Police at Sherritt home

Side of Authority
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The beginning

Det Ward's instructions to Const Armstrong were to go to this hut, to secrete themselves there in the room during the day, and between eight and nine o'clock at night to go down to Mrs. Byrne's house, and there watch till a little before daylight in the morning; to be back in the hut before daylight, and to keep themselves quiet during the day. Det Ward bought calico for the door and blinds for the window, in order to have them not seen. (RC14160) (CHC)

At first there were to be 3 officers but Sup Hare thought that that was too risky and the number was increased to 4. (RC14161)

The police at Aaron Sherritt's nome

Police arrive at the Sherritt home

After seeing Sup Hare on 3/6/1880 Det Ward returned to Beechworth, and on that afternoon three men were sent down to Aaron Sherritt's hut to watch. Ward had suggested to Sup. Hare that the police could stay in Aaron's hut, in the day-time, that he would see it secure, and they could leave at night, go down to Mrs. Byrne's and watch all night.(RC13860) See also (JJK)

The police shifted from the cave to Aaron Sherritt's home because the cave was getting very dirty. (RC12125)

Const Dowling arrived at the home on about 17/6/1880 (RC4168)

We gave Aaron Sherritt money for cooking, and to please him.

Nothing unusual occurred until the 18th of June. We were crossing the creek on the way to Byrne's when a lot of Chinamen came after us, and called out. Sherritt said, "They think we are going to rob their sluiceboxes." I said, "We will point the guns, and they will think we are the Kellys." Sherritt said "Yes." We pointed the guns, and they ran away. (RC12135)

Const Alexander, Duross, Armstrong and Dowling that used to get wood for the Sherritt house hold. If anyone came by when they were out the police would hide. The reason why they were so late on the night of 19/6/1880 was that they could not get a chance during the day. (RC13933)

It is alledged that the presence of the police in Aaron Sherritt's house was well known in Beechworth (RC14044)

Visit by Sup Hare and Det Ward on 19/6/1880

On the Saturday evening before Sherritt was shot, 19/6/1880, Sup Hare and Det Ward came to see the police. When they arrived Consts Dowling and Armstrong were about some 200 yards away from the hut, cutting firewood. Consts Duross and Alexander were in Sherritt's home with Mrs Sherritt. There were differing accounts as to what took place on this evening. Det Ward accused the other police of lying. (RC13861) (RC13906) (FH) (FH)

Const Alexander told Sup Hare that they could go two ways from Aaron Sherritt's to Mrs Byrne's, one by a bridge near Julian's, and another a foot-bridge behind Byrne's. Hare said, "We will go by the foot-bridge."

They went a piece further on, and Mr Hare said the creek was too light to go by the bridge, " Hare said, 'we will have to go another way." They got across the creek, and on the other side it was very scrubby and full of diggers' holes. In the dark it was very great difficulty to find the way.(RC13903)

Sup Hare gave a long account of what happened. (RC13892) (FH) (FH)

The KellyGang

The night Aaron Sherritt died

See (Argus28/6/1880) (OMA26/4/81)

View starts to turn against the police (Argus28/4/81)

Officers and others involved in the party at Aaron Sherritt's

Alexander A pc [[../../people/peA/alexanderRPmc.html|../../people/peA/alexanderRPmc.html]]

Alexander R mpc 3/6/80 - 27/6/80

Armstrong H pc 3/6/80 - 27/6/80

Dowling T p fc , 16/6/80 - 27/6/80

Duross W pc 16/6/80 - 27/6/80

McColl R pc 3/6/80/ - 16/6/80

Magor C pc 5/6/80/ - 16/6/80

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