Royal Commission report day 39 page 8
The Royal Commission evidence for 22/7/1881
(see also introduction to day 39)
[[../../people/peS_T/steelePsgt.html|Sgt Arthur Loftus Maud Steele]] giving evidence
14096 When was this search made—was it after Johnson that Mr. Brook Smith not follow on?— He had not reported that to me then. The men were in a state of considerable excitement about the matter, and to satisfy them and give them every chance possible, although I knew myself there was no chance of the Kellys being there, because I knew three days before the horses had been abandoned, still I took them out, and we went in a large party, and took Sergeant Steele with a large party, to cover as much country as possible and to satisfy the men, and I allowed them to do whatever they liked, and they made nothing of it, as I expected. I never drew them away—there was nothing to draw them away. It was too late to do any good, the Kellys had passed there several days before. I can produce the informant that gave the information that the horses had been abandoned on the 9th.
14097 Was this before the black trackers came?— Yes.
14098 The trackers proved of no service to you on that occasion?— No.
Mr. Nicolson — I do not believe they were acting under funk at all. I formed the opinion singe then—nothing of the kind struck me.
Mr. Sadleir — I saw the beaten tracks as plain as this carpet. They would not take them. They had us in the swamp before they could explain themselves.
Sergeant Steele — I understand Mr. Brook Smith found those tracks the day before, and we went the following day, and he showed them to us. I wish to examine Mr. Sadleir now to corroborate my statement about shooting at the Glenrowan hotel. I mentioned to him at the time that I thought I had shot Byrne. It is a very serious charge for a man to say that I made use of language that I never heard or thought of. It is something preposterous. I was as cool as possible the whole of the time, and I never drew a revolver and caught hold of one of the men's revolvers who was going to shoot at Ned Kelly .
14099 By the Commission— You fired at a man who you say was crawling on the ground?— Yes.
14100 We had about five or six witnesses who have all sworn that that young man was coming along with his hands up, and he turned round and ran back when he was threatened?— It was an utter impossibility—no one on the ground could say that except myself If you knew the situation
14101 We know the situation. The question is did that young man fall when you fired?— He did not.
14102 We have it in evidence from several that that young man was following his mother, leading the child, and that he had the other hand up, and when you cried out and threatened them he ran back, and then you shot him through the shoulder, and he fell at the door?— That is not true. I fired—I believe that is the man, but no person knew till I told Dr. Hutchison , and he elicited from him when he was shot. There is another man named Brady who was at the hospital who can corroborate this statement.
The witness withdrew.
Adjourned to Thursday the 28th July, at Eleven o'clock , in Melbourne .
[~[[see report of proceedings 22/7/1881 ]|6407]~] ....
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