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== The Royal Commission evidence for 20/7/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 20/7/1881|day 37]])
'''Const Robert [[Const R Alexander|Alexander]]''' '''giving evidence'''
<span id="rc13020">[[#rc13020|13020]]</span> Could you not at any time have got into the sitting room so as to put the fire out and the light –if you had made a rush, would they have been able to shoot you in the sitting room?— The log was burning, and the fire was a very large one; it would not have been possible to put it out at all, and there was a candle-light on the table, and one of the men was right opposite the front door, and one opposite the back.
<span id="rc13021">[[#rc13021|13021]]</span> How is it you did not go out at all during the morning?— We heard voices on to daybreak almost; there were parties walking about; there must have been above a dozen or more, to my reckoning by the sound of the voices, and walking about. I was quite willing to go out if Armstrong and the others would have, but they would not. I told Armstrong that Mr. [[Hare|Hare]] would be wild if we did not get the men, and he said we would do very well as we were; and I thought, as he was in charge, I would be wrong in going against what he said.
<span id="rc13022">[[#rc13022|13022]]</span> One of you got on a bag, and shut the front door–could you not have done that earlier in the night?— Armstrong shut both doors by pushing them to with his breech-loader.
<span id="rc13023">[[#rc13023|13023]]</span> Would that not enable him to get outside the bedroom any time during the night?— The doors were put to and opened again about half.
<span id="rc13024">[[#rc13024|13024]]</span> Would you have been in any better position if you had got into that other room?— Well, I do not think we could have been in a better position, because there was a window in each room. We would have been in the same position as in the bedroom.
<span id="rc13025">[[#rc13025|13025]]</span> You did not fire any shot at all from the inside?— No; Armstrong said not, lest we should shoot some civilians. I got on a box behind the partition wall, and told him I could get a shot at the man at the back, and he said not to fire, for fear of hitting any civilians. We had breech-loading shot-guns, so it was no use trying to fire through; there were no rifles.
<span id="rc13026">[[#rc13026|13026]]</span> Have you thought since how, if you were in the same position, you could have done better?— Yes, if the man in charge acted along with me, I would act better–I still am of that opinion.
<span id="rc13027">[[#rc13027|13027]]</span> You think, if you had all acted together, you would all have rushed out?— I would have been willing to do anything, but the others would not work, and I did not like to go against the men in charge of me.
<span id="rc13028">[[#rc13028|13028]]</span> What was the nature of the ground behind the house; was it an old diggings?— On the left it was diggers' holes, at the back it was scrubby, and at the right it was scrubby and diggers' holes; and there is a water-channel right before the door, perhaps two to three feet deep.
<span id="rc13029">[[#rc13029|13029]]</span> Then any one outside had good cover?— Very good cover.
<span id="rc13030">[[#rc13030|13030]]</span> If you had gone out in the dark–made a rush out–do not you think you would have had an equal chance with the outlaws?— Once we got outside the door we would have been right, and would have had as good a chance; but the other men were not willing to go out, Armstrong especially. I spoke to him several times during the night about it, and he always put me off, and said we could do nothing– the party was too small. I said Mr. Hare would be wild.
<span id="rc13031">[[#rc13031|13031]]</span> Why did you think it advisable to send by a [[Chinese|Chinaman]] instead of by yourselves?— It was Armstrong thought of that. He said, “Boys, do not separate, because they stopped so long at Euroa and Jerilderie, they will be bound not to give in to us yet.” He thought they were close handy. This is the statement I made myself of the whole case–[''handing in a written paper''].
<span id="rc13032">[[#rc13032|13032]]</span> Then you consider it likely the Kellys must have known you were in the hut?— Yes, I think so, because [[Patrick Byrne|Byrne's brother]] used to come round the back.
<span id="rc13033">[[#rc13033|13033]]</span> Do you remember making any report upon the proceedings that occurred there?— I do.
<span id="rc13034">[[#rc13034|13034]]</span> You were called upon?— Yes, I remember making some short report.
<span id="rc13035">[[#rc13035|13035]]</span> Did you make one?— I did.
<span id="rc13036">[[#rc13036|13036]]</span> Was it accepted?— I believe it was, for I had not it returned to me.
<span id="rc13037">[[#rc13037|13037]]</span> Do you remember Mr. Hare coming out one time to the hut?— I do.
<span id="rc13038">[[#rc13038|13038]]</span> Did he find you all in the hut, or were you watching?— No; Duross, I, and Mrs. Sherritt were in the hut; the others were out with Sherritt getting firewood.
<span id="rc13039">[[#rc13039|13039]]</span> Was it suggested to you by any one that you should go away as fast as possible and report you were watching the hut–that is, [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne]]'s hut?— No; Detective [[Ward|Ward]] came into the hut and said, “Hare is outside, say they are gone down to watch Byrne's.” That meant the others, Armstrong and Dowling and Sherritt, I understood.....
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''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 20/7/1881|day 37]])
'''Const Robert [[Const R Alexander|Alexander]]''' '''giving evidence'''
<span id="rc13020">[[#rc13020|13020]]</span> Could you not at any time have got into the sitting room so as to put the fire out and the light –if you had made a rush, would they have been able to shoot you in the sitting room?— The log was burning, and the fire was a very large one; it would not have been possible to put it out at all, and there was a candle-light on the table, and one of the men was right opposite the front door, and one opposite the back.
<span id="rc13021">[[#rc13021|13021]]</span> How is it you did not go out at all during the morning?— We heard voices on to daybreak almost; there were parties walking about; there must have been above a dozen or more, to my reckoning by the sound of the voices, and walking about. I was quite willing to go out if Armstrong and the others would have, but they would not. I told Armstrong that Mr. [[Hare|Hare]] would be wild if we did not get the men, and he said we would do very well as we were; and I thought, as he was in charge, I would be wrong in going against what he said.
<span id="rc13022">[[#rc13022|13022]]</span> One of you got on a bag, and shut the front door–could you not have done that earlier in the night?— Armstrong shut both doors by pushing them to with his breech-loader.
<span id="rc13023">[[#rc13023|13023]]</span> Would that not enable him to get outside the bedroom any time during the night?— The doors were put to and opened again about half.
<span id="rc13024">[[#rc13024|13024]]</span> Would you have been in any better position if you had got into that other room?— Well, I do not think we could have been in a better position, because there was a window in each room. We would have been in the same position as in the bedroom.
<span id="rc13025">[[#rc13025|13025]]</span> You did not fire any shot at all from the inside?— No; Armstrong said not, lest we should shoot some civilians. I got on a box behind the partition wall, and told him I could get a shot at the man at the back, and he said not to fire, for fear of hitting any civilians. We had breech-loading shot-guns, so it was no use trying to fire through; there were no rifles.
<span id="rc13026">[[#rc13026|13026]]</span> Have you thought since how, if you were in the same position, you could have done better?— Yes, if the man in charge acted along with me, I would act better–I still am of that opinion.
<span id="rc13027">[[#rc13027|13027]]</span> You think, if you had all acted together, you would all have rushed out?— I would have been willing to do anything, but the others would not work, and I did not like to go against the men in charge of me.
<span id="rc13028">[[#rc13028|13028]]</span> What was the nature of the ground behind the house; was it an old diggings?— On the left it was diggers' holes, at the back it was scrubby, and at the right it was scrubby and diggers' holes; and there is a water-channel right before the door, perhaps two to three feet deep.
<span id="rc13029">[[#rc13029|13029]]</span> Then any one outside had good cover?— Very good cover.
<span id="rc13030">[[#rc13030|13030]]</span> If you had gone out in the dark–made a rush out–do not you think you would have had an equal chance with the outlaws?— Once we got outside the door we would have been right, and would have had as good a chance; but the other men were not willing to go out, Armstrong especially. I spoke to him several times during the night about it, and he always put me off, and said we could do nothing– the party was too small. I said Mr. Hare would be wild.
<span id="rc13031">[[#rc13031|13031]]</span> Why did you think it advisable to send by a [[Chinese|Chinaman]] instead of by yourselves?— It was Armstrong thought of that. He said, “Boys, do not separate, because they stopped so long at Euroa and Jerilderie, they will be bound not to give in to us yet.” He thought they were close handy. This is the statement I made myself of the whole case–[''handing in a written paper''].
<span id="rc13032">[[#rc13032|13032]]</span> Then you consider it likely the Kellys must have known you were in the hut?— Yes, I think so, because [[Patrick Byrne|Byrne's brother]] used to come round the back.
<span id="rc13033">[[#rc13033|13033]]</span> Do you remember making any report upon the proceedings that occurred there?— I do.
<span id="rc13034">[[#rc13034|13034]]</span> You were called upon?— Yes, I remember making some short report.
<span id="rc13035">[[#rc13035|13035]]</span> Did you make one?— I did.
<span id="rc13036">[[#rc13036|13036]]</span> Was it accepted?— I believe it was, for I had not it returned to me.
<span id="rc13037">[[#rc13037|13037]]</span> Do you remember Mr. Hare coming out one time to the hut?— I do.
<span id="rc13038">[[#rc13038|13038]]</span> Did he find you all in the hut, or were you watching?— No; Duross, I, and Mrs. Sherritt were in the hut; the others were out with Sherritt getting firewood.
<span id="rc13039">[[#rc13039|13039]]</span> Was it suggested to you by any one that you should go away as fast as possible and report you were watching the hut–that is, [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne]]'s hut?— No; Detective [[Ward|Ward]] came into the hut and said, “Hare is outside, say they are gone down to watch Byrne's.” That meant the others, Armstrong and Dowling and Sherritt, I understood.....
=== Previous page / Next page ===
'''The [[Royal Commission report day 36 page 1|previous day]] / [[Royal Commission report day 38 page 1|next day]] . . . Royal Commission [[Royal Commission Index|index]]'''
<br />
{{MicroficheCopy}}<br />
[[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:January 1720]] [[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:Commisioner Standish]] [[Category:history]]
MediaWiki:Sidebar
{{^|Original page location \documents\RoyalCommission\RC810720_37_02_13020.html}}
