Royal Commission report 21/7/1881

Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission 21/7/1881

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Summary of the evidence on day 38 of the hearings
Question number	Date	Witness
13783 - 13796	21/7/1881	Mrs Barry
13797 - 13813	21/7/1881	Mrs Sherritt Jnr
13814 - 13840	21/7/1881	Sub-Insp Baber
13841 - 13889	21/7/1881	Det Ward
13890 - 13902	21/7/1881	Sup Hare
13902 - 13937	21/7/1881	Const Alexander
13938 - 13953	21/7/1881	SConst Mullane
13374 - 13457	20/7/1881	Start of Mrs Barry's evidence
13215 - 13335	20/7/1881	Start of Mrs Sherritt's evidence
3020 - 3167 14103 - 14192 15573 - 15743	3/5/1881 28/7/1881 10/8/1881	See these dates for other evidence given by Det Ward
1238 - 1357 1358 - 1464 1465 - 1592 1593 - 1632 12285 - 12289 13890- 13901 16315 - 16656	31/3/1881 1/4/1881 5/4/1881 6/4/1881 28/6/1881 21/7/1881 1/9/1881	See these dates for other evidence given by Sup Hare
12995 - 13118	20/7/1881	See these dates for other evidence given by Const Alexander
13509 - 13767	20/7/1881	See these dates for other evidence given by Sconst Mullane

Appendix	Title
20	Minutes of Proceedings at Meetings Held by the Royal Commission

Summary of the evidence on day 38 of the hearings

21/7/1881 Mrs Barry's continued her evidence - some brief highlights

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21/7/1881 Mrs Sherritt Jnr continued her evidence -

some brief highlights

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21/7/1881 Insp Baber commenced his evidence -

some brief highlights

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21/7/1881 Det Ward continued his evidence -

some brief highlights

Det Ward continued his evidence of events in November 1878. Soon after this he was the first person to engage Aaron Sherritt. Where did they meet? At about this time Ward stated getting reports of citings of the KellyGang, from Ah Man and David Rae. Who where these people and were the reports genuine? What did Ward do with these reports?

Joe Byrne wrote a number of letters to Aaron Sherritt. In one of those letters he responded to the Government's increased reward for the KellyGang by proposing a reward of his own for a number of police.

In 1879 there were a number of reports that the KellyGang were trying to plan another bank robbery. Ward detailed many of the measures taken to protect the banks.

Some of this information came from secret service agents. A secret-service man became very frightened that he would at that time be carried away by the KellyGang, and on the 15th November, from information the police then had from this secret-service man, Det Ward reported the matter to Mr. Nicolson, and in reply here is the confidential memo., with instructions. In the latter part of it it states, "I cannot promise that Detective Ward will form one of the pursuing party, especially as Inspector Smith has to leave Beechworth on Monday. I feel it is but fair to mention this. At the same time his interest in the capture need not suffer by such an alternative; and as the decisive moment seems approaching I hope he will take every precaution to maintain secrecy and to secure decided action now if practicable." On 4th October here is another confidential document that Det Ward received before the other that he received from Mr. Nicolson, with instructions to the secret service man. Then there is very little more during that year, with the exception of routine business and my reports, and in those all the particulars will be found until the establishing of the cave party by Mr. Nicolson on the 27th December 1879.

The police response to the lack of any reasonable information was the establishment of the cave party to watch Mrs Byrne's home for the KellyGang. Det Ward sets out in some detail how the cave was established and describes its duties. He also sets out details of Aaron Sherritt's role.

There was a big problem with the reports of the police duty at Sebastopol. See Ward's version of what happened.

Ward then went on to detail the reports from agents that shows how close he was to the KellyGang in late autum in 1880.

Who were Renwick and Moses and what role did they play in the story?

Who went on the trip to Everton and what happened next?

What did Hare and Ward discuss at their first meeting when Hare took over from Nicolson in June 1880?

How was the police party in Aaron Sherritt's home arranged and by whom?

What happened on 19/6/1880?

When Duross swears that you told him to say that they were watching he swears a false-hood?

First report of Aaron Sherritt's death.

The police from beechworth sent to Glenrowan seige.

They would do anything if they would tell a lie in the barefaced way they did, and charge you with suggesting the falsehood to them?

We had information given to us to-day, swamsworn, that those men were out cutting wood during the day, and hallooing out as if they were horses or bullocks, and wheeling it in with a barrow; did you know of this?

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21/7/1881 Sup Hare continued his evidence -

some brief highlights

What happened on the night of 19/6/1880.

"Could Ward have concocted the thing so quickly?"

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21/7/1881 Const Alexander continued his evidence -

some brief highlights

Who according to Alexander said ""Say they are gone to watch Byrne's"?

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21/7/1881 SConst Mullane continued his evidence -

some brief highlights

Armstrong was asked by Ward, 'Do you remember the three of us standing and having a conversation with reference to what Duross swore?' - who was lying and about what?

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