Royal Commission report day 8 page 11
The Royal Commission evidence for 5/4/1881
(see also introduction to day 8)
Francis Augustus Hare giving evidence
1531 Superintendents Winch, Chomley, and Chambers are senior to you?— Yes, and Mr. Nicolson, he was senior to me. I need hardly say, for my past career in the police force, that I did not object to going up on this particular duty from any fear, or disinclination for the duty itself—in fact, the duty was of the kind which I much preferred to any other—but, as I pointed out to the then Chief Secretary, Mr. Ramsay, I had on a previous occasion, namely, the capture of Power, been encouraged to undertake the duty, which would naturally have fallen on those senior to me; but he answered me that not only should I have carte blanche in regard to expenditure and the conduct of affairs generally, but in the event of the capture of the gang, I should receive some substantial recognition of my services, and I then expressed my readiness to proceed at once. Power was captured; and, although I was organizer, at least in my opinion, of the party by whom he was captured, and placed by the Government in that position, I personally received no benefit from his capture; on the contrary, the benefit was received by the very officer whom I was now ordered to go up to relieve (Mr. Nicolson), and I was naturally anxious to protect myself against a recurrence of my former experience. I frequently told Captain Standish that I held a rank which entitled me to be selected on all important occasions to be sent on such duty; that I should be only too glad to carry out my orders, but that I felt it was unfair to pick me and never reward me in any way; besides which, I was not sent in the first instance, but when others failed I was ordered up, as in the case of Power.
1532 Who was superintending officer in charge of that district when Power was captured; was it Mr. Barkly?— Mr. Wilson.
1533 He was captured in the Beechworth district?— I think it was. It was at the head of the King River . The late Mr. Lyttleton was the inspecting superintendent at the time Power was captured; and, besides Mr. Lyttleton, there was Mr. Furnell, Mr. Disney, and Mr. Wilson. They were all in search of Power when I was ordered up to visit the district. I will now state to the Commission the facts, as it has been mentioned from time to time, about the capture of Power.
1534 Before that I want to ask a question as to a matter which made a considerable sensation at the time: Had you any information as to what arms the bushrangers were using, so that, if you met them, you knew you would be met by men armed in a particular way?— No, I had no idea.
1535 Did you know whether they had Webley revolvers?— I knew they had taken Webley revolvers from Sergeant Kennedy's party. They had also one Spencer rifle.
1536 Was it the one taken from Scanlan?— They had double-barrelled guns taken from Lonigan, and they had the New South Wales police rifles.
1537 What rifles are those?— I think they were new rifles and breech-loaders.
1538 All those weapons required special ammunition not obtainable in townships such as Benalla and Beechworth?— Certainly.
1539 Is there any truth, within your knowledge, that they bought ammunition during the time they were out—the two years they were out—at any particular place?— I heard of no ammunition being bought in the district; but on two occasions, perhaps more, ammunition was bought from Rosier, in Melbourne.
1540 Did you hear of any being bought from anybody but Rosier?— I did not.
1541 Did you hear who got that ammunition?— Yes; it was got by young Tom Lloyd, I think.
1542 Bought in Melbourne ?— Yes, bought in Melbourne , from Rosier. Information came up that they were to return next day to get more.
1543 Who?— Tom Lloyd and Kate Kelly were the party who had gone into Rosier's shop to buy some ammunition.
1544 What ammunition?— I think for Spencer rifles and Webley's revolvers, and I think some ammunition that was wanted for the rifles taken from New South Wales.
1545 Do you believe that that ammunition was taken up there?— Undoubtedly it was. I have not the smallest doubt in the world it was taken to Benalla.
1546 By Mr. O'Connor. —What was your exact position when you received the wound referred to at the house?— As far as I can recollect, that was the house—the railway station is here—[Mr. O'Connor handed a plan to the witness].
1547 By the Commission. —Have you been there since?— Never, and except in going through in the train, was I there previously. I was on the Benalla side of Jones's hotel at, I fancy, about that line [pointing to the plan].
1548 By Mr. O'Connor. —Will you state to the Commission the direction you came back?— I cannot. I am so firmly impressed that I am right with regard to that—that the man fired from my right front, and of course the bullet naturally—he standing on the verandah—would enter there and come out there—[pointing to his wrist].....
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