Royal Commission report day 48 page 20
The Royal Commission evidence for 1/9/1881
(see also introduction to day 48)
'Sup Francis Augustus Hare giving evidence'
16643 You knew how to communicate with them?— Yes; he told me all about the accounts of those agents, who consisted of Stevens at Glenrowan and Aaron Sherritt at Beechworth, and no one else was receiving pay.
16644 There were only two?— Only two receiving pay from the Government.
16645 Only two that were furnishing information?— Yes; that is all I know of, and the “Diseased Stock” agent. He used to get payment from me when he came in and gave information.
16646 You were complaining that Mr. Nicolson did not give you the names of the agents he employed, and afterwards you said he paid them all off, so that you could not get them?— Will you read what part you refer to?
16647 You spoke of one man,—“The principal agent employed by Mr. Nicolson I had appointed to meet me that morning. He was one who was considered the best man they had. After talking with him a few minutes, he positively refused to work for me, or have anything to do with me, although he had accompanied the police from Beechworth the previous day, for the purpose of having an interview with me”?— Mr. Nicolson said nothing about that agent to me.
16648 This man must have told you, because you said he was the principal agent?— I heard it from Mr. Sadleir and Senior-constable Kelly, and I heard that Mr. Nicolson made more of him than any other. His name was “Renwrick.”
16649 You do not consider he is one of the number that was left when Mr. Nicolson said to Mr. Sadleir, “Is there anything else”?— In all probability he spoke about “Renwick.”
16650 Can you state why this man refused to work for you?— I think I have stated in my evidence all about that.
16651 You do not impute anything to Mr. Nicolson about that agent?— No.
16652 You say, after that, that Mr. Nicolson had paid off all the agents he had employed—did you imply he had dismissed them all?— That refers to the telegram that be sent up to say no more payments for Tommy and his family.
16653 How many agents had you employed while you were up there after Mr. Nicolson left on the second occasion?— I had this man— “Diseased Stock”—who brought me information; I had Aaron Sherritt, and one Stevens, and a man I sent out to Glenrowan two or three days before the Kellys were captured.
16654 Were those all the agents that you had who had been formerly employed by Mr. Nicolson ,?— All, with one exception, but he had written up to say, “No more payments for Tommy,” consequently I had to take them on.
16655 How many did Mr. Nicolson discharge?— I do not know how many were in his payment up at Beechworth, but I told them to carry on. I think the whole of the Sherritt family and the old woman was paid for keeping up the thing. I took them all on, all that he had got rid of.
16656 You do not know how many Mr. Nicolson had?— No, I heard Mr. Sadleir say there were certain agents that they did not feel it was right to give over to me until they had consulted them, and Mr. Sadleir said he referred to the “Diseased Stock” man, and I never was made aware of that till I heard it here at the Commission.
16657 Was Wallace one of your agents?— No.
The witness withdrew.
Adjourned to Tuesday next, at Eleven o'clock .
[~[[see report of proceedings 1/9/81]|6517]~]
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