despite no evidence. The spite and abuse of official power knew no bounds. Fitzpatrick's statement of the events was "claimed" to have been corroborated by William Williamson while in jail i.e. Williamson had no choice but to say what police required, when interviewed by Captain Standish, the Chief Commissioner of Police, according to evidence by Standish at the Royal Commission into the Kelly Outbreak, in 1881. Note: This convenient hearsay, unsubstantiated 'evidence' was later denied by Williamson. In his first meeting with his lawyer William Zincke, before his committal hearing, Kelly said "in consequence of the tyranny of the police he had been compelled to take up arms to protect his family and sisters". Fitzpatrick was dismissed from Victoria Police whilst he was stationed at Lancefield. He was dismissed for being a drunk and perjurer. He later tried to claim instead he was dismissed for being insubordinate to his senior officer at Lancefield. Ned and his brother Dan fled to the Wombat Ranges, where a few months later stumbled upon a heavily armed police party sent to ambush them. Ned Kelly, shot and killed Constable Lonigan, and fought off others in self-defence, Lonigan had run to a log and dropped down behind it and raised his weapon shooting at Kelly. It was then that Kelly shot at him when he moved. A police employee, Dr. Reynolds claimed instead that Lonigan's injuries 'would have' had to been obtained while standing. Then Sgt Kennedy and Constable Scanlan rode into camp, and Kelly and the others were again forced to defend themselves. Kelly stated Scanlan had dismounted and fired two shots at him with a Spencer rifle. It was at this time that the government of Victoria enacted The Felons Apprehensions Act, and shortly after both Ned and Dan Kelly along with the two other unknown members of the gang at that time were declared outlaws. With their mother in prison and their brothers on the run, young Kate Kelly and her sister Margaret looked after the younger children. These vulnerable Kelly children were constantly under attack and abuse by any passing ex-convict/policeman. Members of the Royal Commission had visited the home of Ellen Kelly, where she reported that police were regularly harassing her and her family at her home. The Royal Commission conveniently discarded the report and unsurprisingly took no further action against police alleged to be involved, who continued to act