by Linda Venn
Click here for a list of key characters in this story
The evidence given by Detective Gooch, Monday 28th December (after lunch)
Roberts continued his cross-examination of Detective Gooch after lunch. Robert’s probing questioning and frustration sets the tone of the newspaper report. Gooch stated that the distance between the log across the road and the bush barricade was 15 yards. The vehicle would have driven past the offender, “and any of the occupants in the car would have had to turn around to see defendant.” Given the slight fall of the land between the bushes and the gully, Gooch was not suggesting that the occupants of the utility would have been able to see the offender at 150 yards distance, but they would have been able to at 45 yards.
Gooch agreed that Edmonds had pointed out “two or three tracks to the tracker. He [Gooch] understood Edmonds was an expert bushman, but he (witness) had sense enough to know an old track from a new one….Edmonds drew attention to a lot of other tracks which he said were fresh, but he (witness) did not agree with him. He understood there were horses running on that country.” These tracks were not traced to Edmonds’ hut. Edmonds had suggested they should look at the tracks where he had been moving the horses over the creek, “but they did not go because there was no reason to go.” Gooch did not remember the tracker saying the tracks went along the foot of the hill, nor did he hear discussion between the tracker and Constable Rynne “as to whether the track they followed on the previous night was the one they were following on December 10.” Gooch knew the track was only followed for about 200 yards on the day of the hold-up, but they “continued to pick it up after the heavy rain of the night before.” The tracks were picked up again near Tealby’s and Rynne “was quite confident they were the tracks they had followed the previous day.”
Roberts now turned his attention to “the dress rehearsal”. Edmonds was not within hearing distance of the conversation between Gooch, Detective Senior Sergeant O’Driscoll and Constable O’Brien at the crime scene. Gooch did not suggest to O’Brien that Edmonds put on the coat and hat in an attempt to clear himself. Apparently, “the defendant did it willingly himself”. This was the first time Edmonds had been asked to try the hat on. Edmonds denied it was his, as it was too big for him. Gooch did not suggest to O’Brien that they dress Edmonds up and “stand him where the hold-up occurred”. Gooch certainly “did not say to Constable O’Brien that they had nothing on this ‘bird’”. On the truck bringing Edmonds and some of the volunteers back to Rollingstone, one of the men commented that “the bandit was a bad shot, with which Edmonds said the bandit might have known the constable.” Gooch was certain “that no one said that they had nothing on defendant; neither did he say that the fact of Edmonds saying that the man did not want to shoot O’Brien was alone sufficient proof that Edmonds did it.” Gooch had not suggested to Edmonds that more than one man was involved in the hold-up. He had however, spoken to both Gill and Searle about Edmonds’ movements. While they waited overnight at Rollingstone, Gooch did not discuss the case with anyone, and Edmonds was closely watched. Gooch did admit that, although both Stewart and Killoran were at Rollingstone on the following morning, “he never confronted Stewart and Killoran with the defendant”.