Royal Commission report day 5 page 8
The Royal Commission evidence for 30/3/1881
(see also introduction to day 5 )
Stanhope O'Connor giving evidence.
1185 He proceeded and entered the house?- He entered one door, I forget which door it was; it was not the room the Kellys were in, but the police-four constables-tried to burst open the door in the partition of the room in which the outlaws were, and I saw them try three or four times till the door gave way, and then only through the fire which had charred everything; it was like a seething furnace.
1186 Did the police follow the priest immediately?- Some men did through the way he went.
1187 Simultaneously?- Immediately after.
1188 Did the priest not first come out of the house and hold up his hand, signifying that all were dead, before the police entered?- No; he did it to the people, not to the police; he went in at the door and came out again, and held up his hand to the people. At the time he went into the room there were constables trying to burst the door of the closed portion of the house, and it gave way after three or four attempts; it fell in nearly burnt through at the time.
1189 And those police went up at the same time as the priest went?- Yes; immediately on his proceeding, Mr. Sadleir said, "Father so and so, if it is any one's place to go up, it is mine-stand back," and the priest went on, clapped by the people, and Mr. Sadleir said, "We must go on now," and we all went on, and then the whole crowd closed in round us when they saw us moving.
1190 What resulted from the priest's entrance; what was the next?- Nothing resulted.
1191 Did he communicate anything to the police after this?- Mr. Sadleir said to the priest as he passed through when he came out, "Did you recognize them"-the fire was so fierce we could not recognize a face when we looked in. He stated to the best of his belief he saw the two outlaws dead.
1192 Was that in the room where the police burst the door open?- Yes, the partition was burned down, which the police did not know, and the priest not knowing either, went in by a fluke through it.
1193 The priest did not know them?- Yes, he did. I suppose he did, that is what I understood from him.
1194 He was a priest from another colony just travelling through?- Well, I gave the description of it as far as I know, and it was this, to the best of his knowledge it was the two outlaws. I am only telling what I learned subsequently from Mr. Sadleir. The priest was occupied immediately after with this dying man Cherry.
1195 Was the hotel door standing open all the time, or how did it come open?- I cannot tell you, because after I left the front of the house I was very little engaged there. I saw no open door when I was in the front of the house. I cannot give any evidence on that. Up to the time I left the front of the house I do not think I went to the front again. I was round at the rear most of the time.
1196 Not between half past ten and the time the place was burned. You do not know when the door was opened?- No, I cannot say. The dead bodies of the two outlaws and of Martin Cherry the Chief Commissioner saw on the platform, and, after this conversation with Mr. Sadleir that I referred to above, we all got into the train, with the exception of a few men left on guard, and proceeded to Benalla. Captain Standish never as much as said "Thank you, Mr. O'Connor," or recognized me in the slightest way, except what I have referred to there; he just merely touched my hand. I went in and saw Mr. Hare on my arrival at Benalla.
1197 Where?- Into his bedroom; and his remark to me was- "Let bygones be bygones," and seemed very friendly disposed. I accepted his hand at once.
1198 Are you aware whether any civilians offered to enter the house before it was set fire to?- No, not to my knowledge; I cannot remember-certainly not; I think I would have remembered the circumstance if it had occurred.
1199 During the time you were serving under Mr. Hare, you had no quarrel in your capacity as an officer?- Not any at all, nobody could get on better than we did all the time we were together.
1200 Officially you agreed?- Officially and privately, until the time we had a private quarrel which I have previously spoken of. And then on Mr. Hare coming and assuming command again, we were officially on the most friendly terms. ...
Previous page / Next page
| ! | The text has been retyped from a microfiche copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. |
The previous day / next day . . . Royal Commission index
