Royal Commission report day 30 page 7
The Royal Commission evidence for 15/6/1881
(see also introduction to day 30)
[[../../people/peQ_R/rawlinsC.html|Mr Charles C. Rawlins]] giving evidence
11687 If Mr. Hare was shot outside the culvert, how do you reconcile that with the fact that when he was wounded he said to Mr. O’Connor, “I am wounded in the arm, I must go back”?— I do not know what time exactly he was wounded. I know I heard him say that to Mr. O'Connor as we were going back to the railway station. I know Mr. O'Connor answered him, but what he said I do not know.
11688 The point we want to get explicitly from you is, did Mr. Hare say that to Mr. O'Connor “I am shot,” upon the ground where he received the shot?— No, he did not. It was on the way back after this terrific volley was fired. You could not walk back where this fire was; they were shooting close to the ground.
11689 Then Mr. O'Connor was not present exactly in the position outside the gate where Mr. Hare was shot?— I could not say, because it was after that he spoke to O'Connor. I did not see Mr. O'Connor at all, I only heard him.
11690 Where did you hear him?— It was below that culvert where I heard his voice, speaking to Mr. Hare, and Mr. O'Connor said something, I do not know what it was. That was when we were going back, after all the volley had finished.
11691 Mr. O'Connor says, “Mr. Hare's statement as to having fired several shots is untrue”—can you say whether that is correct or not?— I cannot say whether it is.
11692 You say when you took Mr. Hare to the platform after he was wounded that you carried his gun up there?— Yes, I carried it in my hand.
11693 You say you then got ammunition?— Yes, I got ammunition; they were getting short of it, and I went back to Kelly.
11694 Did you see Mr. Hare's arm bound up by the reporters?— No.
11695 Can you say, of your own knowledge, whether, after his arm was bound up, Mr. Hare returned towards Jones's house from the platform?— I cannot say; when I came back he was in the train.
11696 You cannot say what occurred from the time of your leaving him at the platform wounded until you came back, when he was in the carriage?— No; that is exactly the part I know nothing about.
11697 How long was it from the time you left until you returned?— I could not tell exactly; I went right round the whole place.
11698 Might it be seven or ten minutes?— It might be more; I do not think it is any more.
11699 Did you go all round the men?— I went right round the whole position.
11700 Then it must have been about ten minutes?— I did not hang about anywhere; it would not be long.
11701 Had you gone round all the positions before Mr. Hare left for Benalla?— Yes. When I got to the railway gate I gave Senior-Constable Kelly one lot of ammunition, and then I went round in about, I suppose, not more than ten minutes at the outside.
11702 To serve the men with ammunition?— I only gave to those I could find.
11703 Did you surround the hotel as far as the extreme back—the stockyard fence?— I went close to the stockyard.
11704 Did you come round to the place where the Wangaratta men were placed later in the day?— Yes, I did.
11705 After Mr. Hare left the ground, and before the arrival of Mr. Sadleir, did you at any time hear Mr. O'Connor give any orders to the men stationed on the ground?— No, I did not.
11706 Who appeared to take charge of the men after the wounding of Mr. Hare?— Senior-Constable Kelly.
11707 Was he, in your opinion, acting as the superior officer?— I understood he was the man in charge, and that Mr. O'Connor only came up as a volunteer.
11708 Who really did take the position?—Kelly.
11709 Did you see Mr. Sadleir after he arrived on the ground?— Yes.
11710 About what time?— I was away at the time he arrived. I first saw him coming out of the drain at the time of the capture of Ned Kelly, when we were carrying the body down.
11711 Were you away at the time he arrived?— I had gone to stop the Wangaratta train, as it was dark, and they might come over the broken line. I stopped the train at the gap, and also stopped the man who was taking the horses away.
11712 How soon after you saw Mr. Sadleir at the time of the capture did you see him giving orders to the men?— I did not see him giving any orders in the morning.....
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