THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1376, 21 October 1886, Page 2

THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

[rktder's telegrams—copyright.] Sydney, October 20,

Geffrey, Penn, and Lizzie Graham, charged with the Great Barrier mnrder, were again brought op at the Police Court, and were remanded,[to Auckland.

[By telegraph from Auckland.] Kempsby, October 11

Penn, who was implicated with Oaffrey in the mnrder at Great Barrier Island, was arrested by Senior Constab’e Mo Letland yesterday evening, within two miles of Maoleay Bar, and the girl Graham with him. Ponu and the girl were lodged in the Kempaey lock-up. When Penn was charged by McLelland with wilful murder, he replied that the charge should be “ Implication in the crime.” At the Police Station, Kempaey, this afternoon Henry Albert Penn was brought up before Captain Davies, B. M., and Mr G. Sutherland, J.P. Despite his three months’ adventures at sea and bis five weeks’ traversing of the desolate coast, the prisoner looked respectable. His deep set black eyes and pleasant face stamp him as a man who is capable of bett r things than mnrder. Inspector Harrison conducted the prosecution. Senior Constable McLelland, of Trial Bay, deposed to having arrested prisoner about six o’clock the previous night about two miles from Macleay Heads, on the Arakoon side. When McLelland first approached him Penn went to meet him, and said he had eome from a wreck. Mol.jliand asked what wreck, and prisoner replied “ The Sovereign of the Seas.” This was a volunta-y statement. A female was with Penn, Witness then told prisoner that he would arrest him for the murder of Robert Taylor ou Grest Barrier Island in New Zealand. Prisoner said “ I was there and implicated in the murder.” The constable asked him if he had any firearms, and Penn handed to him a nickel sliver British bulldog revolver loaded in all the chambers. This was produced in Court. The girl with Penn was carrying a single barrel fowling piece unloaded. In a swag, which Penn acknowledged was his, witness found a powder flask and shot, also two bullets and seme caps whlob exactly fitted the fowllrg piece. Shortly after arriving at the police station at Arakoon Senior Constable McLelland charged Penn that In conjunction with John Oaffrey he did murder Robert Taylor on Great Barrier Idftnd, New Zealand, on June 19th last. Penn repeated that he was there, and was implicated in the murder. After a few words had passed Penn asked if Oaffrey had been arrested. Witness told him he had, and he believed he had confess id to the murder. Witness was iff plain clothes at the time, but previous to arresting Penn be told him he was a constable The girl, when arrested, gave her name as Q-aoe Graham, but afterwards gave her name as Oleary. Captain Davies asked prisoners if they wished to put any questions, but prisoners declined to ques tion witness. They were remanded to Sydney. The girl Is to give important evidence against the other prisoners. She is eighteen vests of age, and belongs to Napier, New Zealand. She is rather good looking and has a clear complexion, and wears her hair out off at her eyebrows. Penn looked dejected this morning. He is twentyfive years of age; He told the police that be and Lizzie had been living under a tent near Crescent Head for five weeks, Wh-n they first touched the coast they landed near Port Stephens and saw some men on the beaoh. Caffrey then, in reply to questi n*, stid that their vessel was a fishing craft. Pr m that time until they were arrested Penn and Lizzie did not see a single person until Sunday fortnight, when they saw one of the Port Slaoquarrie police riding along the beach. Sydney, October 14

Cafffoy’fl two companions on board the cutter Sovereign of the Seas after the confession of the murder of Taylor arrived In Sydney this morning by the Clarence and Richmond River Navigation Company’s b.b. Queen of iho South. Penn »as leg-ironed and handcuffed. Prisoners were brought down in charge of a couple of mounted constables. They were conveyed at once to the Water Police Look-up, and charged before Captain Fisher, D.P. M., Penn with the murder of Robert Taylor, and Grace Graham on a charge of being an accessory after the fact. On the application of the police, both prisoners were remanded until Monday next. Penn Is ft young fellow, of medium height, and in manner and appearance -more like a criminal than Caffrey. He is exceedingly communicative and apparently most anxioas to unburden himself of everything concerning the tragedy In which ho Is implicated. The girl Graham is only eighteen years of age and appears to be little troubled by the charge rhat is hanging over her. After the remand was granted in her case she smiled and chatted away freely with those near her, avoiding, however any reference to her experience. She Is of rather proposing appearance,and her frank face, youth and good spirits make It difficult to realise that she has recently gone through weeks of hardship, which would have told a serious tale on the health of most women.

Penn states that the girl Graham had been living with him on board the cutter for some time prior 1 1 the murder. On tbs day It was committed Caffrey and him elf went ashore to Taylor’s place. He was in the doorway of Taylor’s honse when Caffrey shot Taylor. Pean acknowledges he was carrying a revolver at the time, hut. in explanation says that it was his habit always to have a revolver on him. The girl was left on board the cutter while they went ashore, and was totally unaware of the object of their trip until some time after their return when they told her what had happened. On learning it and being told that they intended to make away from this coast In consequence she hard to be lauded, but nnder the circumstances they , decided t > tike her with them. As already stated by Caffrey Penn says they tried to reach .the American coast where they expected they could be safe from discovery, but mee ing with five or s’x severe gales, and the ontter becoming in such a leaky condition as to Inspire them with fears for safety, they eventually tamed back and succeeded in fetching the New South Wales coast. Penn confirmed Caffrey’s statement that they cime as far

south as Sydney, but finding too many craft about went northwards again in hope of effecting a landing on the Queensland cisat. Whether they were afterwards wrecked, or landed and wrecked the cutter afterwards, Penn did not say, but according to his account he and Caffrey commenced to quarrel almost immediately alter they set sail over the girl, Caffrey, on the principle that dead people tell no tales, wanted to shoot Grace Graham, but p enn, between whom and the girl there appeared to exist a strong affection, objected, and saved her. After this the dread of murder being ever present, Penn a-'d the girl came to an arrangement by which one of them always remained awake whilst the other slept, Penn thronghont the voyage keeping his revolver loaded ready to use in the event of any cruelty on the part of Caffrey. After they landed near Bellringer River Caffrey, Penn, and the girl camped together for a fortnight The same quarrels about the girl, which had taken place uninterruptedly on board were continued on shore Caffrey arguing that it was necessary for their safety that she should be pnt out of the way At last on the fourteenth day, Caffrey asked Peon to go for a walk w th him as he had something particular to talk to him about. Penn made afTlila mind that Geffrey's ohly object was' to get him away from the girl into the bush and there shoot him, and on that aoooottt

refused to ft‘r from where he was.j Bigh words followed, which culminated In Geffrey parting company from them. It was the intention of Penn and the girl to get married as soon as they could possibly manage it. John Caffrey, the Barrier Island mur. derer, arrived in Sydn°y on the 10ih Instby the Clarence and Richmond Company’s steamer Noraki. Notwithstanding the fact that there was no intimation in the press when Caffrey would arrrive, the news got bruited about, and thousands assembled outside the wharf gats', hundreds on the tops of numerous roots, and even in the rigging of vessels lying In the immediate vicinity. After the vessel came alongside a posse of water police went on board, and no time was lost In bringing Caffrey ashore Be was strongly manacled, both by the hands aid ankles. When outside the’ gates the police bad some difficulty In keeping the crowd back. The polisa conveyance, an open twoWheeled dog-cart, was waiting and into this he was immediately hoisted, as having the shackles on he could not freely raise bis bands. The driver had a difficulty in piloting his way through the surging mass of people, and on the road from the wharf repeated groans were given by l,he people. Caffrey evidently felt bis position very keenly, and he evidently did not care about the thousands of eyes focussed on him. Ha pulled bis slouched wideawake bat as far over his face as it was possible to go, and also bent his body iowardly, so as to hide himself as much as possible from the public gaze. A large crowd followed the vehicle to the Police Court, where he was du’y arraigned cn the capital charge* The arrangment, however, was merely of a formal character, and be waa remanded pending tho necessary extraditicn papers from ISew Zealand, From one of his captors it is learned that Caffrey has been most quiet and submissive, and has occasioned not much trouble whatever. He waa of course watched continuously on the way down from Kempsey, and Reynolds had little or no sleep for over three days and nights on account of the unremitting guard ha kept over the prisoner. It waa the intention of the Inspector-General to have sent Caffrey to New Zealand under escort tomorrow, but the news of Penn’s arrest having arrived it waa decided to forward a cable message requesting the New Zealand authorities to forward a sufficient escort for both prisoners.