The Argus at KellyGang 30/6/1881 (4)
Correspondence from Insp O'Connor
“‘The Argus ' report of this portion of the affair is very different. It runs thus:-"The police and the gang blazed away at each other in the darkness furiously. It lasted about a quarter of an hour, and during that time there was nothing but a succession of flashes and reports, the pinging of bullets in the air, and the shrieks of women who had been made prisoners in the hotel ;' and again, ' at about 8 o'clock In the morning, a heartrending wail of grief ascended from the hotel. The voice was easily distinguished as that of Mrs Jones, the landlady. Mrs Jones was lamenting the fate of her son, who had been shot in the back, as she supposed, fatally. She came out of the hotel crying bitterly, and wandered into the bush on several occasions, &c She always returned, however, to the hotel, &c' How do you reconcile this statement with your report ? But supposing that the “Argus” version is incorrect, the matter is in no better light. The number of occupants-whether voluntary or compulsory-the strength and condition of the outlaws, the position of the passages and doors, and all information requisite to ensure the capture, could have been obtained from Constable Bracken-who had himself been a prisoner -had a little more coolness and judgment been exercised on arrival at Glenrowan.
"When the premises were set on fire it appears that an officer of the Victorian police was present in command. You had, therefore, nothing to do with that matter, but it would have given much satisfaction here had you objected to such a course, which hardly seems to have been requisite when so large a body of police were present.
"In replying to this letter, which you will be good enough to do without delay, you will he careful to abstain from all reference to others farther than stating any orders you may have received. All that I have to do with is the conduct of yourself and the troopers placed under your charge.-I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
"DT SEYMOUR, Commissioner of Police."
“ Bellevue house, Brisbane , July 19, 1880 " To the Commissioner of Police, Brisbane
" Sir,-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 15th July, calling upon me for an explanation of the part taken by the detachment of NM police under my command in the late encounter with the outlaws at Glenrowan, Victoria.
"My report of the 1st July, which you designate meagre, was written hurriedly to catch the mail, and being aware that I would return at once to Queensland, I omitted details.
"You particularise the features of the encounter requiring explanation as -
" 1st. The apparent total want of discipline or plan with which the affair was conducted, &c.
"2nd The Indiscriminate firing which was permitted, whereby the lives of innocent persons were endangered, &c.
"3rd. The seemingly unnecessary burning of the premises in which the outlaws and others had taken shelter.
"Now, I think it only fair to recall to your recollection the fact that were sent to Victoria to act as trackers. I was not entrusted with the command or the charge of the party, and was not in any way accountable for the proceedings at Glenrowan or elsewhere. As mentioned in my report of the 1st of July, the party of police to which 1 was attached was under the command of the Victorian officer, Superintendent Hare, and I am unable to say what plan of operation he intended to adopt, as his being disabled at the commencement prevented him from giving me any information In the matter.
“The firing was commenced by the outlaws, and continued on both sides until I heard the voice of a woman, when it was at once stopped until the women were got out. When the women left the house I understood there were only the outlaws in it. The 20 odd prisoners were in a detached building, which I believe not a shot was fired into. The child of Mrs. Jones was wounded in our first volleys, when the gang were on the verandah. The women passed out of the house about 10 minutes after the first shot was fired. I cannot account for the newspaper reports, but no women or children were in the house or houses 10 minutes after the first shot, but they were crying out all round our lines, and probably the reporters at the station may have thought the they were in the house all the time.
When Mr Hare called upon me to come on, and ran towards the hotel, I followed him, knowing that his men and my boys would follow us as ordered. As regards the burning of the house, I have merely to remark that I was not the officer in command, and was willing to form one of a storming party, but it was considered better to fire the home than to risk the lives of the constables. When we fired the building we were aware that only the two outlaws were in it alone, not, as otherwise stated, a lot of innocent men. I may state in conclusion that the house where 'Cherry,' the wounded man, lay, was another building, and was standing intact when we left the ground. I shall be glad to furnish the commissioner of police with anything further he wishes to know about this matter. I think the commissioner of police should express his approval of the conduct of the men under my command, as they behaved very well. - I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
"STANHOPE O'CONNOR, Sub-inspector.
Constable Flood , of Greta, was then examined. He gave an account of the antecedents of the Kelly gang and of their friends, and attributed the outbreak of the gang to the withdrawal of police who knew the country from the district, and substituting strangers in their place; also to the reduction in the number of the force and of the stations in the district. He also gave evidence as to the part he took in the pursuit of the gang.
The commission then adjourned until next day at 11 o'clock .
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