Royal Commission report day 31 page 6
The Royal Commission evidence for 16/6/1881
(see also introduction to day 31)
Sup John Sadleir giving evidence
11965 I quite agree with that, but this is in reference to myself. The question is, after the Glenrowan capture, Captain Standish came to Mr. Sadleir and ordered him to put Mr. Hare's name in the general orders. Mr Sadleir said, “Captain Standish, I want to say” (or words to that effect) “unless Mr. O'Connor's and my name appear with those,” and Captain Standish refused and made a remark, when Mr.Sadleir repeated that it ought to be. Captain Standish said, “You, Nicolson. and O'Connor are so d —— d jealous of Hare that you would do something or other.” I want to know is that correct or not?— (To the Commission) — Am I to speak on that?
11966 By the Commission— It is a proper thing to enquire into?— Then I would sooner state the whole circumstances.
11967 With reference to that, the question asked is a question that has a public side to it, and one that we intend to investigate very closely before we are done, so long as your statement is given fairly?— You understand I am not desiring to hide anything, or I am not desiring to go to the other extremity.
11968 I want to protect you in that by saying it is of public importance?— Then I can have no hesitation in speaking.
11969 By Mr. O'Connor— Will you explain the whole thing?— Yes. Shortly after Captain Standish landed on the platform at Glenrowan, after the day's work was concluded, he said to me, “I have a telegram from the Governor, thanking Mr. Hare for his conduct.” I said nothing to him at the time. He desired me to put this into orders, which means publishing the commendation of the Governor. On that occasion I said nothing. I was too busy. I had resolved what to do. Later in the evening, at Benalla, he came to me again, and said, “Do not forget to put the Governor's message into orders.” I said to him, “Captain Standish, I think that O'Connor's and my name should also be mentioned.” He said, “They are the Governor's orders, and I cannot alter them.” Then I said, “The Governor is not fully informed, and I look to you to inform him fully of the circumstances of the day.” I said, “I shall see you in the morning, I suppose,” and he said, “Yes, I shall be at your office in the morning.” Then in the morning I said to him, “Captain Standish, will you please to listen to me for a few minutes without getting irritated or angry,” and I asked him to sit down and listen to me patiently. I said, “In reference to your orders about the Governor’s message to you, did Hare take the Kellys?” I said, “Unfortunately he was wounded before they were taken,” and I argued with him to that effect for some quarter of an hour, perhaps longer. I said, “It is not fair towards O'Connor, though I am only now speaking for myself. It is not fair towards me that our names should be passed over.” I had to repeat this several times and urge it. He said it was all our d —— jealousy; that Nicolson was mad with jealousy, and that I was mad with jealousy; and I said, “No, there is no jealousy about it; I only ask you to do what is simply fair towards O'Connor and myself. If the commendation is worth anything, we deserve to share in it.” I said, “I am seeking no credit for the duty beyond this: that we found ourselves with fifty policemen around the outlaws shut up in a house, and had to capture them or destroy them. I am claiming no heroism for myself or anybody else. It was a simple piece of work the tamest piece of work I ever was in, but whatever the credit is we should share in it with our men.” He then yielded, and said, “Then wait till you hear from me again.” The next I heard from him I got a copy of that before the Commission, the Governor’s second letter. The first I never saw.
11970 By the Commission— You have made a very peculiar statement, that is that you begged of him to allow you to speak to him calmly, to sit down and not feel irritated; was there any necessity for anything of that sort?— He had grown very irritable of late. Of course I should be sorry to say anything hurtful to a man's feelings, and make him appear irritable; but he was so constitutionally. His temper had become infirm—no doubt about it.
11971 By Mr. O'Connor— There is still another conversation I must ask you to state, that is perhaps very objectionable to you, that is in reference to the general parade that was ordered after Glenrowan of all the men that were at Benalla who had been in the fight; will you give the Commission the facts in reference to that?— I will take the Commission's word for going on. The police, I think, at my suggestion were put on parade, the whole of the men in barracks. I asked Captain Standish to say a kind word to them after all their work was over, and he consented at once. Then we came out into the yard, and he objected to including some four or five of the trackers that were there on the parade.
11972 By the Commission— Mr. O'Connor's Queensland men?— Yes. I know there were four or five, and he refused to say anything as long as they were in the ranks, so I fell them back out of the ranks. It was done publicly before the whole parade. I do not think his voice was heard. I do not think he spoke so as to be heard.
11973 But everybody saw them retire?— Yes.
11974 You heard his voice?— Yes; he used some strong words, and I had to go and order the men back. The trackers did not understand it, and possibly the white police did not know.
11975 You are simply giving evidence of what occurred within your own knowledge?— Yes; this was about 11 o'clock in the forenoon following Glenrowan. I have said so much against Captain Standish’s temper that I might be allowed to say that with very few exceptions, such as that I mentioned and once on another occasion when he was angry for very little, I found him very courteous and very pleasant and very considerate.
11976 By the Commission— You said that when Mr. O'Connor went up there, Captain Standish placed him in the position that, in your opinion, though he did not complain of it, was not usual in the service, that is one officer over another?— A junior above a senior.
11977 Are you aware that your predecessor at Benalla, Mr. Nicolas, complained of Captain Standish sending up Mr. Nicolson and Mr. Hare in the capture of Power, and so by that act superseding him, without any notice?— I was not aware of that. I have heard something of it during the Commission, but know nothing more of it than that.
11978 If the Superintendent or Inspector is not competent to do his duty, is it the usage of the service to send a man to supersede him and do his duty, and take portion of the responsibility; or to order him from the district and send a man to do his duty?— The proper course is to remove a man inefficient for his work from the district, and from the service, in fact.
11979 You might have been considered inefficient from your illness?— Of course, if Captain Standish had explained that that was it, I would have quite understood it.
The witness withdrew. ....
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