The Argus at KellyGang 22/6/1881
The Police Commission were to have drawn up their progress report it Mr O'Connor this week, but they have postponed doing so until the arrival from Queensland of the official correspondence between Captain Standish, late chief commissioner of police, and the Queensland Government, as to Mr O'Connor. Captain Standish has declined to consent to the production of his private communications to the Queensland chief commissioner of police on tho same subject. When the expected correspondence arrives, the commission expect to be able to report not only as to Mr r O'Connor's fitness for the position which the Government propose to give him, but as to the charges he has made against Captain Standibh and others. The commission adjourned until next Tuesday.
THE POLICE COMMISSIONÂ
Tuesday, June 21
Present - Messrs Longmore (chairman), Graves , Anderson , Hall, and Fincham, MLA's , and Dixon and Levey.
At the request of Mr Dixon, who stated that be would be unable to attend the sittings this week, it was resolved that after taking the evidence of one witness, the commission should adjourn until next Tuesday.
A letter was read from Captain Standish in reply to one received from the secretary to the commission, stating that he had no objection to the official correspondence which had passed between himself and the Queensland Government in regard to Mr O'Connor being placed at the disposal of the commission, but that be would not consent to the production of the private correspondence.
A long letter was received from a prisoner at Pentridge named Baumgarten, making certain charges against a sub-officer of police, and offering to bring witnesses in support of his allegations. The secretary was instructed to obtain, if possible, further particulars.
Senior-constable Armstrong , one of the party of police in Aaron Sherritt's hut when the latter was shot, was next examined. He stated that if the party had been ready with their arms when Byrne shot Sherritt they might have stood a chance of mastering the outlaws. But they were not ready. Voices were heard outside the hut all night, especially at 4 o'clock am . At daylight witness went outside, but could see or hear nothing of the outlaws. Two other persons were believed to have joined or occasionally acted with the gang. The improper arrest of any of the sympathisers would be more likely to cause another outbreak than anything. The arrest of certain members of the Byrne family for the theft of Sherritt's saddle was a put-up case. None of the men in Sherritt's hut with witness considered it advisable to make a rush out when the outlaws were there. Some, if not all, would have followed witness had he rushed out, but he did not see his way clear to do so. Had a rush been made, he did not see how anyone would have escaped. At the back of the hut there was a number of deep holes made by diggers, down which anyone might have fallen. But for instructions to the contrary, witness would have stationed a sentry in a shed behind the hut. The party was not informed by Mr Hare that he had been warned by Jack Sherritt that the party would be surprised. One of the young Sherritts went to school with some of Mrs Byrne's children, and probably let his schoolfellows know that a party of police was stationed in Aaron's hut. One of the young Byrnes, a lad of 14, passed Aaron's hut going to school daily. Witness, at the time Aaron was shot, believed the outlaws were out of the country Aaron was not trusted by the outlaws after he refused to go to Jerilderie. The Byrnes bought a lot of cattle after the Jerilderie and Euroa robberies. Before those events they were very poor.
The commission adjourned until 11 o'clock next Tuesday morning.
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