Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission evidence
The Royal Commission evidence for 4/8/1881
full text
(see also introduction to day 53)
Const Thomas Meehan giving evidence
17675 What do you mean by that—what is in the book?— Particular orders that emanated from head quarters, and copied at all the stations.
17676 What was the nature of the entry?— That uniform was dispensed with.
17677 That is not that discipline was dispensed with?— Uniform being dispensed with, discipline was dispensed with.
17678 That was not the instruction?— Where could I take my instruction from?
17679 Did you imagine that uniform was the foundation of all discipline?— Not necessarily.
17680 You said you had something of importance you wanted to tell the Commission?— Yes; I should wish the Commission should give me an impartial hearing.
17681 We only want anything of importance. I may as well tell you at once that the record we have shows that you were discharged from the police for drunkenness?— I will come to that.
17682 There are some entries on your sheet by a gentleman not here at all that you were intemperate. Come to that at once, or anything of importance?— We shall come to that directly. On another occasion I came into Benalla about Jim Quin, who told me about the Kellys. He said, “Your guns cannot hurt.” To put it in plain phraseology, he said, “You , your guns cannot hurt.”
17683 Was he drinking at that time?— He was, and I was too. Jim Quin said, “The lads (meaning the outlaws) will drink out of one of those bottles,” the one we were drinking out of.
17684 What object had you in writing to the Commission so frequently to call you?— About the Kellys being at Mother Farrell’s place; and when I gave that information to Mr. Nicolson, and he would not act upon it, when I had to salute him and everything.
17685 Were you sober at the time?— Yes.
17686 Was that the time you had been drinking with Jim Quin?— Yes. I could always drink. This was a man that could get information about the Kellys for the police; a man with polished boots in the township could not.
17687 There was no action taken on your information then?— I do not know whether there was or not.
The witness withdrew. ....
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