P96
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What I saw at Glenrowan. Interview with Ned Kelly. 

Escorting Kelly and his Trial at Beechworth. 

The Melbourne Trial and Sentence to Death.

The 27th June 1880 being a Sunday I had a day off duty, 
and I was not aware of the stirring events which were 
taking place until I saw by Monday's paper that Sherritt 
had been shot. I hastened in to the Detective office, and 
there learned the latter particulars which had not appeared 
in the press, that the gang was surrounded by police at 
Glenrowan. Being informed that the Chief was going up to that 
place in a special train accompanied by several police under 
Sr. const. Walsh I went up to his office, and hearing there 
that he had already started I engaged a hansom (cab)and followed 
him to the station where I arrived just in time to catch the 
special and obtain the Chief's permission to accompany him.

There were many very sanguinary rumours going about Melbourne that morning, and at the station I was seriously informed by a man with whom I had some previous acquaintance that the very last information was to the effect that the Kelly's had shot six policemen and succeeded in escaping.

We travelled very quickly up to Benalla and had we gone through we would have been at Glenrowan before the final act in that tragedy took place. But owing, as I afterwards learned to some obstruction on the line, we were detained for upwards of two hours at Benalla, and were informed of the burning of the hotel before we left that town. Dr. Chas Ryan, who had accompanied us, and the Chief went to see Mr. Hare. When they returned we continued our journey to Glenrowan. On our arrival there I ascertained that Kelly was at the railway station, proceeding there I found him lying down and the room full of police and citizens. Amongst the others I was unnoticed and I remained looking at Kelly for some time reflecting upon the last time that I had seen him. He was in fairly good spirits for a man who was so seriously wounded and who must have known that his career had come to a termination besides having lost his brother and accomplices in such a tragic manner. Proceeding from here to the railway platform I found the bodies of four men lying there. Two of the bodies had been in the fire and were charred trunks with the heads still attached to the frames but the legs and arms burned off. The others were the bodies of Byrne which I easily recognised, and that of Martin Cherry the railway labourer. Whilst I was looking at the bodies Capt. Standish approached and asked me if I recognised any of them.

I pointed to the body of Byrne and said he was‑one of the men who attacked us in the Wombat forest, the other body I did not. know, and the two charred bodies were beyond recognition. He then inquired if I had seen the prisoner at the railway station, I told him that I had and that I identified him as being the principal in