Royal Commission report Appendix 1 page 3
The Royal Commission Appendix 1
[[../../people/peL_M/montfortWPInsp.html|Insp William B. Montfort]] giving evidence
30 In addition to your report, have you, since you have been stationed in charge of the North-Eastern district at Benalla, made any recommendations to him as to the probability of another outbreak?— I do not remember exactly having done so. There was nothing to have led me to do so. I might have expressed an opinion as I have to-day.
31 Do we understand now that, with the precautions you have already taken, and if your recommendations are acted up, there is no cause to fear another outbreak similar to the late one?— Yes; and, from information I have received, I do not think there is any cause to fear a similar outbreak except under certain circumstances. I have received private information that there are perhaps half-a-dozen young men who are closely connected with the late gang who would with great satisfaction rally round any men who, by the commission of any crime, might bolt from justice, and whom they considered competent to lead them. That, I believe, is quite on the cards at present.
32 Do you know those young men?— The police know them very well, those that are suspected. We cannot of course tell their intentions.
33 The police know them so that if an outbreak should occur hereafter, and an Act were passed the same as the last Habeas Corpus Act, you could seize those men readily?— Yes.
34 I suppose you will see that all the police in your district make themselves acquainted with those men who may join another gang?— They know them well.
35 And there would be no difficulty in their being known by the police?— I do not think there is the slightest difficulty. I think we are quite prepared for them.
36 Has any one told you since you have been at Benalla that the police are not likely to obtain the same facilities for getting information as was done during the Kelly outrage in consequence of statements made to this Commission and published ?— Yes.
37 Do you think that information was really worth much that was received by the police from the agents?— I did not know the extent of the information received. I know Mr. Nicolson and Mr. Sadleir received a great deal that I knew nothing about.
38 We have it in evidence that that information was generally received a week or a fortnight after the events?— Yes.
39 Do you think you could get information?— I think I could get information that they could not, because people would tell me things they would not tell them.
40 Do you think your position is prejudiced in getting information by anything that has occurred before this Commission?— I cannot say that of my own knowledge, except what I have been told by reliable persons. I believe it might have an influence if another outbreak did take place, because the feeling is very widespread in that part of the world that if they did give information to the police their names might be mentioned to a Commission. One man in particular, known as the “Diseased Stock” agent, is, I know, in fear and terror at the present moment.
41 Is he still up there?— He is.
42 Is he suspected or known?— He is not suspected, that I am aware, at present.
43 I have not the slightest idea what the man's name is?— It is not supposed you do.
44 Then, if not known to the members of the Commission, it is not likely it is known to the people. We have specially requested the superintendents of police and others giving evidence to suppress names, and we have had the greatest difficulty, time after time, in preventing those names going out. Where they have been given by the members of the force themselves, we have warned them not to give them. That is a list of the agents supplied to the Commission, with the assumed names—[handing a paper to the witness]. Will you say if any of those individuals have spoken to you and said they would not assist the police?— I believe there is one man there who would tell me anything....
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