Constable Arthur.
 Constable Arthur was a good and honest policeman. He was the
only officer willing to stand up to the madness displayed by
Sgt. Steele and
stopped Steele from shooting at innocent people who were trying to flee
the Inn. His reward was that Sgt Steele tried to have him dismissed from
the force. In June 1881, Constable Arthur made an application to the
Officer in Charge of Police at Benalla, requesting he (Arthur) be
examined by the Police Commission. Constable Arthur believed that his
reputation was at stake due to the allegations brought against him by
Sergeant Steele. Steele and Arthur were at loggerheads over Arthur
forcing Steele to stop shooting at civilians during the siege. Arthur
declared that Sgt Steele was firing at innocent civilians and said to
him, "that is a woman, if you fire at her again I'll shoot you".
Naturally Steele denied this.
Constable Arthur
was the officer who found the blood soaked skull cap and revolving rifle
left behind by the wounded Ned Kelly.
During a lull in
the fighting, Constable Arthur was in the process of lighting his pipe
when Ned came back into the fight. He was so surprised that the pipe
fell from his mouth. Arthur, not realising it was Ned who had entered
the police cordon yelled out "go back, you damn fool, you'll get shot".
To which Ned replied, "I could shoot you sonny".
Arthur, the best
shot in the police-force, took aim and fired directly at Ned Kelly's
'armoured head'. His aim was perfect, however Ned did little more than
to stagger. Several dints in Ned's armour were testament to the shots
fired by Arthur. Amongst others, Arthur would be there at Ned's capture.
It is
interesting to note that Ned mentioned Arthur in his Jerilderie letter
whilst making reference to the cowardice of Constable Hall. (Hall had
arrested a young Ned Kelly after pistol whipping his head into a pulped
mess.) "Next morning I was handcuffed, a rope tied from them to my legs
and to the seat of the cart and taken to Wangaratta Hall was frightened
I would throw him out of the cart so he tied me whilst Constable Arthur
laughed at his cowardice for it was he who escorted me and Hall to
Wangaratta." P11 The Jerilderie letter.
A REPORT BY CONSTABLE ARTHUR ON
THE HAPPENINGS AT GLENROWAN. (from the Victorian Archives)
North Eastern
District
Benalla Police Station
2nd July 1880
Report of
constable Arthur 2971 Relative to the capture of Ned Kelly the outlaw
I have to
report at the request of Mr. Superintendent Sadleir that when he arrived
at Glenrowan and in the act of taking the horses out of the train
Constable Bracken rushed up to Superintendent Hare and informed him that
the outlaws were at Jones hotel we rushed towards the hotel and when in
the front of it there was a volley fired at us and when about 10 yards
through the white gate Mr. Hare exclaimed good-gracious I am shot in the
wrist I was then about 5 yards behind Mr. Hare I then fired at the
outlaws and then knelt down and continued firing into them Mr. Hare then
gave orders to cease firing I then moved to a tree close to the hotel
Mr. Hare at this time ordered Sub Insp O'Connor to surround the hotel as
he was wounded Mr. O'Connor did not do so I remained in this position
for about 20 minutes when Senior-Constable Kelly came up to me and asked
me where the remainder of the men were I told him as near
as I could the position they had
taken up he then said come with me and place them around the Hotel and I
did so. S. C. Kelly and I then crawled on our hands & knees to a tree
within about 100 yards to the rear of the Hotel we then stopped there a
few minutes S.C. Kelly then said we will have to get close to the Hotel
I was in the act of kneeling down when I put my hand on something inst I
looked down and saw a rifle & skull-cap I was that much astonished I
could not speak I touched S.C. Kelly on the arm and pointed to them he
then picked up the Rifle which was covered with blood I picked up the
Cap S.C. Kelly then said my God there is one of them gone just then we
heard a peculiar noise S.C. Kelly said 'Hush' we looked about and
listened but we could not see anyone we then came to the conclusion that
one of the Gang was severely wounded and had made his escape there was
then shots fired from the Hotel and our attention was drawn to that we
then crept to within about 50 yards of the Hotel we remained there some
time firing and while there we heard the Train coming S.C. Kelly then
said I will go down and meet Mr Sadleir and the men
telling me to remain where I was
until he came back I did so and when he returned he told me that
constable Phillips had bailed up a man who came out of the hotel
carrying a child on his back and that this man had told constable
Phillips that three of the gang were in the hotel and that Ned Kelly had
made his escape being severally wounded by the first volley we fired at
them about three o'clock in the morning S.C. Kelly and I remained there
some time when we heard some one coming we challenged them they answered
Wangaratta police Sergeant Steele then came up to us with his men s.c.
Kelly told him the outlaws were in the hotel the S. Constable then left
me to put the Wangaratta police around the hotel after doing so he took
up another position himself about 20 yards to the left of me I remained
as I was for some time when a bullet from the hotel cut up the ground
under my stomach to another tree about 10 or 12 yards distance I then
lay down and hearing a noise behind me I was in the act of getting up to
look and I saw what I thought to
be a mad man with a nail can on his head going to rush the Hotel he had
a revolver in his right hand (this man afterwards turned out to be Ned
Kelly) I called out to him stand back you'll be shot he then replied
fire away sonny you can't hurt me I then took a steady aim at his head
thinking I would knock the can off I hit him but he only staggered he
then fired at me but his shot fell short I then fired again at what I
took to be his mouth (it afterwards proved to be a piece cut out of his
helmet to enable him to see it was then just day break) he was still
coming towards me I knelt down and fired at his breast I heard the
bullet hit him but he still advanced towards me he was then about 15 yds
from me I then called out Phillips look out behind you Phillips and
fired at him we then fired again he exclaimed good shot Boys fire away
you B___s you cant hurt me he fired two shots at me, some shots at us
altogether I then turned to the other men and said look up here what's
this just then Constables Mountiford & Healy ran up an fired their shot
guns at him with the same effect
Sergt Steele was then about 120 yards from us to our rear (he having
taken up that position near the Hotel when he first came) he then called
out steady what are you firing at it must be a black fellow S.C. Kelly
and several others were at this time between the Railway fence and us
Ned Kelly about 15 yards in front of me making for the trees where I
found the Rifle and Cap Const. Phillips then called out to retreat we
did so to avoid being shot by our comrades and with the intention of
getting Ned Kelly back and when we were doing so he seemed to understand
our manoeuvres he then knelt down with his back against the trees where
I had found the Rifle and Cap Constables Bracken Mountiford and myself
made up our mind to rush him when just in the act of doing so Ned Kelly
got up and walked a few yards I then knelt down and aimed at his legs he
walked a little and seemed to be falling we all then rushed towards him
when I got there S.C. Kelly Sergt Steele Const Bracken and several
others where all on him I then left and went to a tree
to watch
the Hotel thinking the other three of the Gang would come out as I was
aware previous to this of their intention to come out at daybreak to
make their escape I was then relieved for the purpose of going to have
some refreshments
J.M. Arthur
M.C. 2971
A6096
Forwarded to the C. Commr of Police
I omitted to mention Const. Arthurs name in my report of the 21 inst.
J Sadleir
Supt 3/7/80
Source: Public Records Office
Victoria.
Nedonline, Arthur's letter...
Glenrowan Police Station 2/6/81
Application of Constable Arthur 2971 to be examined by the Police
Commission
I make application to the Superintendent to be allowed to be examined by
the Police Commission at as early date as possible as my reputation as a
constable is altogether at stake through damaging statements made by
Sergeant Steel within the last day or two I beg to request this matter
will be forwarded without delay
J. M. Arthur
M. C. 2971
Submitted for the consideration of the Officer in charge of Police
Benalla
John Elliott
Senr Const 2023
Glenrowan 2.6.81
Forwarded to the Secretary to the Police Commisssioner
6137 (signature unreadable)
A.C.C 4/6/81
Forwarded to the Actg Chief for instruction
(signature unreadable)
Benalla 3-6-81............................................
|
www.nedonthenet.com