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04:02, 15 November 2015 Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission evidence
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== The Royal Commission evidence for 24/3/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 24/3/1881|day 2]] )
'''[[Nicolson|Assistant Commissioner Nicholson]] giving evidence'''
552 Then you absolutely deny there was any procrastination?- I do most decidedly.
553 Were the members of the [[Army|artillery]] force then stationed?- No, not until after. When I returned to [[Euroa|Euroa]]-I had been very ill all that time, I mean nearly blind and suffering great pain from my eyes. We got in about six in the morning, and I got the men all to bed, and I lay down myself, but I got no sleep. I could not sleep, and in the course of the morning Captain [[Standish|Standish]] arrived by the morning train, on the 12th, and he consulted me about what was best to be done, and we decided to start off a party into the [[Strathbogie Ranges|Strathbogie]] ranges, but I told him I was quite unfit to join the party. I was almost quite blind at this time. I was suffering great pain. We agreed to despatch a party that night into the Strathbogie ranges, and Mr. [[Hare|Hare]] was sent for to relieve me in consequence of the state I was in.
554 Was it your impression at this time that the sympathizers of the outlaws were watching the movements of the police wherever you went through the Kelly district?- Yes; I had no faith in anything that was done by the police except it was done in the most secret way possible. I have evidence to prove that at this very time I had no faith in the matter. I wrote a letter at that time to town that this galloping after these men-
555 To the department?- No, a private letter stating that we would get these men no doubt, but this galloping after them through the country was perfectly useless.
556 Because your movements were watched by [[Sympathizers|sympathizers]]?- Yes, and I knew those fellows were too clever to be caught by a party galloping after them.
557 And that is how they got their information, by their own spies?- Yes.
558 To whom did you write?- Well, it is a very delicate matter -it is a letter I wrote to my wife.
559 Did you write to Captain Standish or any officer to the same effect?- No.
560 Irrespective of this private letter, will any document be found showing that you stated that this system of galloping about would be ineffectual?- No. I had hardly any correspondence with Captain Standish at that time; I was doing the outdoor work and Mr. Sadleir did the correspondence.
561 You still continued that system of galloping?- Up to the time of the bank robbery; after that I did not. I did so because there was such an outcry at that time about search parties, and about the police not doing anything, and I knew at that time it was no use attempting to confine our efforts to secret work, we must have made some demonstration because of public opinion.
562 I understood you had supreme control of all the operations placed under your charge?- Yes.
563 If there was anything to complain of with regard to tactics, were you not solely responsible for any mistake made?- Yes.
564 Then wherein lay the necessity for any complaint; if there was anything wrong with the proceedings, were you not responsible, and independent, and equally capable of carrying out any other plan?- I was responsible distinctly; the Chief Commissioner gave me carte blanche.
565 Why did you not alter the plan?- I would have done so, but I was removed; but what I wrote at that time was the conclusion I had arrived at then from the experience I had gained.
566 At what time did you arrive at that conclusion that it was useless?-[The witness looked for a letter.]-I can get it.
567 Could you fix about the date you had made up your mind to alter the plan of operations of which you had full control?- I cannot say; I made up my mind to alter the operations. The last party I came in from was that [[Fern Hills|Fern Hill]] party, and it was about that date; that was about the 10th.
568 You made up your mind about that time to alter? Yes ..
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