VPRS 4966 Consignment P0 Unit 1 Item 2 Record 15 Document: Sergeant Steele re: Glenrowan Outrage
20/07/1880
Overview
Dated a month after the Glenrowan siege, this four-page statement written by Sergeant Arthur Steele of the Wangaratta Police Station, delivers his account of what transpired at Kelly’s last stand. While recognised and credited as the officer who caused Kelly to fall and be captured, Steele was also criticised for firing at bystanders. This document contains Steele’s version of the events that led to the dispute with Constable James Arthur.
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Wangaratta Police Station 20th July 1880 (?)L. M. Steele Can prove I am Sergt. Of Police in Charge of Wangaratta Police Station. About 3 am on Monday 28th June last, I was at the Wangaratta Railway Station Expecting to meet Supt. Hare and party of Police by special train, finding the train late I went down the line in Company with (?) Lacy (?) (?) we heard firing down the line in the direction of Glenrowan. I telegraphed at once to Benalla, then started for Glenrowan with 5 min on horseback where we arrived at 5am. Took up my position about 25 yards from the back door of Mrs James Hotel, between day break and sun rise, I traced some of the Police Call to some person to go back or he would get shot.- [End of page 1] |
VPRS 4966 Consignment P0 Unit 1 Item 2 Record 15 Document: Sergeant Steele re: Glenrowan Outrage |
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I saw a figure about 200 yard to my rear coming towards the hotel he commenced firing at the Police and calling out I am bullet Proof You Cant hurt me. After firing 5 or 6 shots he sat and crouched down between some trees and commenced re loading his revolver [End of page 2] |
VPRS 4966 Consignment P0 Unit 1 Item 2 Record 15 Document: Sergeant Steele re: Glenrowan Outrage |
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| fell, his helmet rolled off and as I approached him he again tried to firing his revolver (?) on me but I seized hold of it and turned it away, he discharging it in my hand I then knocked it from him, and seized him by the right wrist and throat and held him down, until assistance came up.- Myself S. C. Kelly & Const. Bracken with others divested him of his armour Bracken & myself carried him to the Railway Station where he was attended by Dr Nicholson.- When the accused was removed from Prison I noticed a watch in his waistcoat pocket which I pulled out and looked at but finding it was not Sergt Kennedy’s I returned it, I asked him where Kennedy’s watch was, and he replied, I could not tell you It would not do for me to tell, ? asked him why he shot Scanlan and Sergt Kennedy he said he had to shoot them or they would have shot [End of page 3] |
VPRS 4966 Consignment P0 Unit 1 Item 2 Record 15 Document: Sergeant Steel re Glenrowan Outrage |
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shot him, he also stated in reply to the question, that he intended shooting all the survivors from The wreck of the train at Glenrowan. - G.M Steele [End of page 4] |
VPRS 4966 Consignment P0 Unit 1 Item 2 Record 15 Document: Sergeant Steel re Glenrowan Outrage |
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