Distribution of the reward - who got what.

WARNING: FOUL LANGUAGE BELOW.


The above image is a scan of a message I found on an original petition document.
It seems not everyone wanted Ned saved. (sorry about the language used)

THE KELL        KELLY REWARD BOARD. (The blood money)  

I found after many fruitless searches on the internet that no one had provided the list of 
who received what from the distribution of the Kelly 'Blood Money'.  Therefore I am doing so here. 

The Glenrowan siege occurred just in the nick of time, the reward being offered 
(8,000 pounds) was a limited offer and due to end in July 1880.

            In 1881 adverts were placed in the newspapers for potential claimants involved in 
the capture of the Kelly Gang to come forward and lodge a claim.

            The Kelly Reward Board took in ninety one applications from those who thought they 
deserved a slice of the reward pie. Twenty four applications were rejected with the remainder 
successful. It was an amazing affair, brave men such as Bracken were reluctant to apply at first. 
Anton Wicks, the man who was forced to entice Aaron to his death was unsuccessful in his
application. It is difficult to understand at times how the rewards were worked out at all, it seems 
the main criteria was that you had to have been at the siege. 
One notable exception being Detective Ward, who, whilst instrumental in getting Aaron 
into his fatal predicament was not at the siege on June 28.

         The police who hid in Aaron’s hut managed to receive 42-15-9, with the lion's share going 
to Messrs. Hare, who was not there more than a few minutes, and Curnow for his bravery in stopping 
the train.

         The blacktrackers from Queensland were promised a reward as part of the deal in securing 
their services to track the Kellys in Victoria. Unfortunately, the racism (and in-fighting between 
those in charge of the pursuit) shown by the Victoria police was such that they were not utilised 
fully and when the reward was issued they were at the very bottom of the list! They were promised 
fifty pounds and to date it has never been received. It seems that an amount of fifty pounds was set aside 
for each tracker as listed. However, the feeling of the day was that the aboriginal could not be trusted 
with such a sum and the Government deemed that the police should control the money on their behalf 
for the purchase of uniforms etc. We do not even know if this occurred.


[THE KELLY REWARD BOARD DISTRIBUTION.

            1       Superintendent Francis A Hare   800-  0 - 0

            2       Thomas Curnow (School teacher who stopped the train)  550-  0 - 0

            3       Senior Constable John Kelly   377-11-  8

            4       Sergeant Arthur Loftus Maule Steele  290-13-  9

            5       Constable Hugh Bracken  275-13-  9

            6       Superintendent John Sadleir  240-17-  3

            7       Sub-Insp Stanhope O’Connor (Qld police in charge of trackers) 237-15-  0

            8       Jesse Dowsett (Victorian Railways guard)  175-13-  9

            9       Sergeant James Whelan  165-13-  9

            10     Mounted Constable William Canny  137-11 - 8

            11     Mounted Constable Patrick Charles Gascoigne  137-11 - 8

            12     Mounted Constable William Phillips  137-11 - 8

            13     Mounted Constable Daniel Barry  137-11 - 8

            14     Mounted Constable James Murdock Arthur  137-11 - 8

                15 Charles Rawlings (Volunteer)  137-11 - 8

            16          Mounted Constable Thomas Kirkham  137-11 - 8

17          Senior Constable Robert Austin Smyth  137-11 - 8

            18          Foot Constable Patrick Kelly   137-11 - 8

            19          Mounted Constable James F Dixon  115-13  -9

            20          Foot Constable James Dwyer  115-13  -9

            21          Mounted Constable P.P. Wilson  115-13  -9

22                    Foot Constable John Milne  115-13  -9

            23          Mounted Constable John Lord Stillard  115-13  -9

24                    Mounted Constable Cornelius Ryan  115-13  -9

        25          F Constable Thomas Reilly  115-13  -9

26                      Mounted Constable Robert Graham  115-13  -9

27                       Foot   Constable John Morrison Hewitt  115-13 -9

28          Moun  Mounted Constable William John Richard Wallace  115-13  -9    

                      Foot Constable Patrick Walsh  115-13  -9

                17  Mounted Constable John Montiford   115-13  -9

                          Constable Cawsey   115-13  -9

            19          Mounted Constable Patrick Healey  115-13 -9

            20          Mounted Constable William Moore  115-13 -9

            21          Archibald Andrew McPhee (pilot engine guard)  104- 4  -6

            22          Henry William Alder (pilot engine driver) 104- 4 - 6

            23          Hugh McClement Burch (pilot engine fireman)  104- 4 - 6

            24          Detective Constable Michael Edward Ward  100- 0  -0

            25          Senior Constable Charles Johnston  97-  15 -9

            26          Robert or John Bowman (engine driver)  84-   4  -6

                          Mr. Hallows  84-   4  -6

            28          Mr. Bell (railway guard)  84-   4  -6

            29          Richard Coleman (engine driver)  68-   3-  4

            30          John Charles Stewart (fireman) 68-   3-  4

            31          Senior Constable Patrick Mullane 47-  15- 9

            32          Foot Constable Richard Glenny  42-  15- 9

            33          Mounted Constable Robert McColl 42-  15- 9

            34          Mounted Constable C. F. Meagor  42-  15- 9

            35          Foot Constable Henry Armstrong (was at Sherritt’s hut) 42-  15- 9

            36          Foot Constable Thomas P. Dowling (was at Sherritt’s hut) 42-  15- 9

            37          Foot Constable William Duross (was at Sherritt’s hut) 42-  15- 9

            38          Mounted Constable Robert Alexander (was at Sherritt’s hut)  42-  15- 9

            39          Foot Constable R. McHugh  42-  15- 9

4            0          Foot Constable Richard Wickham  42-  15- 9

            41          Jack Sherritt (Aaron’s brother)  42-  15- 9

            42          Mounted Constable Thomas Edward Dwyer  42-  15- 9

            43          Foot Constable John H. Stone 42-  15- 9

            44          Foot Constable Peter McDonald  42-  15- 9

            45          Hero (blacktracker Qld) 50-   0-  0

            46          Johnny (blacktracker Qld) 50-   0-  0

            47          Jimmy (blacktracker Qld) 50-   0  -0

            48          Jacky (blacktracker Qld) 50-   0  -0

            49          Barney (blacktracker Qld) 50-   0  -0

            50          Moses (blacktracker Qld) 50-   0  -0

            51          Spider (blacktracker Qld) 50-   0  -0

                          Mr. Cheshire (operator)  25-   0  -0

            53          Mr. W. Osborne 25-   0  -0

                           

Additional payments noted:

Thomas Curnow an additional reward share of  450-0-0

Constable Alfred John Falkiner   25-0-0

Mr. Clement Stevens (Benalla stationmaster)    50-0-0

Mr. Henry Laing (Wangaratta stationmaster)    25-0-0

Ex Constable Thomas Meehan (reward for services)  42-15-0

 

1       Super

 

www.nedonthenet.com copyright 2008 - 2012.