THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1397, 3 November 1886, Page 3

THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

LIFE OF JOHN CAFFREY,

John Caffrey wss born at Panmure in 1850, and is therefore in his 3G*h year. His parents, who wt-rs of Irish oirth, are both dead. He stands about, five feet seven inches, has a fresh complexion, light brown ha r aud blue eyes. Je is a powerfully built man. aud can, *t is said, swing and carry a 2001 a bag of fi mr with tha greatest ease. His occupation has alw ys been that, of a coasting sailor. A man named Sggerton, who had sailed with him on several previous trip;of the cutte: (Sovereign f the Seas), was fortunately detained in Auckland this time in order to give evidence before the Court, and Pann took his piece as mate. According to Eggerton’s account Caffrey is entirely Ignorant of navigation, and a. y chart* he may have had on board would have been quite useless to him. For some time, however, he had been studying De bearing of the different grouts of islands In the South Pacific, and inquiring also about the course he would have to st .er in order to make the u t adan coast. He is described ss beirg a man of unbridled passions and stubborn determination Some four years ago he shipped in a barque for an Anß : ralian port, and on arrival required the master to pay him his wages immediately. On this being refused he pro ured a revolver and went after the master, whom he at length encountered in a cab with hia ■ ife .Se‘z ng the reins, and s'opping tie c.b, levelled his revolver at tha mailer’* head, threatening to shoot both him and his aifa if bis wages were not at once paid, which they were without more dr lay He kas appeared before the Po iee Maidstrates ft Auckland several times on various charges—the first, on the 21st Janusiy, 1885, when he was sentenced to throe months’ Imprisonment for onscene language and assaults on censt ibles, one, on Constable O’Brien, being of a very savage nature. His last appearance was on the 20;h of last March, when he was fined for drunkenness. He has several times stated that he was anxious to have a brush with the police, and thst if ever he again got into trouble he would seize Hie Customs’ entter Hawk, ki liing anyone that Blight be on board, aud make for one of the islands or for Australia, or that he would get off in the {rover-ign of the Seas. People at the Barrier who knew him well state that hia leisure moments for some time past have be-n occupied In studying the American Police G. zittes; that Ned Rally was his ideii of a hero ; end that there also he had frequently announced his intention of seiz ng a craft some day, and making for Australia to join or to organise a band of bushrangers. — N,Z, Herald .