THE CRUMP MURDER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2093, 30 May 1907, Page 1

THE CRUMP MURDER.

CRUMP'S HISTORY. WELL KNOWN IN AUCKLAND. Press 'Association. A UCKLAND, yesterday. For tlio past few days the cable columns have contained references to a murder committed in Loudon by a former resident of Auckland? John Langford Crumj). The Hon. W. Beehan was personally acquainted with Crump. 4i-iterviowed by a reporter, he said he knew Crump very well. He is a nephew of the late Dr. Crump, of the chief town of Kerry, .Tralee. In his day Dr. Crump was an eminent surgeon, but was considered very eccentric in his habits. The doctor died, and loft a very large fortune, it is believed about £40,000, in cash, besides land and properties. Jack Crump, we used to call John Langford Crump, was the doctor’s nephew. My boyhood’s recollections of him are. that lie early developed a roving disposition. He was many times at sea, as an ordinary sailor. For many years lie followed mining in various centres, lie was a me-dium-sized man, and very hardy. Crump often related his trouble about his uncle’s will. To my knowledge ho has been brooding over the matter for the past twenty-seven years. Crump said busybodics in Auckland had sent a letter Home as to his character and mode of living. These letters, he considered, had a great deal to do with prejudicing him in the doctor’s eyes. He told mo ho was .absolutely next of kin; that instead of being well provided for, he was only left a matter of £l5O. . Further, he was debarred, indeed, from going to the Old Country. That' played on his mind. John Crump married here, a widow lady of very good family front Home. She had a number of children by her first husband. Two sons were born to Crump. One of these is still living. Crumj) mentioned to me that Mrs. Moriarty was certain to jirovide in her will for this one', and whether his last visit Home was to see about that matter I cannot say. Crump disregarded the terms of the.will, and went Home several times to try to upset it. He invariably failed to got lawyers to take uj) the case. Ho was unsuccessful in his designs. • Crumj), so far as I know, was a good-hearted man, but of violent temjier if jnit out. He was easily ujiset. I had not seen him for some time uj) to a few months ago. He seemed then to have aged very much. After that I saw nothing of him. I did not know of his whereabouts until he was arrested in London for the murder of Mrs. Moriarty Crumj). When this lady was left a good slice of the doctor’s money she added Crump to her name, but j)Oor old “Jack” never called her anything but Moriarty. Crumj) told me the money, was loft to distant relatives and some to outsiders.