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Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission evidence
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== The Royal Commission evidence for 18/5/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 18/5/1881|day 22]])
'''[[SConst John Kelly|Senior-Constable John Kelly]] sworn and examined'''
<span id="rc7975">[[#rc7975|7975]]</span> ''By the Commission''— Where are you stationed?— At present stationed at Terang. If you produce the record-sheet I could tell you all the dates. I have been in the service twenty years in January last.— [ ''The record-sheet was handed to the Chairman by the Secretary''.]
<span id="rc7976">[[#rc7976|7976]]</span> What is your object in desiring to have the record-sheet here?— Just to show my previous service, what I have done.
<span id="rc7977">[[#rc7977|7977]]</span> Just for the Commission to inspect it?— Yes, for the information of the Commission. I was stationed about nine years and a half at Ararat, and Beautort about five years, and there I was doing plain-clothes duty through the district. In October 1871 I was transferred to Melbourne to the detective office. I applied afterwards, after a month or so there, to go back to the general service; as I was a stranger in town and to all the criminal class, it would take me some time to learn and find them out. I was transferred then by Mr. [[Hare|Hare]] from the depot to [[Dandenong|Dandenong]].
<span id="rc7978">[[#rc7978|7978]]</span> What was the date of that?— I do not think that date is here. I was afterwards at Oakleigh for a short time. After about six or seven months at Oakleigh, Mr. Hare asked me would I come into the depot, to do plain-clothes duty for the district. I did. I have been engaged in two murder cases at Mornington, and I arrested Hastings, the second-last man that was hanged in Melbourne . In March 1877 I was transferred to Wood's Point to take charge of the Wood's Point station, and on the 23rd October 1878 I left Wood's Point, in charge of a gold escort, for Benalla. On the 24th I arrived at Mansfield , and the late Sergeant [[Kennedy Sgt|Kennedy]] met me at the coach. He told me in confidence he was going out after the Kellys. He asked me if I would let him have a rifle that Constable Horwood was going to take with him on the escort. I told him that as there was only the one rifle between us, it would be a very dangerous thing, but, after consideration, I said, “Get a second revolver and give it to Horwood,” and I said, “You can have the rife.” he said he had very good information. I also saw Constable [[Scanlon|Scanlan]] there that morning, who was afterwards shot by the outlaws. I arrived that evening at Benalla, and I got on the following day a week's leave to come to Melbourne . On Sunday night the 27th October 1878, about midnight, at the hotel, where I was staying—the Polo hotel, near the detective office—[[Police|Detective]] [[Hayes|Hayes]] was also staying there, and he was out on duty, he came in and he asked me, “Are you asleep, Kelly?” I said, “Is that you, Hayes?” And he said, “Kennedy, Scanlan, and Lonigan are shot.” So I said, “Come in and strike a match”; and I got up and sat upon the bed. I went next morning to the detective office. They had not any official report of it there. I also came to the Chief Commissioner's office. I believe it was between ten and eleven when the information came from Benalla.
<span id="rc7979">[[#rc7979|7979]]</span> Had they heard at the Commissioner's office then?— They had not in the evening. I then threw up my leave, and I went down to meet the train at three o'clock . I met Constable [[Const Faulkiner|Falkiner]], Constable [[Strahan|Strahan]], and Constable Dakin at the train, and Captain [[Standish|Standish]], and also Mr. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]]. He was going up in the same train. We arrived at Benalla about eight o'clock I think. The three constables with me had instructions to go on to Wangaratta. I came to Benalla, and Mr. [[Sadleir|Sadleir]] was absent at the time, I believe at Shepparton on some duty. There seemed to be no constable upon the station; the were all away that knew anything about the country.
<span id="rc7980">[[#rc7980|7980]]</span> Did you understand that they had gone out on the [[Police Search Parties|search]]?— Yes, I understood they were out. Senior-Constable James was brought down from Beechworth. He was supposed to know the bush. We started the following afternoon—Senior-Constable [[SConst James|James]], me, Constable Connor of [[Seymour|Seymour]], Constable [[Const Thomas Meehan|Meehan]], and a constable that died lately in Mr. Hare's district.
<span id="rc7981">[[#rc7981|7981]]</span> How many altogether?— Five. We went in the direction of the [[King River|King River]] , and we went through [[Greta|Greta]].
<span id="rc7982">[[#rc7982|7982]]</span> Who was the constable?—(''To Mr. Hare''.) —Do you remember who died lately in your district?
''Mr. Hare'' — Where at?
''The Witness'' — He was at the station, but he died out near Mr. Clarke's. I think he was a fine shooter and a good policeman.
''Mr. Hare'' — Bray. He died up at Trentham.
''The Witness'' — We were making for [[Moyhu|Moyhu]], but it got very dark and commenced to thunder and lighten about four miles on the [[Boggy Creek|Boggy Creek]]. We had to camp there, and it was raining all night.
<span id="rc7983">[[#rc7983|7983]]</span> Had you any accommodation at all—tents?— No, we had no tents. I had no blankets. The rest of the men had a small blue blanket each—I had none. Next morning we noticed a light. I went towards it. I found it was a Mr. John [[Glenmore Run|Lewis's place]]. I told him we were police, and he got up and made a fire. We dried ourselves, and he got us some breakfast; and then we started towards Redcamp, on the [[Red Camp Station|Redcamp]] run. From there we went to Hedi. We stopped at [[Hedi|Hedi]] police station that night. There were no police there, they were away; at least the constable that was stationed there was away. We started up the King River on the following morning, and near [[Bungamara|Bungamara]] station I met the outlaws' uncle, [[Jack Quinn Jnr|Jack Quinn]], George Johnson, and a man of the name of Thomas, alias [[Bungamara|Galloping Jack]]. We had a conversation with them' and they told us they were looking for cattle. We stopped at Bungamara station that night, and met Sergeant Steele and some constables with him.....
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[[Royal Commission report day 22 page 1|previous page]] / [[Royal Commission report day 22 page 3|next page]]
== The Royal Commission evidence for 18/5/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 18/5/1881|day 22]])
'''[[SConst John Kelly|Senior-Constable John Kelly]] sworn and examined'''
<span id="rc7975">[[#rc7975|7975]]</span> ''By the Commission''— Where are you stationed?— At present stationed at Terang. If you produce the record-sheet I could tell you all the dates. I have been in the service twenty years in January last.— [ ''The record-sheet was handed to the Chairman by the Secretary''.]
<span id="rc7976">[[#rc7976|7976]]</span> What is your object in desiring to have the record-sheet here?— Just to show my previous service, what I have done.
<span id="rc7977">[[#rc7977|7977]]</span> Just for the Commission to inspect it?— Yes, for the information of the Commission. I was stationed about nine years and a half at Ararat, and Beautort about five years, and there I was doing plain-clothes duty through the district. In October 1871 I was transferred to Melbourne to the detective office. I applied afterwards, after a month or so there, to go back to the general service; as I was a stranger in town and to all the criminal class, it would take me some time to learn and find them out. I was transferred then by Mr. [[Hare|Hare]] from the depot to [[Dandenong|Dandenong]].
<span id="rc7978">[[#rc7978|7978]]</span> What was the date of that?— I do not think that date is here. I was afterwards at Oakleigh for a short time. After about six or seven months at Oakleigh, Mr. Hare asked me would I come into the depot, to do plain-clothes duty for the district. I did. I have been engaged in two murder cases at Mornington, and I arrested Hastings, the second-last man that was hanged in Melbourne . In March 1877 I was transferred to Wood's Point to take charge of the Wood's Point station, and on the 23rd October 1878 I left Wood's Point, in charge of a gold escort, for Benalla. On the 24th I arrived at Mansfield , and the late Sergeant [[Kennedy Sgt|Kennedy]] met me at the coach. He told me in confidence he was going out after the Kellys. He asked me if I would let him have a rifle that Constable Horwood was going to take with him on the escort. I told him that as there was only the one rifle between us, it would be a very dangerous thing, but, after consideration, I said, “Get a second revolver and give it to Horwood,” and I said, “You can have the rife.” he said he had very good information. I also saw Constable [[Scanlon|Scanlan]] there that morning, who was afterwards shot by the outlaws. I arrived that evening at Benalla, and I got on the following day a week's leave to come to Melbourne . On Sunday night the 27th October 1878, about midnight, at the hotel, where I was staying—the Polo hotel, near the detective office—[[Police|Detective]] [[Hayes|Hayes]] was also staying there, and he was out on duty, he came in and he asked me, “Are you asleep, Kelly?” I said, “Is that you, Hayes?” And he said, “Kennedy, Scanlan, and Lonigan are shot.” So I said, “Come in and strike a match”; and I got up and sat upon the bed. I went next morning to the detective office. They had not any official report of it there. I also came to the Chief Commissioner's office. I believe it was between ten and eleven when the information came from Benalla.
<span id="rc7979">[[#rc7979|7979]]</span> Had they heard at the Commissioner's office then?— They had not in the evening. I then threw up my leave, and I went down to meet the train at three o'clock . I met Constable [[Const Faulkiner|Falkiner]], Constable [[Strahan|Strahan]], and Constable Dakin at the train, and Captain [[Standish|Standish]], and also Mr. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]]. He was going up in the same train. We arrived at Benalla about eight o'clock I think. The three constables with me had instructions to go on to Wangaratta. I came to Benalla, and Mr. [[Sadleir|Sadleir]] was absent at the time, I believe at Shepparton on some duty. There seemed to be no constable upon the station; the were all away that knew anything about the country.
<span id="rc7980">[[#rc7980|7980]]</span> Did you understand that they had gone out on the [[Police Search Parties|search]]?— Yes, I understood they were out. Senior-Constable James was brought down from Beechworth. He was supposed to know the bush. We started the following afternoon—Senior-Constable [[SConst James|James]], me, Constable Connor of [[Seymour|Seymour]], Constable [[Const Thomas Meehan|Meehan]], and a constable that died lately in Mr. Hare's district.
<span id="rc7981">[[#rc7981|7981]]</span> How many altogether?— Five. We went in the direction of the [[King River|King River]] , and we went through [[Greta|Greta]].
<span id="rc7982">[[#rc7982|7982]]</span> Who was the constable?—(''To Mr. Hare''.) —Do you remember who died lately in your district?
''Mr. Hare'' — Where at?
''The Witness'' — He was at the station, but he died out near Mr. Clarke's. I think he was a fine shooter and a good policeman.
''Mr. Hare'' — Bray. He died up at Trentham.
''The Witness'' — We were making for [[Moyhu|Moyhu]], but it got very dark and commenced to thunder and lighten about four miles on the [[Boggy Creek|Boggy Creek]]. We had to camp there, and it was raining all night.
<span id="rc7983">[[#rc7983|7983]]</span> Had you any accommodation at all—tents?— No, we had no tents. I had no blankets. The rest of the men had a small blue blanket each—I had none. Next morning we noticed a light. I went towards it. I found it was a Mr. John [[Glenmore Run|Lewis's place]]. I told him we were police, and he got up and made a fire. We dried ourselves, and he got us some breakfast; and then we started towards Redcamp, on the [[Red Camp Station|Redcamp]] run. From there we went to Hedi. We stopped at [[Hedi|Hedi]] police station that night. There were no police there, they were away; at least the constable that was stationed there was away. We started up the King River on the following morning, and near [[Bungamara|Bungamara]] station I met the outlaws' uncle, [[Jack Quinn Jnr|Jack Quinn]], George Johnson, and a man of the name of Thomas, alias [[Bungamara|Galloping Jack]]. We had a conversation with them' and they told us they were looking for cattle. We stopped at Bungamara station that night, and met Sergeant Steele and some constables with him.....
=== Previous page / Next page ===
<br />
{{MicroficheCopy}}<br />
== The [[Royal Commission report day 21 page 1|previous day]] / [[Royal Commission report day 23 page 1|next day]] .. . Royal Commission [[Royal Commission Index|index]] ==
[[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:October 1518]] [[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:Commisioner Standish]] [[Category:history]]
MediaWiki:Sidebar
{{^|Original page location \documents\RoyalCommission\RC810518_22_02_7975.html}}
