The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (30)

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CHAPTER V1

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On November 6th a report came to the police headquarters that the Kellys had been seen near Sheep Station Creek, near Sebastopol.  Next day Captain Standish, Chief Commissioner of Police; Supt CH Nicolson, assistant CC of police; and Supt J Sadleir went to Beechworth, and with a party of police and civilians, all mounted, and numbering about fifty, intended to sneak noiselessly upon the outlaws, and take them asleep in one of the houses in the vicinity.

In giving his evidence on oath in reference to this incident, Supt CH Nicolson said: “Capt Standish and Mr Sadleir were very much engaged in talking.  I could not hear what they said, there was a confounded noise.  I saw the men riding together, and I devoted myself to knocking the men into some order.  I went to the various sub-officers and asked, ‘Where are your men?’ and I said, ‘Keep them together.’ That is how I occupied myself.” (RC388)

Question— “You desire us to understand that you were interfered with, and men brought there without your knowledge who should not have been?”

Supt Nicolson: “No, I merely mention that as an instance.  I am coming to something more important.  I have been attacked about this, and I intend to tell you what I saw.  We then came to a hut called ‘Sherritt’s,’ and, as related by Captain Standish, the hut was empty.  I would not mention such a thing as I am going to mention except that insinuations had been made that I had almost avoided meeting the Kellys—it was insinuated yesterday.  I knew nothing about what was going.  I was riding by myself with two or three men near me, when Mr Sadleir came up and said to me: “Now, Mr Nicolson, this is the house of the Sherritts.  You will do this and you will do that, and the outlaws are said to be here.” I turned to Mr Sadleir and said: ‘You send some men into that paddock, and see the men do not escape by the back’, and said to two or three men about me (mentioning their names), ‘Come along with me’.  And I galloped with those men to the hut at full speed.  I found the cavalcade was very noisy—we were expecting to get these men asleep—and called to the men to come with me, and I galloped to the front.” (RC389)

Question— “Were you under his (Captain Standish) control, or were you not?”

Supt Nicolson: “I received no instructions from Captain Standish.” (RC394)

Question— “Who was in charge - you, Captain Standish, or Mr Sadleir on that morning?”

Supt Nicolson: “I never thought of taking charge.  I left the matter with Captain Standish and Mr Sadlier.”(RC397)

Question— “Was Mr Sadlier in charge up to that point?”

Supt Nicolson: “Yes.  I did not interfere with him, as this was his information that we were out upon.” (RC398)

Question— “At what distance could a man have heard the noise of the police you spoke of?”

Supt Nicolson: “One man told me afterwards that he heard us a mile away.” (RC404)

Question— “Did this whole body of men remain after you searched the hut?”

Supt Nicolson: “After searching three huts the men dispersed.” (RC407)

.          .          .          .          .          .

This ended the fiasco which was known afterwards as “Rat’s Castle” or “The Charge of Sebastopol.”

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This document gives you the text of this book about the KellyGang. The text has been retyped from a copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. We also apologise for any typographical errors. JJ Kenneally was one of the first authors to tell this story from the KellyGang's point of view