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The Commission gentlemen in action - Australasian Sketcher.
THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE VICTORIA POLICE 1881.
The Royal
Commission was set up to find if the police acted correctly at Glenrowan
and to
find the cause of the 'Kelly Outbreak'. Many police would be censured or reduced
in rank.
This did not however stop them from also claiming a share of the reward
on offer for the capture
of the gang.
The
Royal Commission in relation to Glenrowan.
FRANCIS
LONGMORE, Chairman;
WILLIAM
ANDERSON,
JAMES
GIBB,
GEORGE
WILSON HALL,
GEORGE
RANDALL FINCHAM,
EDWARD
JOHN DIXON,
GEORGE
COLLINS LEVEY,
JAMES WILLIAMS
10.
That the Constables who formed the hut party
on the night of Aaron
Sherritt's murder — viz., Henry Armstrong, William Duross, Thomas Patrick Dowling,
and Robert Alexander — were guilty of
disobedience of orders and gross cowardice,
and that the three latter —
Constable Armstrong's resignation having been accepted
— be dismissed from the
service.
12.
That the Commission approve of the action taken by Constable
Bracken when imprisoned by the Kelly gang in Mrs Jones's hotel, at
Glenrowan, and recommend him for promotion in the service.
14.
That the conduct of Mr. Thomas Curnow,
State School teacher, in warning the special train from Benalla to Beechworth on
the morning of the 28th of June 1880, whereby a terrible disaster, involving the
probable loss of many lives, was averted, deserves the highest praise, and the
Commission strongly recommends that his services receive special recognition on
the part of the Government.
17.
That your Commissioners desire to record their marked appreciation of the
courtesy and promptitude displayed by the Queensland Government in forwarding a
contingent of native trackers
to
Victoria to aid in the pursuit of the outlaws. We take this opportunity of
expressing our approval of the services of the black trackers as a body, and
deeply regret that any misunderstanding amongst the officers in command of
operations in the North-Eastern district should have led to unpleasant
complications. The Queensland contingent did good service, and Your
Commissioners trust that the Victorian Government will not fail to accord them
proper recognition.
NAMES
OF THOSE INTERVIEWED BY THE COMMISSION RELEVANT TO GLENROWAN.
Inspector
O'Connor
Super
Hare
Super
Sadleir
Const
Duross
Const
Dowling
Const
Faulkner
more
to follow......
INTERESTING
SNIPPETS FROM THE ROYAL COMMISSION QUESTIONS.
Q
7315 No faith in Aaron Sherritt.
Q
7349 Police at Aaron's hut not cowards.
Q
7365 Police fired upon first.
Q
7376 Gascoigne sung out to stop firing into the house as there were women in the
house.
Q
7390 Neil McHugh carried out John Jones.
Q
11415 William Phillips advised Sadleir to put Dwyer in the armour, to let him
walk into the Inn.
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