From September 1878 down to the Euroa robbery, I was engaged forming search parties, dividing the country off into sections, and going out myself with them in turn-not all, but some of them. ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 8|RC436]])
. '''Murders at Stringy Bark Creek in the Wombat Ranges 26/10/1878''' After the murder of Sgt [[Kennedy Sgt|Kennedy]] and his party I was sent up to take charge of the pursuit of the '''KellyGang''' on [[ev78-10--4Mansfield Murders|28/10/1878]]. I arrived at Benalla that evening, I found that the town of Benalla, and even people along the railway line, were in a state of great excitement.([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 1|RC332]]) see also ([[The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 5 page 2|CHC]]) but see ([[The Argus at KellyGang 29/10/1878|Argus29/10/78]])
I organized and sent out [[Police Search Parties|search parties]] after the '''KellyGang''' under SConst [[SConst James|James]], [[Const Faulkiner|Faulkiner]] and Sgt [[Steele|Steele]] to scour the country.
On 2/11/1878 I interviewed [[Gideon Margery|Margarey]] on the [[Murray Flats|Murray Flats]], ([[The Argus at KellyGang 6/11/1878 (2)|Argus6/11/78]]) ( [[Royal Commission report day 50 page 12|RC16901]])
. '''Sebastopol Cavalcade''' '''[[ev78-10--4Mansfield Murders|7/11/1878]]''' Com [[Standish|Standish]] came up to Benalla to see me on the afternoon train from Melbourne. After our meeting we had dinner, at that time I received a telegram from Sup [[Sadleir|Sadleir]] telling us that the '''KellyGang''' had been at Sebastopol and that they were still there. The next morning we arrived in Beechworth and joined the others. A large body of mounted police left the railway station about 4 am on what has become known as the [[Sebastopol Cavalcade|Sebastopol Cavalcade]] ([[The Argus at KellyGang 8/11/1878|Argus8/11/78]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 1 page 4|RC11]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 3|RC361]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 10 page 5|RC1768]]) ([[The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 7 page 1|CHC]])
The 9 men, one tracker, Com Standish and I came up by to Beechworth by train from Benalla. (we travelled in a van) We met Sadlier and his men about 3 miles out of Beechworth. Standish and Sadleir rode together and I looked after the men and got them in order. ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 5|RC388]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 46 page 6|RC15884]])
See more about the letter ([[The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (43)|JJK]])
See text of the letter that caused me to go to Albury ([[The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 9 page 2|CHC]])
On the day of the robbery I sent a telegram to Com Standish at about 5.45pm and did not here about any major disruption to the lines. I had recieved information from [[Patrick Quinn|Pat Quinn]] that the '''KellyGang''' were up in the area near Wodonga ([[Royal Commission second Report Part XII ( page 15)|RC2nd reportXII]]) see also [[Royal Commission report day 52 page 10|RC17705]])
'''Meeting with Wyatt at the railway station'''
I met Mr Wyatt on the platform. He told me about things at [[Faithfull's Creek (2)|Faithfull]]'s Creek in some detail ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 12|RC489]]) ([[The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 9 page 3|CHC]])
I left [[Benalla|Benalla]] for [[Wodonga (2)|Wodonga]] on the 8pm train. See also ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 13|RC501]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 19 page 2|RC5957]])
I became exhausted chasing the '''KellyGang'''. This is what I told the Commission
At the time of the Euroa robbery I had worked so hard, being in want of leaders-in fact there was hardly a man there that could take us through the country, so that I had myself to go out and take a very active part in riding about with the men and camping out with them, instead of remaining at the principal points to wait for information and act upon it. Of course I had Mr. Sadleir at head-quarters, he not being able to go out through being a convalescent at that time. I had been exposed so much during the previous six weeks that I became quite worn out with fatigue, and my eyes became so bad that I could hardly see, indeed for a time I was perfectly blind in one eye. When I came to town I went straight to Dr. '''Gillbee''', my medical man, and he took me at once over to consult Dr. '''Gray''', who after that attended me. I paid my own medical expenses. In fact, I was so eager in the matter that I never thought of sending my bill to the Government. The state of my health was no exception, as many of the men who had been engaged in the pursuit were knocked up from the effects of it and several had to go into hospital. I was relieved by Captain [[Standish|Standish]] and Mr. [[Hare|Hare]] on the 13/12/1878. ([[Royal Commission report 31/8/1881|RC16091]])see also ([[The Argus at KellyGang 14/12/1878 (3)|Argus14/12/78]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 17|RC552]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 3 page 2|RC681]]) ([[The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 12 page 1|CHC]])
I met Com Standish on 12/12/1878 and we had a short convertaion, see details. I had no communication with Sup Hare or hand over. ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 18|RC576]]) ([[The Last of the Bushrangers Chapter 7 page 1|FH]])
. '''Jerilderie Robbery 10/2/1879''' I was running the police headquarters in Melbourne at this time. The New South Wales police had been very critical of our efforts before the Jerilderie robbery. They even felt that they needed to strengthen patrols along the River Murray for fear that we could not control the '''KellyGang''' within Victoria. However when news of this robbery first broke the New South Wales police authorities sent telegrams all over the colony and sent out search parties as we were doing.
Mr [[Henry Moors|Moors]] was the chief clerk in Melbourne. ([[Royal Commission report day 3 page 2|RC693]]) . '''Standish and Hare replaced by Nicolson 6/7/1879''' [[Standish|Standish]] selected me to take charge of the hunt for the '''KellyGang''' because I was next in seniority, although he had little faith in my energy ([[Royal Commission report day 1 page 8|RC54]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 3 page 3|RC711]]) ([[The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 16 page 1|CHC]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 3/7/1879|Argus3/7/79]])
'''My first day'''