NORTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 340, 11 January 1866, Page 2

NORTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

THE OTAHUHU TRAGEDY. CAPTURE op the ALLEGED MURDERER, (From the New Zealand Herald, 2Sth December.) We are glad to acquaint our readers with the fact of the apprehension of the man Stack, said to be the perpetrator of the Otahnhu tragedy, viz., the diabolical murder of the widow Einnegan and her three sons. The facts as told to us are these:— Two persons, named respectively A. H. Derose and S. Price, were travelling last Monday week on the Great Northern road, in search of work, and soon after passing the new Lunatic Asylum, they observed a man lying asleep in the fern by the roadside. Upon their entering into conversation the stranger rose up and said he was on the lookout for work and would go with them. The night came on very dark and thick, and the three consequently had to camp in the bush ; on the following morning the three proceeded to Mr Short’s, at the Kaukapakapa, where they succeeded in getting employment, and went to work for a settler there on the Wednesday. On Christmas morning (Monday), Derose happened at breakfast time to take up a copy of the New Zealand Herald, and among other items of news contained therein, he quoted the remarks made upon the Otahuhu murder case. Stack then remarked to our informant and others in the room, that “the people ought to make endeavours to capture the murderer, and put a rope round his neck." After breakfast Stack called Derose aside, and persuaded him to accompany him to Wairoa, and from thence to go overland to the Ray of Islands, as he (Stack) knew lota of people there, and could easily get work. Next morning they started ou their journey, intending to go to M'Leod’s to take the boat to Wairoa. Here Derose’s suspicion was aroused, for on the road they met two men, and Stack shyed off the track, saying they were “ peelers,” and he did not like to meet them. Derose then said, “ What are you afraid of ? are you a deserter ? lam not frightened if you are.” Stack then hid in the scrub till the two men had passed, and the party then proceeded on to M'Leod’s Mill, where they rested. Upon Stack asking how far it was to the Wairoa Ferry, a carpenter at work there answered him two and a half miles, and at once recognised him as the murderer St-.ck. This carpenter was Sergeant Lloyd, late of the Goth Regiment, who knew Stack well, and at once took measures to apprehend him. Upon Lloyd asking Stack his name, the latter replied, “Janies Johnson.” Lloyd then said, “ Your name is Stack, and I know you ; this paper I now produce is an exact description of you, and would convict you anywhere.” Four of the workmen then surrounded Stack and apprehended him. On Tuesday afternoon the prisoner was brought before the Resident Magistrate, Mr Rogan, and upon his being asked whether he knew the charge brought against him, replied in the negative. Upon the magistrate telling him that ho was charged with the murder of Mrs Finnegan and her two sons, he replied in the most dogged manner, “ all right." The prisoner was then remanded to Auckland for trial, and was brought into town last evening, and safely lodged in the lock-up. The witness Derose volunteered to come to town in order to give evidence against him at the Police Court this morning. Too much praise cannot be attributed to Mr Commissioner Naughton and the police for their energetic endeavours to capture this villain, and we are given to understand that it is entirely owing to the wide-spread and accurate descriptions being circulated in the most remote districts by the Commissioner that he lias at last been apprehended and brought to justice. [The murderer Stack, we may state, was wellknown in Napier—he having been quartered in this town with the 65t1: Regiment for a considerable time.—Ed. H.B.T.] Fiee in Queen-sxeeet, Auckland.— The Daily Southern Cross, of the Ist hist., says : —An alarm of fire in Queen street was given yesterday morning about one o’clock, by the ringing of the Cus-tom-house fire-bell j and, the ominous warning being taken up by other bells in various parts of the city, a numerous body of persons were quickly assembled in Queen-street. The cause of the alarm appears to have been the discovery, by Mr Cromwell, baker and confectioner, Queen-street, of the existence of a fire in M r Levy’s clothing establishment, and which, from the dense body of smoke proceeding from the shop, appeared to have gained some hold of the building. The doors of the shop were at once broken open by Mr Macready aud Mr Cromwell, and a plentiful supply of water being obtainable irom pump near Mr Marsh’s grocery establishment, the Games were fortunately extinguished before the fire nad communicated to i the adjoining premises. The damage sustained ; will be covered, we believe, by insurance. Mr Levy, junior, we understand, had only closed the premises for the night about an hour before the tire was discovered. Fbom the New Zealand Herald, of the 28th De- • comber, we learn that a man named Joseph Hea- • derson. a deserter from the 14th Regt., had been , apprehenced on a charge of n.nrder—ho having, t soaie Ume,since, caused the death of a man named Dare, at VVaiwera, by striking him a blow behind ! \ the ear. The partieu.ars of this case were published j in this journal at toe time, r '