Royal Commission report day 37 page 20

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The Royal Commission evidence for 20/7/1881

(full text transcription)

(see also introduction to day 37)

[[../../people/peB/barryEllenMrs.html|Mrs. Ellen Barry]] sworn and examined

13374 By the Commission— You are the mother of Mrs Sherritt , junior?— Yes.

13375 Were you often at Aaron Sherritt's house during the time the police were there?— Yes, I used to be pretty often there.

13376 You were aware the police were there?— Yes.

13377 Mrs. Sherritt had a difficulty in remembering several things that occurred, and said you would most likely have a better recollection of them than she had?— Yes.

13378 Do you remember provisions being brought to the house?— I do, on some occasions; but then I had never been there when provisions had been brought to the place.

13379 Did you know who brought them?— Yes; a man of Allen 's, the storekeeper, used to.

13380 Did he bring the provisions at night or during the day?— In the daytime. I know he did sometimes, for I used to see the cart going down.

13381 Are you aware whether anybody about knew that the police were in the house?— Well, I do not know of anybody knowing that, unless Aaron 's own people knew that they were there. There was a brother of his used to sleep in the house.

13382 Do you know of any outside, besides the two families, that knew that?— No, I do not. I do not think, from what I have heard about the Woolshed since Aaron was shot, that any of the Woolshed people knew it.

13383 Was it possible that Joe Byrne himself might know it?— Well, I could not say.

13384 You have not heard?— No, I have never heard.

13385 We have it in evidence that his brother used to sit on horseback at the back of the house and look at it?— I have often seen him pass and ride on horseback myself, and his youngest brother and sister used to go to go to school by the place mostly every day, but I never saw them to be watching the place myself.

13386 You remember the night of the murder—you were there?— Yes, I was just about a quarter of an hour inside when a knock came at the door, and Aaron asked who was there. His wife asked who was there first, and this German answered, and she said, “It is Anton Wicks, he has lost his way.” Aaron went to the door, and Wicks said, “Come and show me the way, I have lost my way,” and Aaron opened the door, and I went to the door with him, and he mentioned a sapling as he was going out, but that was out of a joke. I went with him just to the door behind him. I heard Aaron say, “Who is that?” and as he said the words he seemed as if inclined to come in again. He just had that word out of his mouth when the shot went. I just stood on one side of Aaron and stepped backwards into the middle of the room, and there was another shot then fired through the door, and my daughter was standing just behind the door, and the shot passed her face, and she went back into the bedroom. Aaron stood on the middle of the floor, and I was looking at him, and could see no mark on his face, and I heard no noise. I turned round, and there was a man standing with his back to the door, and he fired a second shot at Aaron , and he fell on the floor. (JJK)

13387 Did Aaron make any remark?— No, he never spoke, not a word.

13388 Did you know at the time who fired the shot?— No, not at that time.

13389 Did you know the man who stood at your side?— Not at that time, but I would after Aaron falling on the floor. He stumbled some time before he fell, and then he fell backwards. I went and stooped down, and knelt down just by his head, and I could see he was dying. This man called me by my name, and he said he would put a ball through me and my daughter if we would not tell who was in the room. Duross was in the sitting-room when the knock came at the door, and he walked into the bedroom then, and I was thinking he might have heard the man's step going into the room, as he asked who was that man that went into the bedroom.

13390 Did you go out to see this man outside, once or twice, during the night?— Yes, I asked Byrne would he let me go outside. He gave me orders to open the front door directly after that, and as I did I saw another man in front of the door with a gun. Byrne was at the back door, and this other man at the front.

13391 Did he tell you with what object he wanted you to open the front door?— No. I could see a man with the gun just in front. I asked him to let me outside, and he said, “All right” So when I went outside I saw Wicks standing by the chimney outside.

13392 Was Wicks handcuffed?— Yes, he was, but I could not see at the time, it was too dark; but I could see Byrne taking them off.

13393 Did you carry any message from the men to the men in the bedroom?— Yes, Byrne said to me outside, “I am satisfied now I wanted that fellow” —that was Aaron . “Well, Joe ,” I said, “I never heard Aaron say anything against you.” And he said, “He would do me harm if he could; he did his best.”....

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