that the black trackers would be utterly useless in following these men, supposing they got on the tracks?— No; but I thought it useless for them to go out without definite information; to go out with definite information is a different thing. I have no doubt, from my observation of these men, in particular in the one case that came under my knowledge, that those Queensland trackers were highly efficient men, and that if a track were picked up by them, they would follow it as long as the most skilful man could; but to go out without knowledge of something definite in that country is like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay.
2429 But you say the men were so well mounted?— Those men could ride 70 miles in the day, but they could not go 70 miles a day straight on end. There is not room in the country, and therefore they could be followed up, even though a day had been lost in starting after them.
2430 I suppose you know a man on foot, if he got on a horse track he will follow the horse, and the horse has to give in first?— Well, that depends on various things.
2431 It is a matter of positive fact?— I have had a good deal of experience myself for a white man in tracking.
2432 By Mr. Sadleir. —Was there a railway telegraph office at Violet Town at the time of the Euroa robbery?— There was.
2433 Are you sure of that?— I am sure of that. I mean to say that the railway telegraph station man had his own line and his own means of communicating with his own authorities at Violet Town . I feel certain of that, but I will admit that there is no subject on earth on which I may not be a blunderer; but I believe there was a telegraph office there.
2434 By the Commission. —Is Violet Town nearer to Benalla than Euroa?— No; nearer to Euroa. It is 16 miles from Benalla to Violet Town ; 11 miles, I think, from Violet Town to Euroa.
2435 Was the line interrupted between Violet Town and Benalla?— No.
2436 By Mr. Sadleir. —At what hour did you first reach Violet Town after learning about the breaking of the wires?— At about 7.20 or 7.30.
2437 Why did you not send a message on to Benalla?— From where?
2438 From Violet Town?— I told the station-master to communicate with Melbourne , and that is all that I had an opportunity of doing.
2439 By the Commission. —How could he?— Around by New South Wales .
2440 By Mr. Sadleir. —Did you tell him to do so that way?— I am not certain of that.
2441 Or why did you not inform the police at that time in Violet Town itself?— If I had seen a policeman I would have done that, but I thought telling the station-master was all I could do, and communicating to Melbourne was all that could be done.
2442 How long did the train stop then?— Two or three minutes.
2443 By Mr. Hare . —You have said you think the plan adopted by Mr. Nicolson preferable to that by me?— Yes.
2444 Are you aware that I had as many agents nearly in my employ as ever Mr. Nicolson had?— No.
2445 Are you aware that those men were working for me in addition to our going about the country harassing those men — that I had men working in every part of the district privately?— My opinion is that the two systems are somewhat inconsistent.
2446 Were you aware of that fact — I had those two systems at work?— I was not.
2447 By the Commission— You have stated that the two systems, namely, surrounding the Kellys with spies so as to get information, and the other system of hunting them, are somewhat inconsistent?— Yes.
2448 Why?— Because the one system tends to scare, to alienate, and to drive away a good many of the people that you might rely upon for help.
2449 What is the other?— It relies on the chances of successful pursuit, speed, and the luck of picking up the truck, but that is always merely a matter of opinion to a person like myself, not so schooled in these questions as the police themselves.
2450 Were you often in conversation with Captain Standish, Mr. Nicolson, Mr. Sadleir, and Mr. Hare, at different times travelling backwards and forwards, as to making these men amenable to justice?— No doubt I was.
2451 Did you ever make suggestions to them as to the course they should take?— No, never.
The witness withdrew......
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