Royal Commission report day 37 page 12

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The Royal Commission evidence for 20/7/1881

(full text transcription)

(see also introduction to day 37)

[[../../people/peS_T/sherrittEllenMrsJnr.html|Mrs. Sherritt, junior]] , sworn and examined

13215 By the Commission— You are the widow of the late Aaron Sherritt ?— Yes.

13216 How long were the police in your house before the murder; do you remember?— To the best of my knowledge, I think they were there over six months.

13217 Remaining there all the time?— Not all the time; some of the time they left and came to Beechworth.

13218 They were most of that time in the house?— In the daytime they were in the house.

13219 And out watching at night?— Yes.

13220 And they kept inside during the day?— Yes.

13221 Had you ever any information or any knowledge that led you to believe that either the Kellys or Joe Byrne knew that the police were there?— No, I do not think they did.

13222 Did Patsey Byrne ever stop watching the house as he passed you?— Not to my knowledge; I never saw him.

13223 Did you ever see Joe Byrne watching the house?— No. I never saw him there at all.

13224 Do you think it is likely that men could be kept in there for six months without it being known at all?— They could if they had kept quiet; by keeping in in the day time and going out at night I do not think they could have been discovered.

13225 Were there young people coming by there?— They never came there while the police were there; none of the Byrnes .

13226 Were there any children going to school with the Byrne family who would have known anything of that?— There were children going from Sebastopol along with the Byrnes , but they never came to the house. They passed the house in the main road, but never came near it. It was about six yards from the main road.

13227 Did you get any information that would lead you to believe that the Kellys intended to shoot your husband; before that night did you ever hear of any threats being held out against him?— No, not any threats, but his brother William told me how Aaron got threatening letters, but I never saw them or was told about them by my husband.

13228 Did he seem to be afraid at all he would be shot?— Well, he did not seem to be afraid. He seemed to be afraid if he went out in the bush, but he never thought of their coming to shoot him at the house the way they did; he never once thought of that.

13229 We have it from Wicks he came up to the door–did Joe Byrne shoot your husband immediately he went to the door?— Not immediately. He spoke a few words before he fired the shot.

13230 Did you hear the words that were said?— Not that Byrne said; it was Wicks that spoke; he mentioned something about losing his way, and asked my husband if he would come out and show him the road.

13231 Byrne did not speak to him?— Not to my knowledge.

13232 You had four police in the house that night?— Yes.

13233 Did you go out to speak with Joe Byrne or Ned Kelly after they had shot your husband?— It was Dan Kelly was there. I was speaking Joe Byrne .

13234 What did he wish you to do?— He told me to go in and bring out the man that was in the room. I told him it was a man came there looking for work.

13235 Did he persist in saying he must come out?— He sent me in three times, and told me if he did not come out he would riddle the house, and he would shoot both me and my mother.

13236 What did you do?— I went in, when he sent me in the first time, and told the men to come out.

13237 Why did Byrne want this man to come out?— When I said there was a man looking for work, he said, “Tell him to come out till I see this man who is looking for work.”

13238 Had he any idea the police were there this time?— I do not think so.

13239 Did you go in and ask them to come out?— Yes; and they asked me who was there.

13240 And what did you reply?— I said that I thought it was Joe Byrne and Dan Kelly that were there.

13241 Did the police ask how many outlaws there were?— Yes. I said I could only see two, and Wicks.....

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