Contact us

Summary of the evidence on day 10 of the hearings

7/4/1881, Sup Sadleir starts his evidence - some brief highlights

Sup Sadleir joined the police in 1852 as a cadet

In July 1878 the north eastern police district was formed. It covered an area bounded from a line starting, say, from Wood's Point north-east to Tintaldra, 144 miles; thence west along the course of the Murray to Burmah, 160 miles; thence south to Whroo, 56 miles; and thence south-east to Wood's Point, the starting point, 100 miles. There are some 11,000 square miles altogether

The Fitzpatrick incident started the hunt for the KellyGang. Sadeir appointed 2 detectives to try and get some information

Reports from Mr Secretan and the detectives suggested KellyGang in area near Mansfield. Sadleir arranged two search parties into the area, one from Mansfield under Sgt Kennedy to go north and another to go south from Greta. What did the police really know and what did they tell Sgt Kennedy and his search party.

Sadleir went through each Kennedy's party and explained why they were chosen for the job. He then explained what happened when he heard the news of the murders and the arrangements between Sadleir and Nicolson.

In August Sadleir issued orders to Kennedy and Kennedy sent a lengthy report. See the text of these documents. After a number of false starts Sadlier proposed an October search party.

What weapons did they have and who chose Const McIntyre for the search party.

Sadlier's role inthe hunt for the KellyGang after the murders is described in detail.

What was the Sebastopol cavalcade and how did it start?

Who put their shoulder to the door of Mrs Sherritt's home and went in head foremost?

The police then went on to Mrs Byrne's home and there they met Aaron Sherritt.
What was the deal with Sherritt and who made it?

The sympathizers said that the KellyGang were everwhere.

When was the first report of the murders at Stringy Bark Creek recieved and where did the KellyGang go after the murders?

What information did Sadleir get from his agents and what role did Mrs Skillion play?

"We tried to follow them, but any person accustomed to bush will know you cannot follow them if they are on horseback, because you have to follow on horseback, and if you let them out of sight, unless you have trackers, you have to gallop up, and the chances are you come out right on before them, and they discover you before you are aware of them. Mr. Hare described about Mrs. Skillion being discovered sitting on a log by the police. "

Sadleir was asked in relation to Mrs Skillion, "The Outlawry Act was in existence at the time; had you not power, under that Act, in a case of that sort to have prevented those provisions being taken, you having just suspicion that they were being prepared to keep those outlaws in existence?"- What was Sadleir's response?

"We had this knowledge after-that there were a hundred families, or heads of families, ready to supply them. If it had been like a seaport, which we could blockade, it would have been different."

Read the text of the letter that sent Sadleir and Nicolson off to Albury on the day of the Euroa robbery.

privacy policy
9-oct-11

This document gives you the text of the report about the KellyGang for this day. The text has been retyped from a microfiche copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. We also apologise for any typographical errors. This document is subject to coypright.

The day before . . . the next day . . . Royal Commission index