One of the police killed by the KellyGang at Stringybark Creek
I came from
I was at the police station at Benalla on 18/9/1877. Const Fitzpatrick had arrested Ned Kelly the day before on charges of drunk and disorderly and riding his horse over the footpath.
The next morning Sgt Whelan got constables Day, Fitzpatrick and I to take Ned from the police cells to the Court House. Ned was rather stirred up and he would not let us handcuff him. Along the way he made a break for freedom and we chased him into King's bootmaker shop. There was a real fight and Ned Kelly nearly lost his trousers in the scuffle. He said that I hit him in the testicles and he made a threat against me. He even offered to shoot me. 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.'
Ned Kelly gave another version of this story to the press (Age9/8/1880)
Later
I went out on a search party from Benalla with Const Fizpatrick. (RC12941)
I was picked to be part of the search party because I knew the Kellys by sight. In Sup Sadleir's order of 21/10/1878 (Sgt Kennedy has a copy) I is ordered to report at Mansfield by the next Wednesday, it was agreed that I did not arrive in time the party would start without me. (RC1742) (RC1727)
It was unlikely that I knew that the KellyGang was in the area.
We were equipped with Spencer rifles, breachloading fowling pieces and revolvers and extra ammunition
Ned Kelly gave an account of what happened
at Stringybark Creek
in the Cameron Letter
and in the Jerilderie
Letter.
See (CHC) for Ned
Kelly's view of me
Sergeant Kennedy told me he would patrol the neighboring country about that day with Const Scanlan.Const McIntyre was told to do the cooking during and I was told to mind the horses during his his absence. (RC14341)
The search party that recovered our bodies left Mansfield
in heavy rain at night and made its way out through some of the thickest scrub
in the area. The search party set up a base camp about a quarter of a mile
away. The police inspector, constables and Dr Reynolds
went to the site and found our bodies. They could not find Sgt Kennedy's
body until much later. The search party found Const Scanlon
and me lying on our backs. The KellyGang
had turned all our pockets out. (CHC)
See (Argus7/8/80)
Dr Reynolds had Scanlon's and my heads bandaged and they then tied our bodies tied on to a pack horse, one on either side.
Back in Mansfield Dr Reynolds conducted a post mortem. The KellyGang
had not riddled our bodies with bullets.(Argus30/10/79)
(Age28/10/78)(Argus29/10/78)
Mrs Lonigan at Mansfield (Argus30/10/78)
See details of my injuries (Age9/8/1880) (Argus9/8/80)
See the evidence from the inquest. (Age30/10/78) see also (Argus12/12/78)
Our memorial was opened in Mansfield (Argus23/4/80)
I was born in Ireland and migrated to Australian with my wife in 1867. I joined the police in 1873.
wife ... children .... home ..
I was 37 when the KellyGang killed me. My poor wife was left with 4 young children to bring up. They had a very hard time of it.
The Prime Minister Mr Berry offered my
widow ' liberal compensation' (Argus31/10/79)
Still no payment (Argus14/12/78)
Money finally paid but only after my wife had to rely on the charity of a
friend. (Argus17/12/78)
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