Royal Commission report day 41 page 14
The Royal Commission evidence for 2/8/1881
(see also introduction to day 41)
Mr James Wallace giving evidence
14492 From the knowledge you had of Sherritt and your influence over him, you received the information and believed it to be thoroughly reliable?— Yes, but you are narrowing this all down to one day. It would be better to let me start from the beginning. Aaron was a schoolmate of mine, and he passed my place so frequently, and almost every time he called and had a conversation with me.
14493 How many interviews had you either with Captain Standish, Mr. Sadleir, or Mr. Nicolson before you wrote your letter dated 5th January 1879?—[handing the letter to the witness].—Is that your handwriting?— Yes.
14494 Is that the first letter you wrote to any one connected with the police about the Kelly gang?— I do not think so; I did not keep a record.
14495 To whom did you write any letter prior to that?— Captain Standish ; that I have already referred to.
14496 Did you write any to Mr. Nicolson before that?— I do not think so. I think I had several communications before that; but, inasmuch as I did not keep a record of dates, I cannot be precise without referring to my notes.
14497 Did you, in the first instance, before writing to Captain Standish , have a personal interview with him at Benalla?— Certainly not.
14498 Did you, after writing the first letter to Captain Standish , have a personal interview with him at Benalla?— I did.
14499 Will you tell us the nature of the conversation?— It was a general conversation with regard to the outlaws.
14500 What was your proposal to him?— I cannot recollect what proposals I made.
14501 You must have gone with a definite idea of doing something?— I had some information for him, I believe, with reference to a proposed crossing of the Murray by the outlaws which I thought would be interesting to him, but which he had already obtained from some other sources.
14502 Did you tell Captain Standish that Byrne was a schoolmate of yours?— Most probably I did.
14503 Did you tell him of your own friendly terms with the Byrne family?— I cannot say I told him; he might have inferred that.
14504 At that time you were on personal friendship and the best of terms with the Byrne family?— I had been some time away from the particular vicinity of the Byrne family, and Joe Byrne was the only one I had seen at the time.
14505 You had the means then of being on visiting terms with the Byrne family at that time?— Yes, I had.
14506 Is it probable that you did not inform Captain Standish ?— It is probable that I did inform him I was on friendly terms with the Byrnes .
14507 Did you tell him what means you had of obtaining information as to the whereabouts of the outlaws at that interview?— Probably I did.
14508 Did Captain Standish make any arrangement with you from that time to supply him with any information you might obtain?— I think not. Another matter at that interview with Captain Standish was with reference to a friend of mine—a pupil of mine at the time—named Slater, whom I recommended him to employ—to put him on the police force—stating I thought be would be able to give help from his knowledge of the country, and being an intimate friend of Byrne's.
14509 Did you make that one of the conditions for your supplying information?— No; I did not by any means. I did not make any conditions.
14510 After Captain Standish declined to have anything to do with that, how did you have to do with Mr. Nicolson ?— He came to me once, one Friday.
14511 Before the 5th January?— Yes, it must have been, because I had had no communication with him.
14512 Had you previously sent to him verbally?— No.
14513 Do you remember what Mr. Nicolson asked you when he called?— Yes; he told me that the country looked to me, as a teacher and as a respectable member of society, that I should render all the assistance I could to suppress murder and robbery, and I understood him to wish me to take service with him; that it could be arranged that I could have leave of absence, but I declined to do so. He then asked me if I would give them any other aid I could by collecting information, and beating up the houses in the neighborhood which the outlaws were most likely to frequent, and I agreed to consider his proposal
14514 After considering, what did you do?— I decided to assist him in the interests of society
14515 Did you state at that interview with Mr. Nicolson what special means you had of affording him information?— I think so.
The witness withdrew.
Adjourned to to-morrow at half-past Eleven o'clock .
[see report of proceedings [~[2/8/1881 ]|6424]~]
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