Early on the morning of 4/11/1878 I was at Wangaratta. Const Twomey and I were sent off by Insp Brooke Smith to see Mrs Delaney and her 2 sons John and Daniel about a citing of the KellyGang near the railway bridge the day before. We got back to the police station at 5.45am. (RC17410) (RC17420)
Const Twomey on Thom's horse and I were awaiting duty with Insp Brook Smith but such party is too small, and is not well armed with only one Spencer rifle.(RC17309)
After the murders the KellyGang came and lived closer to the home and were looked after by the Kelly girls. The police decided that the best strategy to use was to cut off the ability of the Kelly sister Maggie and Kate and other to feed the KellyGang. Of course the KellyGang could not understand what we were on about and they turned the story around in things like the Cameron Letter:
'they used to repeatedly rush into the house revolver in hand upset milk dishes, empty the flour out on the ground, break tins of eggs, and throw the meat out of the cask on to the floor, and dirty and destroy all the provisions, which can be proved and shove the girls in front of them into the rooms like dogs and abuse and insult them. Detective Ward and Constable Hayes took out their revolvers and threatened to shoot the girls and children, while Mrs Skillion was absent, the oldest being with her, the greatest murderers and ruffians would not be guilty of such an action.'
See also the Jerilderie Letter
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