Royal Commission report day 52 page 2 (2)

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The Royal Commission evidence for 4/8/1881

(full text transcription)

(see also introduction to day 53)

[[../../people/peC/curnowThomasT.html|Mr Thomas Curnow]] giving evidence

17591 By the Commission. –What are you?— State school teacher.

17592 Where?— Ballarat

17593 Were you stationed at Glenrowan, as teacher; in 1880?— I was.

17594 You remember the circumstance of the Kellys shutting up the prisoners in Mrs. Jones's hotel?— I do.

17595 You were one of them?— I was.

17596 If you have any statement to make with reference to that we will be glad to hear it?— Several months ago I wrote a narrative of the part I took in the Glenrowan tragedy, as closely as I could then recollect it, and I would desire now to read that to the Commission.

17597 Will you do so?—[The witness read the same, as follows :]- “On Sunday morning, 27 th June 1880, I determined to take my wife, sister, and child out for a drive along the road from Glenrowan to Greta. We left the school in a buggy at about eleven o'clock in the morning, accompanied by David Mortimer, my brother-in-law, who rode on horseback. When we got in sight of Mrs. Jones's hotel, and opposite the railway crossing, through which we intended to pass, we noticed a number of people about Jones's hotel, and at the crossing. I said, ‘Mrs. Jones must be dead; she has been very ill.’ As we got near the hotel, a man ran out of it towards Mrs. Jones's stable, distant about twenty yards from the hotel. I drove past the hotel to the crossing and, seeing Mr. Stanistreet, asked him, ‘What's the matter?’ He replied, ‘The Kellys are here; you can't go through.’ I thought he was joking, and made a motion to drive through the gates, when a man on horseback, who brooked up the crossing and was talking to a young man whom I knew to be named Delaney, wheeled round his horse and said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I saw then that he had revolvers in his belt, and was convinced of the truth of Mr. Stanistreet's statement that the Kellys were there. I replied that I was the teacher at Glenrowan. He said, ‘Oh I you are the schoolmaster here, are you, and who are those?’ pointing to my wife, sister, and brother-in-law. I told him. He then said, ‘Where are you going?’ I answered, ‘Out for a drive.’ He then said, ‘I am sorry, but I must detain you,’ and directed us to get out of the buggy, which we did. He then turned again to Delaney and resumed his conversation with him. I afterwards found that the man who had addressed me was Ned Kelly, the outlaw. I noticed another armed man near Ned Kelly, and I afterwards found that he was Byrne. When we got out of the buggy I led the horse off from the crossing and tied him to the railway fence alongside, directing Mrs. and Miss Curnow to go into Mr. Stanistreet's house, which the' did. As soon as I had fastened the horse, I joined Mr. and Mrs. Stanistreet and others, who I was told had been taken prisoners by the gang, and was informed by them that Glenrowan had been stuck up since three o'clock that morning, and that the gang had forced Reardon and others to tear up part of the railway line beyond the station, with the purpose of wrecking a special train of police and black trackers, which the outlaws said would pass through Glenrowan. Some person then, I believe it was one of the boys who had been bailed up by the gang, told me that the Kellys had been at Beechworth during the previous night, and had shot several police. After some further conversation, we all listened to w hat Ned Kelly was saying to Delaney. The outlaw was accusing Delaney of having some short time previous ridden a horse from near Greta into Wangaratta to oblige a policeman, and of having sought admission into the police force. He threatened to shoot Delaney for this, and pointed a revolver at him several times. Ned Kelly declared to all of us who were listening to him that he would have the life of any one who aided the police in any way, or who even showed a friendly feeling for them, and declared that he could and would find them out. He said that a law was made rendering it a crime for any one to help them (the outlaws), and that he would make it a crime against the Kelly gang for any one to aid the police. The women, who were listening to what Kelly was saying, asked him to let Delaney off. After keeping Delaney in a state of extreme terror for about half an hour the outlaw made him promise never again to seek admission into the police force, and finally said, ‘I forgive you this time; but mind you be careful for the future.’ Byrne then produced a bottle of brandy, and offered some in a tumbler to all adults there. Some accepted it. Byrne drank some himself, and gave Delaney two-thirds of a tumbler which he drank. Ned Kelly refused to take any, and directed some of his boy prisoners to take my horse and buggy into Mrs. Jones's yard, which they did. Ned Kelly and Byrne then went from the railway crossing to Mrs. Jones's hotel, preceded by the majority of their male prisoners, and I was with them. When we reached Mrs. Jones's there were, including those who had just been taken over, about fifty persons in and about the hotel, all of whom appeared to be prisoners of the gang. We were allowed to go about in the hotel, excepting one room, which the outlaws used, and of which they kept the key, and we were allowed outside, but were forbidden to leave the premises. Dan Kelly, a short time after I entered the hotel, asked me to have a drink, and I drank with him at the bar. I said to him that I had been told that they had been at Beechworth during the previous night, and had shot several police. I asked him whether it was true. He replied that they had been near Beechworth last night, and had done ‘some shooting,’ and that they had burred the ‘b——s out,’ alluding to police. Byrne came in the bar, and, looking at Dan Kelly's glass said, ‘Be careful, old man.’ Dan Kelly replied, ‘All right,’ and poured water into his brandy. While talking with Byrne and Dan Kelly, I expressed surprise at Glenrowan being stuck up by them, and they said that they had come to Glenrowan in order to wreck a special train of inspectors, police, and black trackers, which would pass through Glenrowan for Beechworth, to take up their trail from there. ....

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