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The Melbourne Daily Telegragh (7)

The Melbourne Daily Telegraph

29/06/1880

... part of the KellyGang story

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THE INQUEST ON AARON SHERRITT

[By Electric Telegraph]

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Beechworth Monday

An inquest on the body of Aaron Sherritt held this afternoon, at the Vine hotel Beechworth, before Mr W H Foster , PM. The jury having been empanelled, the following evidence was heard:-

John Sherritt : father of deceased, deposed; He had seen the body of deceased, and identified it as that of his son Aaron , aged twenty five years. He did not know from his personal knowledge how his son came by his death.

William Sherritt , brother of deceased, deposed: He identified the body as that of his brother, but did not know personal knowledge how he came by his death.

Ellen Barry deposed - She was deceased’s mother in law, and identified the body as that of her late son-in-law. She was at Aaron Sherritt ’s house on Saturday last, and present at his death. She was at the house between 6 and 7 o’clock , half an hour before the outlaws arrived. There were also four constables, her daughter, and deceased present. She was sitting at the fire when they heard a knock. Deceased and his wife were having tea, and Constable Ducross was in the same room. The three other constable were in the bedroom. There was a candle alight in the room in which she was sitting, but not in the bedroom. The constables were in the habit of occupying the bedroom to prevent there whereabouts becoming known. An ordinary knock was given at the back door, being the first sign they got of anyone being about, and Ducross, on hearing it, retired to the bedroom. Aaron answered the knock, and said, “Whose there?” and he heard Antoine Weeks reply, “I have lost my road, Sherritt come and put me on the road.” She heard no other voice at the time. Deceased then opened the door, and put his head out. She heard something said outside, but could not say what it was. Deceased appeared to be inclined to step back into the room, but before he could retreat, a shot was fired from outside, but she did not know by whom. The shot was fired very close to the door, and as soon as deceased was struck, he stepped backwards into the centre of the room. The constables were in the bedroom when the shot was fired. After the first shot, Joseph Byrne , whom she knew, stepped up to the door, and fired a second shot at deceased, who was still standing in the centre of the room. Deceased then fell back to the ground. Byrne remained at the door for a short time, and said “ Mrs Barry , I’ll put a ball though you and your daughter if you don’t bring out those men in the room.” Her daughter replied, “The inside is a man looking for work.” Byrne then said to her daughter, “I want that man out.” Her daughter then asked, “ Joe , why did you shoot Aaron ?” and Byrne replied, “If I did not he would shoot me.” Byrne, who had a gun in his hand, was in sight during the whole of the conversation. Byrne then told me (witness) to open the door opposite the one at which he stood, and she did, and saw Dan Kelly outside with a gun in his hand. He was then allowed to go outside. There was only a piece of calico hanging in the doorway between the two rooms. Byrne then challenged the constables to come out, and threatened them, whilst standing about two yards from the door with him gun levelled. When outside Byrne asked her, “Is there a window in front of the house.” She said, “Yes,” and Byrne called out, “Look out, Dan, there is a window in the front of the house.” Dan Kelly then joined her and Byrne, and she recognised him. He then returned to the front of the house. About five or ten minutes elapsed from the time she heard the knock until she saw Dan Kelly . Two shots had been fired by Byrne before she went outside, and he afterwards fired two shots at the bedroom. Byrne was directly in front of the house when he fired at the bedroom. The evidence of this witness was here interrupted, and will be continued on Wednesday, it being considered advisable that the balance of her evidence should be heard by the constables who were in the house with witness.

Dr Deebin who made a poste mortem on the body, described the wounds received by deceased and gave his opinion that the deceased died from the effects of gunshot wounds. Deceased was wounded in the left side of the neck and under the left nipple, both bullets passing through the body.

The inquest was adjourned until Wednesday next, when Mrs Barry ’s evidence will be concluded.

THE EXCITEMENT AT BALLARAT

[By Electric Telegraph]

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Ballarat Monday

Never on a non political subject has there been such a sensation here since the Franco-Prussian was as over the Kelly business to day. The morning papers’ offices have been besieged all day, and extraordinaries have been issued in great numbers. Even the Corner has been distracted by the episode. All classes are loud in mutual congratulations at the capture or death of the blood thirsty ruffians who have so long held a reign of terror.

THE COUNTRY PRESS ON THE DISSOLUTION

(Geelong Times; 29h June)

Every newspaper in Victoria will to-day inform its readers that his Excellency the Governor has accepted the advice tendered him by Mr Service, and has determined – as we all along predicted he would – on an immediate dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. This act on the part the Governor will necessarily meet with the approval of the great bulk of the electors throughout the country. There was indeed no other course open to his Excellency. No party but the Service one could, by any means, hold its own in the present House. Mr Berry’s following does not exceed thirty five all told, and he would get little assistance from the Corner party. If Lord Normanby had refused a dissolution, and accepted Mr Service’s resignation, the sending for Mr Berry would have been a farce. Neither would it have been of any use sending for Sir John O’Shanassy , or any other of the leading Corner men. Such a course would have been simply ridiculous. (the article continues) end

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