The Argus at KellyGang 7/4/1881
THE POLICE COMMISSION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
Present – Messrs Longmore (chairman), Gibb, Fincham, Hall, and Anderson, MLA’s, and Mr Dixon.
Superintendent Hare, continued. – Mr Nicolson stated that he reaped no benefit from Power's capture. Immediately after it he was transferred from Kyneton to Melbourne, and received an extra £100 per annum as officer in charge of the detectives. Previous to the capture he was a first-class superintendent and I was a second-class. He was receiving £375 a year and I £350. When I had reached the top of the second-class the classes were amalgamated. But I was next for promotion at the time, and a vacancy had occurred. As inspecting-superintendent he received £500 a year, and as assistant- commissioner he, I understand, received an- other £150 a year.
Mr Nicolson – That was on the Estimates, and I never got it.
Superintendent Hare – When Mr Nicolson gave up the city police, his successor, Mr Winch, did not receive the extra £100 as officer in charge of the detectives. In 1870 Mr Nicolson's name appears in the Police Gazette under Mr Winch's and in 1872 above it. Know of no other cause except Power's capture for Mr Nicolson's promotion. I received no extra pay. Mr O'Connor claimed the credit of being instrumental in the capture of the Lancefield bank robbers. That robbery was in my (Bourke) district.
On August 8, 1879, I was in Melbourne and received information that the bank had been stuck up. Captain Standish telegraphed for Mr O'Connor and his boys at 1 pm that day. I took a special train at 2 pm for Lancefield- road station and drove on to Lancefield, arriving there at 5 or 6 pm. Found it was not the Kelly gang that stuck up the bank. Awaited Mr O'Connor's arrival. Was informed he would stay that night at Kilmore. Next morning one of my men whom I had sent out returned to Lancefield, stating the robbers had called at an hotel between Lancefield and Pyalong. About an hour afterwards, Mr O'Connor arrived at Lancefield. Told him the information I had received, and he started off immediately, at a rapid pace, in the direction indicated. He picked up the men's tracks at the hotel, and followed them to Pyalong. Then a storm came on, and obliterated the tracks.
Next day he proceeded towards Heathcote but got no tracks. That day, a constable at Kangaroo-flat, near Sandhurst, obtained information that two men answering the description of the robbers had come there from the direction of Heathcote, and had walked into Sandhurst. The information was given to the Sandhurst police, who made inquiries and captured both robbers.
Mr O'Connor – Mr Baber can give evidence on this point. Mr Hare's evidence is only hearsay. We were told the robbers had gone to Melbourne, and if we had not stuck to the tracks the men might have escaped.
Superintendent Hare – On the two occasions when Captain Standish and I had good information we availed ourselves of Mr O'Connor's services. That shows that we had no jealousy of him, as he alleges. When I relieved Mr Nicolson in June, 1880, he gave me no information concerning the outlaws' armour. Heard of it in conversation with Mr Sadleir and others. Sergeant Steele was the only constable that received such information. Mr Nicolson got the information about the armour in March 1880.
About a month before I was ordered to Benalla, Constable Phillips came to the Richmond depot. He was one of the men alluded to by Mr Nicolson as never having fired a gun. He told me that he had been at Benalla 12 or 13 months and never two miles from it, and that no search party had gone out since I left.
With regard to Jack and William Sherritt, Aaron's brothers, being taken into the force, I was anxious to do something for the family after what Aaron had done for us. About a month after the Glenrowan affair, Mr Ramsay, the Chief Secretary, said the Government intended giving Jack and William Sherritt a selection of land. Suggested instead, they should be taken into the force, as they would make excellent constables if they behaved themselves.
Aaron had told me they had not been like him, and had never committed any offence. He thought they could give no assistance as to the Kellys. Mr Ramsay and Captain Standish concurred with my suggestion. Captain Standish asked the two men to report themselves at the depot. They did so, and remained there about 10 days before they were sworn in. In the meantime inquiries were instituted as to their character. Heard that a constable, while watching in a cave, had seen Jack Sherritt killing a sheep ; but the constable didn't know whose sheep it was, although a squatter of the locality had stated he suspected the Sherritts of sheep-stealing. Did not hear anything else against them. Both were sworn in as constables. They remained at the depot six weeks, worked hard, and showed a great inclination to become good constables. While they were there nothing could he said against them. Mr Nicolson told me soon after that he had recommended the discharge of the two men, and they were discharged. He did not tell me why they were discharged. The inspector-general of police in New South Wales told me Mr Nicolson had unsuccessfully requested him to take these two men into his force. Subsequently William Sherritt went to Queensland, with letters of recommendation from Mr Nicolson, but did not get employment in the force there.
With regard to my services, I may state that in 1855 it was ordered that I should be promoted for "gallant conduct" in regard to a burglary. I was then in the Beechworth district, and captured an armed burglar. I was promoted to the rank of sub-inspector, but got no increase of pay. Was previously a lieutenant in the police, a rank since abolished. Captain Standish wrote to me in April, 1860, offering me charge of the police at Williamstown, and mentioning my "long and arduous services." I accepted the position. Mr Fosberry, of the New South Wales police, in 1863, communicated to Captain Standish that I could obtain a position in the force of that colony. Was then inspector of police in Melbourne. Told Captain Standish I felt inclined to accept the appointment, as it was better than the one I held. Captain Standish dissuaded me from doing so, saying I should be pretty sure of his office if anything happened to him. In July, 1864, when I was inspector of police in Melbourne, the acting-chief commissioner of police directed me to proceed to Echuca with a body of armed men.
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