HORRIBLE MURDERS AT OTAHUHU, NEAR AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 336, 28 December 1865, Page 1

HORRIBLE MURDERS AT OTAHUHU, NEAR AUCKLAND.

FOUR PERSONS MURDERED! THREE BODIES DISCOVERED! DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SUPPOSED MURDERER. [From the Daily Southern Cross, December 23.] The peaceful settlement of Otahuhu was yesterday afternoon thrown into intense excitement and commotion, consequent on the discovery of the buried bodies of throe murdered persons, named Mary Finnigan, widow, aged about 55, and two of her sons, James aud Benjamin, aged respectively about 17 and 14 years, on the acre allotment in which their house stood, about IOD yards from the Wesleyan Chapel. It may be in the recollection of some of our readers that in the Auckland Police Gazette of the Ist instant a notification was given to the effect that Mrs Finnigan and her son, John Finnigan, were missing, but were supposed to have gone to Hokitika. The notice was to the following effect: —“ Missing, since the latter end of the month of October last, from her home at Otahuhu, Mary Finnigan, widow, about 50 years old, fair complexion, lair hair, tall, a native of Tyrone, Ireland. Also, John Finnigan, her son, about 10 years old, fair complexion, fair hair. Any information will be thankfully received by her son, Alexander Finnigan, or by the police in Auckland or Otahuhu. She is supposed to have gone to Hokitika, where two of her sons reside.” The notification appears to have been inserted in the Gazette mainly upon the representations of a discharged soldier from the 65th Regiment, living in the same house, and named Janies Stack, who had married a daughter of the deceased Mary Finnigan. The wife of Stack died some months ago in Auckland previous to his taking up his residence with his motner-ia-law at Otahuhu. On the first Jay of the Auckland races in September last, the neighbors first noticed the disappearance from the house of the mother-in-law, and her three sons ; but upon Stack being questioned as to their whereabouts he made a very plausible story of their having suddenly taken their departure, under assumed names, from Onehunga for Hokitika—the cost of passages having been defrayed by himself. The suspicions of the neighbors were naturally aroused that all was not as represented, feeling satisfied that such a sudden determination to remove from Otahuhu would not have taken place without some intimation being given to themselves by Mrs Finnigan. Anxious inquiries were consequently made from time to time as to whether news had been received of their arrival at Hokitika ; and to appease all further alarm on the matter, letters were stated to have been received—after a sulilcient lapse of time, to permit of their landing. Due notice of the alleged departure of the deceased for Hokitika was also forwarded by Stack to Alexander Eianigau, the eldest son, who is connected with tha Commissariat Corps, and stationed at Tauranga; but so improbable did the story appear to him that he at once obtained leave of absence, aud visited the house of his motner to satify himself that they had really left for the goldfield. A rigid scrutiny was made in every portion of the house, as also of the furniture and clothes, but no clue was obtained to the horrid crime which had been committed, and various pretences were also made by the neighbors to gain admittance to tiio housefrom timeto time, for the purpose of discovering proofs of the departure, but without avail. Subsequently it transpired to the knowledge of Stack that inquiries had been made by Alexander Finnigan of the shipping agents and others ut *■ Onehunga, as to the probability of the deceased leaving tor Hokitika but wituout success : aud intelligence was also stated to have been received from Hokitika that no such persons had arrived there. The p.diee-olficers ut Otahuhu likewise became pertinacious aud exceedingly troublesome in asking questions, the result being that Stack suddenly disappeared from the neighborhood on Monday last, and has not sines been heard of. On the fact of his absence from the house becoming known, active measures were at once taken by the police and neighbors to institute a thorough search of the premises aud adjacent grounds. Not a vestige of proof of murder w.is found in or about the house, and the ground was then test.d by means of spears thrust in several feet to discover if resistance were offered. After a diligent search, their labors were rewarded by the discovery of the body of James Finnigan, which had been interred outside the bomiuary furze fence of the allotment aud which had been thrust back upon the spot where the corpse lay. The body was greatly decomposed. It was at once removed in a blanket to the house. The discovery, of course, led tha searchers to make renewed etibrts, and after a short time the body of the mother, Mary Finnigan, was discovered beneath a bed of Carrots, which were grown to a considerable height. It

was placed in the house, beside the body of James. Oa further search the body of Benjamin was found at a spot a few yards from where James had been buried. The search was continued in expectation of finding the body of John, aged 12, but without success, up to a late hour last night: the searchers, however, discovered a quantity of partially burnt clothing, wnich had been buried near the front part of the house. Immediately on the discovery of the body, Mr Commissioner Naughton received intimation of the event by telegraph, and at once rode out to the spot. By the time of his arrival there the two other bodies had been found, and as an incentive to diligence in the search, the Commissioner offered a reward of £5 for the recovery of the body of John. Most active measures were at once taken by the Commissioner with the view to apprehend Stack. The telegraph was set to work, and a number of mounted messengers were despatched to Hawick, Paninure, Dury, <fcc , a reward of £2O having been offered by the Commissioner for bis apprehension. At the request of the Commissioner the disinterred bodies were examined by Dr Erasley, who found that in each case the skull had been completely smashed in near the temple, as if by a heavy blow from a hammer. The injury of itself he considered to be sufficient to cause instaneous death. In addition to the blow on the head, the throat of Benjamin had been cut. Chloride of lime was then put on the bodies, the house locked up and left in charge of two policeman. We may here mention that the house is a two-storied one, divided into two dwellings, having three rooms and (bo entrances at each end, —the two dwellings being divided by a simple wooden partition. At the time of the murders the adjoining house was occupied, but the attention of the occupants was not attracted by any unusual noise. A few days before (he murder Stack borrowed a hammer from one of his neighbors, and when requested to return it after the disappearance of the Einnigaus, he said that he could not find it, but readily gave Is fid in payment. It was also observed by the neighbors, on the day after the Finnigans were said to have left for Hokitika, that Stack was busily employed washing all day and up to a late hour at night. Shortly alter taking up his residence ai Otahuhu, Stack made considerable repairs to the house, and also had it re-shingled, at a cost of £H>. He known in several parts of the province, from” having been in the 6cth for so many years, and is known to have made money by sly grog selling at the Front during the war. He has undergone a period of imprisonment in the Stockade for stealing a pair of boots from tha shop of Mr Keesing, Queen-street —having been captured by the police alter a long chase. Those who know him describe him as being rather a short, thick-set, active man, approaching 40 years of age with black hair and face shaved. In a brawl at (he Front he received a cut on the upper lip, which was stitched up, but the mark still remains. Ho is said to be of a rather unsociable nature and surly temper. Dr Philson, coroner of the district, was communicated with last evening, relative to holding an inquest on the bodies, and wo believe it will take place to day.