Royal Commission report day 8 page 12
The Royal Commission evidence for 5/4/1881
(see also introduction to day 8)
Francis Augustus Hare giving evidence
1549 Can you remember the direction you came back—started back to the station?— I fancy so; I am under that impression, but I will not be certain about it, that I returned the same way as I went. I will not swear to it. I did not get over a fence. —[The Commission directed that a plan of Glenrowan should be obtained.]
1550 Would you state to the Commission where the reporters were at the commencement?— Do you mean when I left the train?
1551 Yes?— On the platform of the station.
1552 Are you not aware they were in the carriage of the train with the windows barricaded with cushions?— I feel confident they were on the platform when I left.
1553 If any person in the train were on the platform, could he have seen me in the drain where you saw me coming back?— No, I do not think anybody could. The position, I may mention, there was a depression in the ground, and Mr. O'Connor was running with his head down and with his rifle in the direction I was coming from.
1554 Where was this, nearer the station or the platform?— As far as my memory serves me, about midway between the two.
1555 Not near where you were wounded?— Not within twenty or thirty yards. As I passed you called out, “The beggars have shot me in the arm,” and you continued running.
1556 In your opinion, that was a considerable time after you were wounded?— I fancy the men were firing five minutes, and I might have remained two minutes after speaking to Kelly from the time we started.
1557 By the Commission. —Did the police receive the information on the first occasion when this young fellow purchased the ammunition?— Yes, the detectives did in Melbourne , and we received it up the country.
1558 Was there any action taken then?—Yes, we searched. I was out on the search party, but Mr. Sadleir went himself to the railway station on that night, and there were two or three very strong sympathizers in the train, and he searched some of them in first-class carriages, one particular person and all her goods, and she was most indignant at it. She was a well-known sympathizer of the Kellys; and they searched every other carriage along the line, and no other trace was found.
1559 She is a person in business up there?— She was at that time.
1560 That was the first occasion on which this ammunition was obtained?— As far as my knowledge goes.
1561 Did the police give any information to the party who sold the ammunition as to how he was to act if those partied again visited him for the game purpose?— I cannot tell you; I was up the country at the time, and the information was given to the detectives at the time.
1562 Did they buy on more than one occasion at Rosier's?— I remember particularly, and I have an idea that there was information of a second occasion. I may say Rosier, from whom they bought the ammunition, gave information at once, as he had received instructions from the police to give information at once.
1563 Without that ammunition those weapons were valueless?— Yes.
1564 It struck me, if they did make a second visit, they might have been kept confined?— Even then we could not do anything. Tom Lloyd could go and buy ammunition as well as we could. The detectives were informed half-an-hour after it occurred, but they were outwitted in some way, and found nothing.
1565 You are aware that a large quantity of New South Wales notes were taken from Jerilderie bank at Jerilderie?— Yes.
1566 When you were on duty, from December to July, had you any information of notes being passed in large quantities that were in your opinion the stolen notes?— Yes, I am quite positive a bundle of notes to the amount of, I think, £30 or £40 was paid into the Wangaratta bank.
1567 Which bank?— I am not quite certain about that.
1568 Would you know it was the Bank of New South Wales?— I think it was. We got information of it—the police did—and we telegraphed over to Sydney to ascertain whether notes of the numbers of those that were paid into the New South Wales bank had been sent from Sydney to Jerilderie. The reply was “Yes” We then telegraphed to Jerilderie asking them whether they could say if notes of certain numbers had been paid out of the bank at Jerilderie, or were they portion of the stolen property. The reply was “We cannot identify them. We cannot say whether we paid them over the counter or whether they were stolen.” About a fortnight after this, I happened to go to try to get some information from the very man who paid them in. I said, “Where did you get those notes?” and he said, “Between ourselves, they accuse me of getting them from you.” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “They think I am giving you information, and that you give me notes, and the general opinion about the district is that you gave them to me.” It knocked me over, and I said, “You know yourself I did not give them to you,” and he said, “You know.” The man had them, and he would give no other information.....
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