The Argus at KellyGang 6/4/1881 (4)
Hare giving evidence
Sat down by a tree, where I had full command of the house. Had my gun still with me. My left hand was hanging listlessly by me. Saw the blood flowing profusely, and determined to return to the platform. While returning I dropped down. The next thing I remember was that I was sitting in a railway carriage with the ladies. Received some refreshment from them, and understood I was going to Benalla with them. After the refreshment I got out of the carriage and asked a guard how long it would take to go to Benalla and back. Was told 20 minutes or half an hour. Determined to go. Got on the engine, the blood still flowing. Previous to going I started an engine to Benalla with instructions to direct Mr Sadleir to come to Glenrowan with all his men. Got to Benalla. Sent instructions to Beechworth and other places for all available men to be sent to Glenrowan. Went to Dr Nicholson, and woke him up. It was about 3 or 4 o'clock am. Asked him to come and dress my arm at the telegraph office .Was then very excited. Dictated a telegram to Captain Standish telling him what had occurred. Mr Sadleir came in. Told him I would return with him to Glenrowan. He told me not to be such a fool. Dr Nicholson undid my wrist, and said a mistake had been made in the bandage, as I was bleeding from an artery. He made an impromptu splint, and fastened it. I fainted. When I came to myself I was perfectly prostrate. Was assisted to my hotel, and went to bed, where I remained for the rest of the day in excruciating agony. Mr O'Connor stated in his evidence, that I never fired a shot after I was wounded.
Mr O'Connor – I said you never re-loaded your gun. You fired two shots.
Superintendent Hare – Mr O'Connor stated in his evidence that he called out to the police to cease firing as there were prisoners in the hotel. Don't deny he did so , but I give the order first. Don't say Mr O'Connor was not amongst the men who followed me, but I did not see him. Other persons have told me they did not see Mr O'Connor with me. It was stated in the Age of June 29, in the report of the Glenrowan affair, that I walked boldly to the hotel, and took up the fire. The reporter was Mr M'Whirter, whom I did not know.
(Mr O Connor handed in a report from Mr Rawlins.)
Superintendent Hare, after objecting to the interruption, continued to quote from the Age report, in which it was stated he had ordered the men to cease firing, and was compelled to leave the field from loss of blood He said:- Mr M'Whirter subsequently told me Mr O'Connor did not go towards the hotel with me, but was lying in a drain when I was firing at the hotel, and that he (the reporter) was with Mr O'Connor. It was after the outlaws retreated into the hotel that I called out, “Cease firing." With regard to the occasion when the police party watched Mrs. Byrne's house, they had information that a grey horse was being kept in training, and stable-fed under lock and key. The horse was, I was told, removed from the stable at 2 o'clock one morning while the party was watching the house. That was why I doubted whether the party was doing its duty.
Paddy Byrne left Mrs Byrne's house one morning on the horse, and the party had not thought it worth while to try to stop him. I made a memo that Aaron and Armstrong ought to have followed Paddy Byrne to see what direction he took, and that the party threw too much responsibility on Aaron. When I returned to Benalla to take charge I saw all the agents, and wrote to the “diseased stock" agent. He came to me at Benalla. Had an interview with him in Mr Sadleir's presence. He said he was getting on all right, and that there was no doubt the gang were about to make a raid on a bank. Mr Sadleir said, "You have been telling us this for the last six or seven months."
He said he had, and that the gang were going to appear in armour, which they would wear when robbing the bank. He said the armour had been tested, and found fire-proof at 10 yards. Asked him in what direction they were going to stick up a bank, but he could not say. He was not a supposed supporter of the outlaws, and was not believed by them to be so. He was a very respectable man, but generally too sanguine. Mr Sadleir said this agent had been giving us similar information as to intended raids for a long time. He was not a paid agent in my time. That is to say, he was never on regular pay. I gave him £2 once. He was following his ordinary occupation. Not only kept agents on, but formed search parties. Shifted some of Mr Nicolson's agents, as, I believe he had intended to do. The number of police was not increased when I returned to Benalla, but I shifted men from the less important stations.
The outlaws used to telegraph in their way. For instance, Tom Lloyd, a sympathiser, when arrested sent a telegram from the gaol to Greta, "Turn the four bullocks out of the paddock ." That was not made known to the police for some weeks. We concluded it referred to the outlaws, and meant that they should be told to shift their quarters. Cannot speak too highly of the assistance rendered to me by Mr Sadleir, notwithstanding that he was opposed to the removal of Mr Nicolson, which, he stated, was a great mistake. My position at Benalla on the second occasion was a most responsible one. There were three or four senior to me in the service. Did not object to return to Benalla through any fear of anything.
With regard to Power a capture, although I organised the party which effected it, I received no benefit from the capture, but Mr Nicolson did, and I was asked to relieve him in the Kelly business. With regard to the outlaws, I know they had revolvers and rifles, ammunition for which could not be obtained at Beechworth or Benalla. On two or three occasions ammunition was bought in Melbourne. Once young Tom Lloyd and Kate Kelly went into Rosier a shop to buy ammunition for a Spencer rifle and Webley revolvers. Believe that ammunition was conveyed to the outlaws
To Mr O Connor-When I received the wound I was on the Benalla aide of Jones s hotel, running from the railway station. No one on the platform could have seen anyone in the drain
To the Commission -The police at Benalla received information about the purchase of the ammunition in Melbourne. They boarded a train from Melbourne at the time, but found nothing.
continued
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