THE MURDERER SULLIVAN.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 214, 15 February 1875, Page 3

THE MURDERER SULLIVAN.

The Daily Times says:—“A resident, of Dunedin, for whose respectability we can vouch, who has seen an account in the Australasian Sketchcr, of the murderer Sullivan, informs us that he is morally certain that Sullivan was one of the convicts who, on the 28th of December, 1853, seized the barque Lady Franklin, on the high seas, on the voyage from Hobart Town to Norfolk Island, had possession of the vessel for fourteen days, ran her to within about 100 miles of the Fiji Islands, and there left her. The full details of this seizure, or rather act of piracy and murder, will no doubt be found in the official records kept in Hobart Town. But from our informant we get the following account. The Lady Franklin left Hobart Town on the 11th of December, 1853, with twenty-two soldiers of the 99th Regiment, and twenty-two prisoners, for Norfolk Island, and on the 28th of the same month was seized by the prisoners. Our informant, then a youth of eighteen years, had obtained a permit from Commissary Bishop, then Commissary of Tasmania, to visit Norfolk Island. It was expected that the vessel would reach Norfolk Island by the 25th, and she had a Christmas supply on board, but she did not reach the meridian of that island till the 28th. On that morning she was seized. One of the convicts had feigned illness through the voyage, and beneath his bunk a hole had been cut from the main deck into the lower hold. Through this hole a number of the prisoners got into the lower deck, and travelled to the tank hatch, up which they came. The names of those that came first were Davis, Ginger, Ginger Merry, Griffiths, Kelly, and a sixth man. They got to the main cabin, which they entered, took the clothing off the pegs, and mufiled their irons, and got possession of some cavalry swords. A sentry who was at a stand of arms in front of the cabin was stabbed and thrown into the sea at the first onslaught. A couple of the convicts stood at the arras rack, and when the soldiers on being alarmed rushed to get their arms, they were attacked and beaten off. Lance-Sergeant Naughton usod the butt of his firelock to good effect, and it is believed that the blow on Sullivan’s nose, which turned it somewhat, was given on this occasion. The final result of the struggle was that the prisoners got the upper hand. All the crew and soldiers were battened down. Our informant and another youth were, however, allowed to go about the deck during the time the prisoners had control of the vessel. At the end of fourteen days the prisoners left the vessel, which was then about a hundred miles from Fiji, and the crew and soldiers were, according to agreement, let on deck an hour afterwards by a boy, to whom the keys had been given. The vessel was then turned to Hobart Town. A number of those who escaped were afterwards captured and sentenced. Our informant being allowed on deck during the fourteen days, and having opportunities to observe the prisoners, says the Sullivan and Kelly on board were, he is morally certain, the two who were concerned in the Maungatapu murders. Sullivan was then full faced and fresh, and from his expression of countenance appeared fit for anything. Our informant has a special recollection of Sullivan, who when getting over the side of the vessel into one of the boats by which the prisoners escaped, volunteered to butcher all on board. More humane counsels, however, prevailed. Our informant is still morally certain that that Sullivan is the same man who is now giving the colony so much trouble, although he sees by the Sketcher that Sullivan was liberated in 1848. It is possible, however, that he may have been reconvicted, between that period and 1853. While our ourrespendent does not positively recognise Svilivan from his photograph, he believes him, from his build, age. height, and expression of countenance, to be the same man. , Sullivan is now fiiftynine years old, five feet eight inches high, hair dark, mixed with grey, eyes hazel, with a pale face, ill-looking, of the criminal type, with high cheek-bones, and teeth out. He is of stout build, and is by trade a baker. He is a native of Cork, but speaks with a sharp English accent. It would now appear that Tasmania is certainly more entitled to his safe keeping than Victoria or New Zealand.