The Argus at KellyGang 24/3/1881 (2)
Standish giving evidence
I immediately ordered a special train, and proceeded with Mr Nicolson, nine mounted constables, and one black tracker to Beechworth, arriving there soon after 3 o'clock am. At 4 am we started from Beechworth, and made at once to the house of the Sherritt family, where it was said the outlaws had been. Arrived there very early in the morning, scattered our men around in the bush, and sent a party of seven or eight men under Mr Nicolson, to search the house. Soon after he had reached the house we heard a shot fired, which was subsequently ascertained to have been accidental. However, we all rushed to the place, and found no trace of the outlaws. Then rode on to the house of Mrs Byrne, mother of Joe Byrne one of the outlaws at Sebastopol, and Mr Nicolson and I interviewed her, but got no information from her. Believe Mr Sadleir's information was correct, but we were a day or two too late. After conferring with Messrs Sadleir and Nicolson, we decided it was no use to stay there, and returned to Beechworth
The Chairman – Had you perfect confidence in Messrs Nicolson and Sadleir?
Witness – At that time I had perfect confidence in Mr Nicolson, although I have not now. I found very good cause to doubt him before I left the force. Had ample proof of his procrastination and inefficiency. About a fortnight before the Euroa bank was robbed I received information from Mr Nicolson that a bank would probably be stuck up in the North-Eastern district. At once issued instructions to Superintendent Hare, who had charge of the adjoining district, in which there were several stations on the railway, to protect the banks in his district. Inspector Green received information of a similar nature from a prisoner at Pentridge. No provision whatever was made to protect the banks at Euroa and Violet Town in Mr Nicolson's district. As both these townships were close to the Strathbogie Ranges, it was almost a certainty that a bank would be stuck up there. On December 10, at 11 pm, I received information in Melbourne that the Euroa bank had been stuck up. Rushed to the telegraph office, and was there most of the night telegraphing. Had to telegraph round by Deniliquin and Albury, as the line was interrupted with Benalla. Having heard Mr Nicolson had gone to Albury, sent a telegram to him, which, I believe was the first intimation he had of the affair. On the ensuing day I had to remain in town to see the manager of the National Bank, and arrange other matters in connexion with the pursuit of the Kellys. On the 12th I left by the 6.10 am train, and arrived at Euroa about 10 o'clock. There saw Mr Nicolson whom I found very much knocked up, and with his eyes bad. Instructed him to return to Melbourne to take temporary charge of my office during my absence, and informed him I should remain at Benalla for some time. Mr Hare came up on the 12th by the evening train by my instructions. Proceeded to Benalla by the evening train, and on the next day had a long conference with Mr Wyatt, police magistrate. He informed me that on the night the bank was stuck up he was travelling on the line, and that as the train approached Faithful's Creek, where the outlaws had stuck up a station, the train pulled up, and they saw that the telegraph lines on both sides of the railway had been smashed up for a couple of hundred yards. On arriving at the Benalla railway station Mr Wyatt met Messrs. Nicolson and Sadleir. That was on the evening of the 10th. They were then starting for the Murray, on the strength of some strange intelligence they had received from friends of the outlaws, that the outlaws were going to cross the river. Mr Wyatt at once informed Mr Nicolson of what he had seen, and told him there was no doubt the outlaws had been at Faithful's Creek or Euroa. Mr Nicolson pooh-poohed that information, and not only started himself for Albury, but took Mr Sadleir with him. On their arrival at Albury, Mr Nicolson received information – my telegram, I believe – that the Euroa bank had been robbed. I sent that telegram on the night of the 10th or morning of the 11th. Information was also sent by me to Benalla, whence a party of men immediately started for Euroa, under, I believe, Senior-constable Johnson That party arrived at Euroa during the night, and the leader received a telegram from Mr Nicolson telling him not to leave Euroa until he got there. Mr Nicolson reached Euroa on the morning of the 11th, and after some hours' delay, started off with a body of police, returning next day without any result. I am given to understand that, although Mr Nicolson was aware it was intended to stick up a bank, he never gave information to the local bank managers that such a thing was contemplated. It would have been wise for him to instruct the telegraph masters in the district to give notice to the police when telegraph lines were interrupted. Consequent on his not doing so a splendid chance of capturing the outlaws was lost. I arrived at Benalla on the 12th December, 1878 and remained in charge of the operations there for six months. The Government decided to send parties of the paid artillery force to the various townships of any importance in the North-Eastern district where there was any apprehension that banks would be stuck-up. That was against my recommendation. After I had taken charge of affairs in the North- Eastern district, I at once sent search parties in various directions where there were grounds for believing the outlaws might be lying. Never heard any rumour of the outlaws being likely to be anywhere without at once sending out police either to find them or ascertain the truth of the reports. Was ably seconded by Mr Hare, who never spared himself, and was most indefatigable in pursuit of the outlaws. Besides being most active and energetic, he was so popular with the men under him that they would have done anything for him. In fact, he treated the men under him like friends, not like dogs. Mr Sadleir was of the same rank as Mr Hare, and I make no reflection on him. He was in charge of the district, but not of the operations. In addition to these search parties, who were not sent out on bootless errands, Mr Hare had a body of very efficient men, who formed a camp in the ranges near Sebastopol, not very far from Mrs Byrne's house, and where they remained hidden without the slightest information being furnished to the outlaws or their friends. At nights they came down and camped in a sequestered place close to Mrs Byrne's house and to the route the outlaws would have taken had they visited the house. One very great disadvantage under which we laboured was that our movements were watched by numerous friends of the outlaws. While I was there the officers and men were most zealous and active and endured any amount of hardship without complaint.
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