Difference between revisions of "Royal Commission report day 13 page 4"

Latest revision as of 21:00, 20 November 2015

previous page / next page

The Royal Commission evidence for 14/4/1881

(see also introduction to day 13)

Superintendent John Sadleir evidence

2793 Did he mean when the bullets impinged in the timber?— No, as they passed him as he was going- round with my messages.

2794 Probably as they were firing he thought it would be safer to jump?— I understood he jumped when he heard a bullet coming.

2795 Was he one of the party that you took up, or was he there before you arrived?— I think he was a Wangaratta man.

2796 Would he be one of the men who came to the relief. I want to fix the time of the Wangaratta men coming down—was it before you?— I do not think we knew which of us were coming. The Wangaratta men were on the ground as soon as we were, if not a little sooner. It is very uncertain; there are different versions, and I do not know from my own observations, because the Wangaratta men got out of the train in the break of the line, and came in quietly through the timber and bush without my observation. About half-past seven, I believe, I was again with Mr. O'Connor. We heard an unusual noise around somewhere on the other side of the building.

2797 Was that the striking on the armour?— No; I do not mean that, but an unusual shouting and calling of the police to one another as I took it, an indistinct sound that I could not make out. I took it from the tone to be an alarm that the Kellys were showing again outside the building, and I looked steadily to the building for their appearance, and I think Mr. O'Connor's party was with me at the time. Presently a constable came and explained that this was the capture of Kelly, this noise that we had heard. That was the first I had heard of it.

2798 What was your position at this time?— I think: I had returned to where O'Connor was, and was speaking to him when this news came to me.

2799 Do you know the name of the man; I think it was the same constable—Constable Dwyer. I had heard before this of the finding of the rifle with the blood on it by Senior-Constable Kelly and Constable Arthur, and of the skull cap. The prisoners with the Kellys had been several times called upon to come out, and at ten o'clock I came close up by the building.

2800 Kelly was captured then?— Yes.

2801 You have not said anything about seeing him captured?— I did not see him till after he was captured.

2802 Did you see him?— Yes; immediately after he was captured. I will come to that.

2803 It had been reported to you that the rifle and cap had been found before the report of the capture?— Yes.

2804 And before you heard the noise and what turned out to be the capture?— Yes. After hearing that Kelly was captured, I went up to see him at the station. He was very weak, and it was not certain at the time whether he would not die straight away. He was supplied with stimulants, and Dr. Nicholson was attending upon him, and doing all he could. He was first brought and laid in one of the vans. There was an engine and van standing at the station. He was carried into the van of one of the engines that were there. The outlaws from the house were firing on us.

2805 Firing still?— Firing still into where we were looking on and attending to Kelly. He was then immediately removed across the platform into the station-master's, one of his rooms, not his dwelling-house, but one of the rooms belonging to the station.

2806 Was there a pretty good light then?— It was a small room, but had a pretty good light.

2807 But I mean was it nearly daylight then?— It was daylight then. It cleared into daylight very quickly about that time. I saw that he was being attended to, and I went back to the ground again. As Kelly grew stronger I spoke to him to this effect, “We are bound to have those fellows out, can you do anything to help?”

2808 That is as to a surrender?— Yes. I said, “There is no use in wasting life over it if you can help in the matter.” He considered for a few moments seriously, took it evidently into his full consideration, and he said it would be no use, he could do nothing, they would not mind him; and I think it was in this connection he said they were “too great curs, or too great cowards.”.....

Previous page / Next page

The previous day / next day . . . Royal Commission index