Royal Commission report day 6 page 11
The Royal Commission evidence for 31/3/1881
(see also introduction to day 6 )
Francis Augustus Hare giving evidence
1320 As far as you know?— No, I know everything. I know that Captain Standish, Mr. O'Connor, and myself lived together like brothers—we occupied a sitting-room together.
1321 How can you speak for all like that?— Because Captain Standish was never up there afterwards.
1322 Did you not mean to say since you left the district on the first occasion, instead of saying since the capture of the Kellys?— Yes, that is what I meant.
1323 Concerning that, did not you and Captain Standish and Mr. O'Connor live in the same rooms at the hotel?— Yes.
1324 Dine together—occupy the same apartment at the hotel?— Yes; lived by ourselves, I say. I thought as much of Mr. O’Connor as any man I ever met in my life. We were on terms of more than ordinary friendship.
1325 Official?— No, private. I never cared for any man more than I did for Mr. O’Connor, and he for me. He made my house his home when he came down here, and so it remained until I left Benalla on the first occasion. I do not for a moment say that Captain Standish and Mr. O'Connor had not squabbles. We were all “chaffing” each other as we were living together. Some are more given to “chaff” than others. Captain Standish was sometimes rather nasty in his “chaff” to Mr. O’Connor, and Mr. O'Connor would not stand it.
1326 Was that during the “friendly terms” you speak of?— Yes. And they used to have a row perhaps for half an hour, and then one would say he was sorry for it, and they would meet quite friendly next morning at breakfast. Between him and myself I do not think we had the slightest difference. Mr. O'Connor has rather a short temper, and Captain Standish used to say rather nasty things, and Mr. O'Connor would not stand it, but it was made up the next morning, and nothing came of it—and so it went on to the end of the time. As far as the official business was concerned, I am really at a loss to know how it can be said that Captain Standish did anything to prevent the Kellys being caught, through his apathy or anything else. Mr. O'Connor never, when we were on terms of friendship, said, “If Captain Standish had done so and so we would have got the Kellys.” He used to remark to me the indifferent manner in which Captain Standish behaved from time to time when the subject of the Kellys was mentioned.
1327 What do you mean by indifferent—apathetic?— Yes, apathetic. He would change the subject to something else; and Mr. Sadleir has remarked the same.
1328 Mr. O’Connor said you had several times remarked to him that Captain Standish was indifferent?— I do not deny Mr. O'Connor's statement. I dare say I may have said, “He does not take a great interest when you speak to him;” but when I have spoken to him he has always shown the utmost interest in the whole affair, and from Captain Standish down to the lowest constable I am sure that we had but one object in view during the seven months that I was up there. I do not exclude Mr. O'Connor at all. He never said a word to me at all about any chances we had thrown away, and he showed as much interest as I did
1329 To make them amenable to justice?— Yes, just so, to catch the Kellys. It was his thought day and night—that is, Captain Standish's—and every constable's there; and to say now that the reason the Kellys were not captured was because of the squabbles between the officers, this I deny. As far as I was concerned, for the seven months, I declare there was no chance thrown away that I knew of; I never threw one away that I knew of, with my feeling on the subject then. I never received information without enquiring into it.
1330 Were you aware of any difference between Mr. Nicolson and Captain Standish?— No, never, not up to that time.
1331 Mr. Nicolson never said anything in your hearing?— He was not up there.
1332 At any other time?— No.
1333 Did Captain Standish take out a search party at any time?— Never. He came out to visit me when I was at the watch party one night; but I do not know that he did on any other occasion.
1334 How did Captain Standish employ his time at Benalla?— He took charge of affairs, attended to all the correspondence and all the matters at head-quarters.
1335 Was that a heavy responsibility?— It was a heavy responsibility. He had to decide between the different reports that came in—not by himself, but Mr. O'Connor and Mr. Sadleir and I assisted him.
1336 You lived at the hotel at Benalla on one side of the river?— Yes.
1337 Are the police there at the other end of the town?— Yes.
1338 After you had breakfast, Captain Standish went to his business at the barracks every morning, and remained there all day?— Yes....
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