THE MAUNGATAPU TRAGEDY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 395, 19 July 1866, Page 3

THE MAUNGATAPU TRAGEDY.

According to promise, we now place before our readers as full an account as our space will admit, of one of the most horrible affairs which has ever taken place in this Colony, or perhaps in any part of the civilised world. The Nelson Colonist, of the 29th June, says:— John Joseph Sullivan, the hard-featured prisoner with the “firm mouth,” has confessed to being an accomplice concerned in the murders of Mathieu, Kempthorue, Dudley, and Pontius, on the Maungatapu, on W ednesday, 13 th J une, 1866 j and also to the murder of a fifth man, an old whaler, whom they shot, and on whose person they found the sum of THREE POUNDS! Sullivan, we hear, confessed yesterday to Ser-geant-Major Shallcrass. It was he who killed the horse, and from the information we can gather, the four men were “ stuck-up ” at the rock we mentioned in our last, and which henceforward will be called “ Murderers’ Rock.”

The facts of the case are briefly these, as near as we can find from Information that has been permitted to transpire, or which has otherwise been obtained: —

Sullivan, who we believe is the softest hearted of the gang,—as Levy is the most inhuman and the planner of all the bloody acts, —has made a clean breast. He says the men were stopped at a place on the road, which from the description is the rock we have referred to. But before this a preliminary murder was commited by the party. A man, an old whaler, passed, and the four murderers thought from the bulky appearance of his pocket, that lie had money. They were, we understand, in ambush, and Sullivan was sent after him. He made up with him, and entered into conversation. The man told himhe was an old whaler, and that he had been doing no good here, and was now going on to Nelson to get a ship, as be was tired working in the district, and making nothing. Sullivan then left him, and went back and told the others he had nothing whatever, and was not worth stopping, and that he should be allowed to go on. Levy opposed this, and said that they should not allow a single man to pass along that road alive that day, but should stop and shoot every one! The two others, Burgess and Kelly, agreed with this advice ; and Sullivan was again sent after the man, whose hands he tied, and brought him back to his confederates, who first robbed him of all he bad, only three pounds, and then shot him and buried him.

This man’s name is not known; but we hare obtained some information which leads to the belief that it is a man known as “ Old Jamie,” who was at work clearing some flas land belonging to Mr Wilson, of Wilson’s Accommodation House. It is said that he left the Pelorus Bridge about 7 o’clock on the morning of Wednesday, shortly before the four bushrangers. It was known that he had been making very little in grubbing up flas, at £3 per acre, and he had not been seen since. The probability is that he will be recognised, as no doubt the locality of the grave will be pointed out. He is said to have carried a heavy swag, and had with him two long-handled shovels. Such is the report of the boy who last saw the old man at Pelorus Bridge. When the four Deep Creek men came up, two of the murderers presented themselves on the pathway. On seeing them, the doomed men ran back, but were stopped by the other two of the assailants, who were concealed in the bush behind them, just in the manner we.described as probable in our last issue. They were between two fires, were unarmed and defenceless, in the presence and at the mercy of four cold-blooded murderers. Their hands were tied, and they were led off the road, Burgess, Kelly, and Levy taking charge of the men, while Sullivan followed the horse, searched the swags and portmanteaus, and then shot the animal. He heard pistol shots while he had charge of the horse, and he states that the bodies of the men are within half-a-mile of where the horse was found. He did not see the men killed, he only heard the shots, and it has been stated that he was told by his accomplices that three of the men were shot, and one of them strangled. One man was, it appears, slow to die, and had three bullets in his body before he was killed. This shortened their ammunition, and the fourth and last man they strangled with a scarf belonging to Sullivan. Sullivan does not know the exact place where the bodies of the four murdered men were deposited, but he has described it so nearly that we believe the Volunteers will succeed in finding them. He says that his accomplices told him that they were placed in a hole, probably a water-hole, and stones put on the top of them. Sergeant-Major Shallcrass, the Chief Officer of Police, was to go out this morning at daylight, and lead the men at the Search Camp on to search for the bodies. The gold stolen from the murdered men was sold in different parcels to all the banks in town. We believe that Levy, who was removed from the lock-up to the gaol on Wednesday, told a prisoner in the same cell that they would never find the bodies. The prisoner had told him that the horse was found, and Levy replied, “Well, but nobody can prove that we put it there.” He was then told that a hat and shirt had been found near the horse, and he answered that an old shirt might be thrown away, or a hat blown away and lost. He was finally told that the Volunteers were to remain until the bodies were found. “ Ob,” “ they’ll never find the bodies if some of us don’t tell.” hot only has Sullivan confessed with respect to the five murders on the Maungatapu, but he has also told circumstances which implicate Burgess, Levy, and Kelly in conjunction with two other men, as the murderers of Mr George Dobson, at the Grey; and also of a storekeeper on that river, killed by the same party. The names of the two accomplices in the murders of Mr Dobson and storekeeper we hare not learned; but from what fell from Sullivan, it is surmised that the party killed one of their mates lest he should turn informer. Thus there have been eight murders committed within the past month by this atrocious gang of villains.

Levy it Is known is a Jew, and it is a historica[ and statistical fact that Jews are averse to the shedding of man’s blood; and it was believed that this man would therefore most likely be he who was appointed to kill the horse, while his companions murdered the men. If so, it was supposed that he would be the first to divulge the facts that justice so much desired to know. With the view of accomplishing this some members of the Hebrew faith -sent for a Rabbi, who visited Levy. To this Jewish priest Levy swore by the most sacred oaths known to Hebrews, by the Lord Hod of Hosts, by his father and his mother, that he never committed a murder, and that he knew nothing whatever of the murder of these men. This was on Wednesday. On Thursday about noon Sullivan laid bare the whole dreadful circumstances. It is known that Levy was tried six or seven years ago in Castlcraaine (Victoria,) for the murder of a woman ; but from want of evidence he escaped conviction. Levy, it appears, was the schemer of the party, the discoverer of men with money, and the planner of all' attacks. In this character, he went up to Deep Creek ; and in this character, as looking to consequences, he made the diabolical suggest tion that no man should that day be allowed to pass that road alive.

We have said that Sullivan is the softest hearted, or rather the least stony-hearted of this blood-thirsty gang, A story is told of his having got drunk in Otago, and taking a photograph of a female from his pocket, weeping bitterly over it, declaring that she was the cause of all his misfortunes by deserting him and taking to a loose course of life. Sullivan’s position in the gang was that of a forerunner j that is, he kept the road, went on before his party armed, and if any danger was likely to arise to them from the inopportune appearance of a traveller, it was his duty to shoot him like a dog. A narrow escape for their lives was made by Mr Bowen and the man Muller, who followed the men from Deep Creek to take back the horse; both of whom Sullivan states he heard meet on the road side and speak to each other, while he was concealed in the brushwood below, not far from the spot where lay the body of the horse he had shot. The murderers had with them two revolvers and two doubled-barrelled guns. The two guns Sullivan had with him in advance of the others, and the gun found at the foot of the tree, not far from the horse, was one of these. When the others of his party came up, he got so excited he threw the other gun away into the bush, when Levy said to him “You are mad to throw that away there,” and went into the bush and took it up. We understand that yesterday Sullivan had asked several times to see Mr Shallcrass, and requested to be taken to his room. His request was complied with, and the result has been the disclosure of a series of cold-blooded murders, unexampled in the worst days of Botany Bay for atrocity and regardlessness of human life.

The Nelson Examiner, of the 30lh June, says:—

Under an impression that Levy was the least criminal of the party, and that removed from the proximity of his fellows, confession might bo got out of him through the instrumentality of a priest of his religion—he being a Jew —this prisoner was removed from the lock-up to the gaol, on Wednesday last. When thattook place, Sullivan appears to have become suspicious that Levy would be induced to confess, and determining himself to obtain, if possible, the pardon held out by the Governor to an informing accessory, he sent the following morning for Sergeant-Major Shallcrass, and laid the actions of the party fully before him. The following are the main facts brought to light:— The four miscreants now in custody, aware of Messrs Eempthorne, Mathieu, Dudley, and Pontius being on the road to Nelson, took up a position at the spot on the road over the Maungatapu, already mentioned by us as where traces of a camp had been found, and a pannikin containing moistened gunpowder. Dividing themselves as the travellers approached, two of them barred their onward progress on the road, and two placed themselves in their rear, so that when the travellers turned back on being surprised by seeing two armed men in their front, they found also another armed party behind them. To render clear the helpless state in which the poor fellows found themselves, it is necessary to describe a little more fully the spot where the attack was made. The road is carried by a side-cutting up a steep wooded mountain, the width of the cutting being only six feet; the timber is not very large, being chiefly birch, the wood that has been fehed and the soil removed from the track, has been thrown on the lower side, and lies in confused heaps, thus rendering an escape on the the lower side of the road an impossibility. The only way to have got off the road would have been by the upper side, but a perpendicular bank, varying from three to four feet in height, made escape in that direction difficult, except at a spot where a gully crossed the road, and where a bank did not exist. For the width of half a chain the trees are removed to admit wind and sun to the road, and beyond this the bush is entangled, and would prevent the rapid movement of the strongest man. A more complete trap in which to waylay travellers could not well be managed.

The confession made by Sullivan is not confined to the murder on the Maungntapu and that of old Jamie near to the Tinliue bridge. He has given information that is likely to bring to Justice a gang of the greatest scoundrels that can possibly infest a civilised country. Ho has disclosed that Kelly, one of the present gang, and another man, well known both in Nelson and at Grey mouth, were concerned in the murder of Mr G. Dobson, and has given full particulars of the Whole affair, and directed where the body may be found. The facts of this murder are just what had been surmised. The party had planned the murder of Fox, the gold buyer, who took his passage down they Grey by water, while Mr Dobson was found travelling the road which Mr Fox was to have passed, was mistaken lor him, and murdered by Kelly.- Sullivan in this, as mother cases, acting, as scout. The third party

concerned in this murder may now bo mentioned with impunity, as the particulars have been telegraphed to the Grey—it was the man Wilson, who, a few months since, acted as bellman in Kelson, and who has served six months in our gaol for a small theft.

From Sullivan’s recent arrival in New Zealand which took place only some time in April last, his personal knowledge of the crimes that have been committed by the gang ho associated himself with did not extend far, but he appears to have acquired their confidence, and become acquainted with many of their previous villanies. From the disclosures Sullivan has made to the authorities, there is good ground to hope that the complete gang will be broken up in New Zealand, and we trust that some of those may bo reached who have escaped to Australia. Ho is weU acquainted with one of the men who robbed Mr Walmsley, and who is now in Melbourne, where he is well known ; and, still more important, he has given information which may lead to the capture the men lately engaged in the bank robbery at Okarita, one of the accomplices hi which is a person holding a place of trust at Hokitika, As full information respecting these disclosures have been forwarded to Hokitika by telegram, the preserving silence in order that the ends of justice might not be frustrated, is no longer necessary. Another, and, if possible, more diabolical outrage than any we have yet spoken olj has been nipped by the apprehension of these men, the particulars of which have been disclosed by Sullivan. It appears that, emboldened by past success and the impunity with which they carried on their crimes they had planned the foUowiag: —Levy had visited the Bank of New South Wales to dispose of a small portion of the gold taken from the murdered men from Deep Creek (the stolen gold was divided amongst the murderers, and sold by them in parcels at the different banks,) and he at once concocted a plan of and murdering aU the inmatesof that establishment robbing the bank, which was subsequently visited by each of the men in succession, on one pretext or another, and they aU concurred in the feasibility of the scheme. It was therefore agreed that Levy should proceed by the first opportunity to Melbourne, to procure the necessary disguises, and some further accomplices, and that Nelly, Sullivan, and Burgess should meantime reside apart in the neighborhood of Nelson, taking every opportunity of acquiring local information that might hereafter be useful. The plan of murder and robbery was this That when all their plans were ready, one of the gang, well-dressed for the occasion, should gam access to the manager in his private room, just before closing, while others of the gang should be in the Bank on pretext of business, and suddenly closing the door, when doing so would not excite suspicion outside, overpower the clerks, and murder all within in a manner which would give no alarm without. If this horrible scheme had succeeded, these ruffians calculated, by timing it properly, they might have got away by a steamer before the crime was discovered.

It is impossible to say what degree of credit is to be attached to all these statements-of Sullivan, but we shall leara how far his stories are true which implicate the men he has accused of crime at the West. He has written a letter to his wife, who, with his family, he says, resides at Mount Koorong, Victoria. His story is, that he has been known there for a great number of years as leading an honest life, and that ho only fell into crime on his arrival at Hokitika, where ho fell into distress, which brought him acquainted with Levy, who led him away. This does not appear a very feasible story, although the letter he has written gives a color to it. He says that since he fell into the hands of this gang, be has been kept so strictly in view by his confederates, that he has never been able to escape from their clutches 5 and he firmly believes that one member of the gang, of whom tho others stood in fear, has been made away with on the West Coast.

The Colonist, in preference to the effect Sullivan’s confession had upon the other prisoners, says:—

The three prisoners, Burgess, Kelly, and Levy, are aware that Sullivan has confessed. Wo believe they were first told that he had done so by a fellow-prisoner, and it is reported that one of them said that they always thought he was a b——y scoundrel, and that it was their intention to settle him lest he should split. Sullivan evidently feared this, for it is said that in his confession he had stated that in consequence of that fear, and knowing that they had disposed of another accomplice whom they distrusted, be bad made up his mind after the murder of the whaler (old‘Jamie Battle’), to take steps for informing against them, and with this view he made a mark with his heel in a conspicuous part near the spot where the old whaler was buried, and noted the exact locality and its peculiar land-marks, and gave their description to Mr Shallcrass. The Examiner, of the 3rd inst., says : The confession of Sullivan has laid bare the crimes and machinations of his comrades, and others of the gang now on the West coast, and it would be difficult in the criminal history of any country to sm pass these men in wanton cruelty. It would seem as if Mr Hobson was murdered almost in mere wantouness, or out of a feeling of disappointment that Fox, the gold buyer had escaped from their hands. We learn now that they were aware who Mr Hobson was before they attacked him, and that they could have had no expectation of finding any booty upon a surveyor employed in examining a newly formed road. The murder, however, was probably the immediate cause of the four men now in custody leaving Greymouth suddenly, in the Wallaby, and betaking, themselves to Nelson, with the intention as wo now know, of robbing one of the banks here. They had doubtless heard of Nelson as being a quiet sort of a place, and they regarded it as a suitable field for their operations. They calculated they should not be known to the police, and they might pursue their nefarious calling in safety. Hut in this, as is often the case witu criminals,

they were most seriously mistaken. Almost before they hud lauded from the steamer the police were ou the look-out for them as dangerous characters to the peace of the community; and although they were suddenly lost sight of when they left Nelson for Wakamarina, they no sooner returned to town they were under surveillance; and so far from their being able to reside here for a time unobserved, the mode of life they had proposed to lead would hare contributed to a strict watch being kept on all their actions. This will explain the circumstance of the police being able so promptly to arrest these murderers when made aware that a murder was supposed to have been committed. When informed that four men from Deep Creek, who should have been in Nelson on a particular day, had never reached town, and there was reason to apprehend they had been waylaid on the road by four ill-looking fellows, who had been larking about Canvas Town, on the Wakamarina, the police at once knew who they had to look after, and the four criminals wore arrested, before it could bs proved that a murder had been commi.ted—that is, before the bodies had been discovered. The intelligence and tact exhibited by the police throughout the whole of this painful transaction, havo been the in highest degree praiseworthy, and it is but due to the force that their services should be spoken of as they deserve.

The bodies have been discovered, how and when will be seen by reference to the examination of the prisoners. An inquest on the bodies was held on the 30th ult., when the following verdict was returned“ That on or about the 13th June, 1866, John Kempthorae, Felix Mathieu, James Dudley, and James de Pontius, were maliciously and wilfully murdered on the Maungatapu,” On the following day the bodies of the four men were interred in the cemetery on the Wakapualca-road, amid a large concourse of spectators; and ou the 2nd instant the following examination of the prisoners took place before the Resident Magistrate and a full bench of magistrates : The four prisoners, Burgess, Kelly, Sullivan, and Levy, were again brought up on rem ind, on the charge of having murdered, on Wednesday the 13th day of June, John Kempthome, Felix Mathieu, James da Pontius, and James Dudley, The large crowd’which was expected to be present 'at an investigation of so important a character induced the Resident Magistrate to hold his Court at the Provincial Hall, instead of at the Court House. The hall was filled in all parts, both galleries and the body of the bait being alike crowded. Alexander Thompson, being sworn, said; lam a miner residing at the Wakamarina. I left there on the 7th June. I recognise two of the prisoners, Sullivan and Burgess, I saw them in the Matai valley. I *?as going up too valley, and they were going in the same direction. They overtook me Sullivan was first, aud carried a swag and long handled shovel. I spoke to him, and bade him good morning, and asked him where ha was going. He said he had landed from the Wallaby on the previous night from the Grey and Buller, and was going to Canvas Town. Ha said ho was going to look about. Sullivan was in advance. There were four altogether. I can’t identify the other two. Sullivan stopped to fix his swag, and the others came up and joined him. We went together as far as Dwyer’s. I had dinner there, the others passing ou. I again saw them two miles beyond Dwyer’s Accommodation House. They were having something to eat. I had a pannikin of tea with them, and then went on. This was about three weeks last Sunday.

Henry Mollew, being sworn, said; I am a storekeeper, residing at Deep Creek. I know the four men, Kempthorne, Dudley, Do Pontius, and Mathieu. I was engaged to come to Nelson on the 12th of June, to fetch the horse back which they had hired. I left the Wakamarina on Wednesday, the 13th of June, in the morning, before daylight. I met a gentleman at Cooper’s Inn, on the Marlborough side of the Pelorus Bridge. I met there Jones and Rutland, driving cattle about a mile and a-half on the Marlborough side of the Heringa Bridge. I met Bown on the road, and a man and a woman; 1 met them a mile from Prauklyn’s Plat, towards the Marlborough province. 1 met Bown about half-a mile on this side of Franklyn’s Plat. I spoke to him. I saw no one else till I passed Dwyer’s place. I saw roue of tho men who had left j neither could I see the horse, or gain any information respecting its arrival. By the Court: 1" spoke to Mrs Smith. I asked if there were any men passing by, and she told me that none had passed. William Flett, being sworn, said : lama constable. I went to search for the bodies of Kempthorne, Dudley, Mathieu, and De Pontius, and I found Mathieu first. I found them on the Nelson side of the creek from Prauklyn’s Flat, at a distance less than hulf-a-raile from tho roadway. On the opposite side of the creek there is a large rock standing out from the toad. I found tlia body of Matnieu in the place where a tree had been uprooted. He was lying on his back. His arms’ were tied behind him with a leather strap, and his legs were also tied together. He was dead. 1 noticed a wound on his left breast. There was a ring on the third finger of the left hand. 1 found Dudley next, at a distance from the other body of about eighteen yards, he was dead and lying on his face. There was a handkerchief tied round his throat. 1 saw Kempthorno next. I only knew Dudley personally, the others were pointed out to mo under their various names. -Kempthorno was about twenty yards from the other body. He was lying on ins back. 1 noticed a wound behind the right ear.' ills hands and feet were not tied. Ho was also dead. About thirty yards further on 1 discovered De Pontius. I did not notice any thing particular about him, except that ho had large stones piled on him.

When I diseorered the bodies I cooeyed for about fifty minutes to bring others to the spot, and I then went down and communicated with Mr Saxton’s search party, who helped me to bring the bodies down. This was on Friday last. They were brought down and deposited in the engine room in Kelson. Charles William Davies, being sworn, said : I knew the deceased men well. I was present before the bodies were removed from the spot where they were found, on the Maungatapu. They were in the same state as when lying in the engine-house at Nelson. I was not present when Dr Yiokerman examined the bodies. By the Court: I saw the prisoner Levy at Deep Creek, three weeks ago last Saturday. He said ho had come to a new rush. I saw him at Mathieu’s, but did not see him leave Deep Creek. I saw him in conversation with Dudley at Felix Mathieu’s. I do not know what the conversation was about, as I was not near enough to them. Dr Yickerman, being sworn, said: I am a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, residing at Nelson. I was called in to examine the bodies of four men, then in charge of the police. I made an examination of all of them. Each was pointed out to rao by name. The cause of death in Kempthorno was a bullet wound behind the right ear, which fractured the skull and penetrated the brain. I found some paper and a bullet in Kempthome’s head. I found no, other wound; the brain was cut by the bullet. Mathieu’s death was also caused by a pistol wound. There was also a stab wound underneath the fifth rib, in the region of, the heart. This had penetrated the covering of the heart, and there was a wound at the side of the heart, not sufficient to cause death. The upper position of the incised wound, which wounded the stomach, and passing through the large blood-vessels at the back, lodged between the seventh and eight ribs on the right side, a little below the blade bone. This bullet caused death from internal haemorrhage. I found the bullet in the body. There was another wound on the same side as the incised wound. On the outside of the wpuud there was a piece of burnt paper, 1 produce the bullet, paper, and two pieces of cloth. The shot must have been fired quite close, from the position of the paper found between the clothes and the body. I examined De Pontius, and found two wounds —one a bullet wound at the back of the head, the other in the right eye, which might have been caused by a rock. The whole of the right side of the face was very much bruised and battered, and the right side of the lower jaw was completely smashed. The cause of death was the bullet wound at the back of the head. The pieces of bone fractured by the bullet wounded the posterior arteries of the head. This would produce an effect similar to apoplexy, but death might not be instantaneous. from strangulation. The only apparent mark of violence was that round the neck, which, from its appearance, I should say was caused by a small -cord being tightly drawn round it. I opened the body, and found no other internal marks of violence ; but the post mortem examination revealed internal signs of death by strangulation, Dr Cottrell assisted me in the examination. Two bullets were found in the body of Mathieu, which were the greatest number found in any one of the bodies. The incised wound did not cause immediate death. In answer to a question from Mr Poyntcr, if there were holes in the clothes corresponding to the pieces of cloth found in the wound. Mr Yickerman said that owing to the clothes being old, and from exposure to the weather, ho could not possitiveiy swear that they were pieces of the clothes which were found in the wound. The Crown Prosecutor here announced that there was no further evidence at that time, and the prisoners were again remanded until next Monday. The Examiner, alluding to this investigation says:— During the examination of the witnesses, the prisoners maintained the utmost composure, except when the strangulation of Dudley was referred to, when the prisoner Sullivan manifested symptons of fainting. He was given a glass of water, and accommodated with a chair. The tears were running down his cheeks freely at this time. On the evidence of Flett being given with reference to the discovery of the bodies, the prisoner Burgess flushed slightly, the others taking apparently no notice of what was going on around them. All the prisoners were heavily ironed, and on the conclusion of the examination were removed to the gaol, under an escort of police. The gaol is now guarded night and day by a strong body of constables. We believe that, up to last evening, no intelligence was received in this city of finding the body of “ Old Jamie,” near the Tinliue Bridge. We presume that the search is being prosecuted by the authorities of the province of Marlborough. On their way to and from the Provincial Hull, the prisoners were loudly hooted and yelled at by the large number of persons assembled to see the villains pass by. Levy walked firmly along, heavily ironed, though he was preceded by policemen, and though followed closely by Sergeant Edwards, with a loaded revolver m hand ; then followed, in a car, the prisoner Sullivan, heavily ironed, who also received a share of the indignant execration of the people assembled. Kelly and Burgess had been confined in the Lockup. The Evening Mail says : Last evening the body of James Battle, the whaler, the fifth victim of the desperate gang of convicts now in custody, was brought to Nelson by the Search Party, and placed in the engine house at the Government Buildings. The body of the poor fellow was not much decomposed, and was easily identified by a great number of persona who knew him when alive. The public excitement Was not so great as when the four bodies were found on 1-rid ay last, every person having made up his mind that this was the finale of the Maupgatapu tragedy. The Colonist of the 6th July says : The body of Jmnes Battle was found last Tuesday, near the Hei nga River, iu this Prjvince, at

spot indicated by Sullivan in his confession. It was brought into town on Tuesday night. An inquest was held on the body the same evening, and next day the Coroner’s jury returned an open verdict to the effect that James Battle had been wilfully murdered. A report of the proceedings at the inquest appears below. The bottle of poison (strychnine) and the revolver, which was spoken of by Sullivan, as haying been hidden in a hedge in the wood, was found on Tuesday afternoon. Sullivan, accompanied by Mr Shallcrass and Captain Clouston, went in a cab to the place, with some of the policemen, who searched,the locality; but after spending some time left without discovering tiie articles. An hpur afterwards the the poison and the pistol were discovered by a boy, who had made his search after the police party had gone. The strychnine was in the usual dry form, in powdery crystals, and there was enough to kill 60 or SO men in the bottle, which was one of those short round phials with a broad lip ; a large part of which was broken off apparently by “prizing ” of a knife to take out the stopper. The stopper itself, a cork one, is broken in numerous places, as if angular bits had been snapped out in the attempts to open it with a knife. It would thus appear that it had been frequently used, at least repeatedly opened and shut, which of itself implies use. , .

The poison was handed to Dr Cusack, who, to test it with certainty,'administered a dose to a dog, which speedily died, after exhibiting all the tetanic convulsions which poisoning by strychnine always produces. To the same gentleman various portions of the clothes and swags of the prisoners, containing what appeared to be blood staips, have been handed oyer by the authorities, in order to be submitted to microscopic examination. It is said that Burgess has accused Sullivan of having committed many murders in Australia, and has stated that a number of exeletons will be found buried in his garden at Koorong.. On the other hand, it is stated that there are persons here who knew Sullivan years ago iu Australia, and describe him as being looked on as being a respectable man, but too fond of gambling. Poor old James Battle, who, it appears, endeavoured to defend himself from the murderers by using his knife, hut, alas! without effect against so many, was buried in the same grave that contains the four other victims of this terrible tragedy.