I was in charge of the watch house at the Benalla police station on the Monday night when Const Fitzpatrick brought Ned Kelly in for being drunk and disorderly. Whelan, Fitzpatrick, Lonigan and I then had some fun with Ned next morning as we tried to move him from the police cells to the Court House.
Ned Kelly mentioned this incident in his Cameron Letter, he said:
'...I could not be more sorry for them, with the exception of Lonigan I did not begrudge him what bit of lead he got as he was the beastliest meanest man that I had any account against for him. I could not be more sorry for them, with the exception of Lonigan I did not begrudge him what bit of lead he got as he was the beastliest meanest man that I had any account against for him. Fitzpatrick, Sergeant Whelan, Constable Day and King, the Bootmaker, once tried to hand-cuff me at Benalla and when they could not Fitzpatrick tried to choke me, Lonigan caught me by the privates and would have killed me but was not able. Mr McInnes came up and I allowed him to put the hand-cuffs on when the police were bested.'
See also the Jerilderie Letter
I helped SConst Kelly and his party get ready at the Benalla railway station on the afternoon of 27/6/1880. (RC8038)
I gave some evidence at the trial of Ned Kelly.(Age29/10/80) (Argus29/10/80) (JJK)
privacy policy
5-dec-11