The Age
29 /06/1880
... part of the KellyGang story
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At the inquest on the body of Aaron Sherritt, held at the Vine Hotel, Beechworth, before Mr W H Foster, PM, the jury having been empanelled, the following evidence was heard:—
John Sherritt, father of deceased, deposed that he had seen the body of the deceased, and identified it as that of his son Aaron, aged twenty five years. He did not know from his personal knowledge how his son came by his death.
William Sherritt, brother of the deceased, identified the body as that of his brother, but did not know from personal knowledge how he came by his death.
Ellen Barry stated— "I am deceased's mother in law, and identify the body as that of my late son in law. I was at Aaron Sherritt's house on Saturday last, and was present at his death. I was at the house between six and seven o'clock , half an hour before the outlaws arrived. There were also my daughter and the deceased present. I was sitting at the fire when we heard a knock at the door. The deceased and his wife were having tea. There was a candle alight in the room in which I was sitting. An ordinary knock was given at the back-door, that being the first sign we got of any one being about. Aaron answered the knock, and said, 'Who's there?' and he heard Antone Wicks reply, 'I have lost my road, Sherritt; come and put me on the road.' I heard no other noise at the time. The deceased then opened the door and put his head out. I heard something said outside, but could not say what. The deceased appeared to be inclined to step back into the room, but before he could retreat a shot was fired from outside—by whom I do not know. The shot was fired very close to the door, and as soon as deceased was struck he stepped backwards into the centre of the room. After the first shot, Joe Byrne stepped up to the door and fired a second shot at the deceased, who was still standing in the centre of the room. Deceased then fell back to the ground. Byrne remained at the door for a short time. My daughter then asked, 'Joe, why did you shoot Aaron ?' and Byrne replied, 'If I. did not, he would shoot me.' Byrne, who had a gun in his hand, was in sight during the whole of the conversation. Byrne then told me to open the door opposite the one at which he stood. I did so, and saw Dan Kelly outside with a gun in his hand. I was then allowed to go outside. When outside Byrne asked me, ‘Is there a window in front of the house?' I said, ‘Yes’ and Byrne called out, ‘Look out, Dan; there is a window in the front of the house.' Dan Kelly then joined me and Byrne, and I recognized him. He afterwards returned to the front of the house. About five or ten minutes elapsed from the time I heard the knock until I saw Dan Kelly. Two shots had been fired by Byrne before I went outside, and he afterwards fired two shots at the bedroom. Byrne was directly in front of the house when he fired at the bedroom."
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28-aug-11
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