THE FUNERAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 221, 20 July 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE FUNERAL.

On Sunday three-thousand persons attended to witness the interment of the bodies. The coffins were borne on two carriages, followed by another containing the chief mourners, the first two being escorted by the police, also by the members of the Search Committee on foot; and these were followed by Mr Saxtou and the volunteers. His Honor the Superintendent, with the Executive of the province, several clergymen and a large body of others, came after. Next came about a hundred horsemen, and a large number of carriages. The bodies were buried in one large grave, over which it is intended to place a monument. The Rev G. H. Johnston read the burial service. The coffins bore the following inscriptions : John Kempthorxk : Died, 13th June, 1866, aged 30. Felix Mathieu:. Died, 13th June, 1866, aged 36. James Pontius : Died, 13th June, 1866, aged 36. James Dudley : Died, 13th June, 1866, aged U. FURTHER CONFESSION 1 OF SULLIVAN. Sullivan declares that a man named" James Wilson, who was for a f w months a bellman in Nelson, and was convicted of theft, was concerned with Burgess, Kelly, and Levy in the murder of Mr G. Dobson, whom they strangled and left at the foot of a tree in a sitting position, as if he had died from exhaustion; but afterwards they thought better of it, and went and buried his body. A further point in his confession of the Maungatap.i murders, sho.vs an amount of atrocity truly diabolical. It is this. The gang had with them a quantity of deadly poison, either prussic acid or strychnine, and they had resolved, if any party>Bey encountered were too strong for them, to make friends with them, and, while drinking to administer the poison and then rob them.

Pobson's remains have been found and buried 1 st Sunday at the (ireymouth; the Bishop of Christchurch officiating. A great deal of natural alarm is being manifested lest the daring ruffians now in custody, on a charge of murder, should attempt to escape from confinement. It may be observed, however, that whilst every precaution is taken by the authorities to keep them safely, there is no fear of their making the attempt. These criminals are the greatest curs in existence, when they are in the hands of the police. To use a gaoler's expression, they are like tame chicken. Aot one of them made the slightest resistance when first arrested by the polici without arms, and we believe in plain clothes. It is only when armed, in company, and surprising unarmed travellers, that they show anything approaching to real courage, and then, we are told by themselves, they tremble as much as their victims.