MR DOBSON’S MURDER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 435, 5 November 1866, Page 3

MR DOBSON’S MURDER.

STATEMENT OE WILSON-

(From the ‘Hokitika Evening Star/ 19th October.) For some time past, in fact for four months, since the 16th June, a prisoner named Wilson has appeared periodically in our police reports, and from time to time he has been charged with the murder of George Dobson on the 28th May last. The delay, as explained by the police, in bringing forward evidence, has been occasioned through the want of the witness Sullivan, now convicted for complicity in the Maungatapu murders. During this time Wilson has been most anxious to make a public statement, but has not been able to do so. On this coming to our knowledge wo requested permission of the Visiting Justice and the Inspector of Police to allow our reporter to have an interview with him and take down the statement for the purpose of publication. This was courteously refused, but as we had other means of gaining information that we could depend upon, as being the substance of what Wilson wished to say, we publish it without apology. No doubt, could we have given it in the first person, it would have been better, but it is, at all events, reliable, as far as the accused himself is to be believed;—

It appears from the prisoner’s statement that he has for years been the associate of bad characters, and in fact he admits that he has followed thieving as a profession for years. He admits that he was associated with Burgess, Kelly, Levy, and Sullivan, for the purpose of highway robbery, and that it was arranged between them that they prior to the arrangements by the gang to rob Fox, Wilson had manufactured several masks to disguise the party, and after they were completed he took them up with him, together with other effects, met Sullivan and Kelly in the bush, and produced them for their inspection. When Sullivan saw tho masks he asked Wilson what the h to that effect, and Wilson answered him in slang terms; Sullivan, in reply, let fall some observations which raised Wilson’s suspicions that it was the intention of tho party to commit violence, and from that time he resolved to sever himself from the party —this was prior to the twentyeight day of May last, the day on which it is supposed poor Dobson was murdered. Wilson states that Sullivan and Kelly were out prior to tho 28th of May, together; that on that day ho and Burgess went to see Kelly and Sullivan at the iron hut, three miles from the Grey. That Burgess and Wilson parted with Kelly and Sullivan at 11 o’clock in the morning, and they both walked back together to tho Grey. On coming up to the shanty, about a mile and a-half nearer town, they met DeLacy, who was on horseback, and DeLacy stopped to speak to Burgess, and they both had a drink together, Wilson walking oh towards town, alone, carrying with him a heavy swag. As soon as he got to town the first place ho went to was George Cockburn’s, Mahera Quay, where he left the swag. Afterwards, on tho same day ho went to George Kenny’s, the barber’s, and there changed his trousers, leaving the old ones at Kenny’s, Wilson stopped at Kenny’s, about two hours, which brought tho time to 5 o’clock p.m.; from there they went and had tea at the Criterion Hotel, and then returned to Cockburn’s shop and took charge of it for him until about 8 p.m., when he left for tho night to go to the Criterion Hotel, at which house ho had been lodging. On his way to the Criterion he called at the Provincial Hotel to see Burgess and, found him there playing euchre with somebody; and, after exchanging a few words with him, left for the Criterion, where he slept the whole night. Wilson thus accounts for the whole of this day of the murder of Mr Dobson, the 28th of May, and states that abundant proof can bo obtained of the truth of his statement. With regard to the fact of his sloping at tho Criterion Hotel on that night he said it would bo in the recollection of Mrs Fellows, tho landlady of tho house, for this reason—that on that night her little son, who usually slept with his elder brothers in a bunk over Wilson’s bead, in consequence of being very unwell with a-cold, slept with his mother on that night. Wilson got up later than usual on tho following morning, and after breakfast was cooked, contrary to his usual custom, did not partake of it, which caused Mrs Fellows to make some uupleasant observations in reference to his having allowed the breakfast to be cooked for him, if ho did. uot want to eat it. On the 261 h Wilson went to tho Provincial Hotel to see Burgess about 11 o’clock a.m.; afterwards went up to town and shortly after met Kelly and Sullivan coming into town. On seeing Wilson, they asked him “Where’s Dick P ” meaning Burgess, and Wilson answered, “I have just left him at the Provincial.” and Sullivan and Kelly requested him to go and tell Burgess that they had come to town, and at'the seme time they handed to Wilson an opossum

skin rug to take care ofiortheuv which he after* wards left at George Gockbnm’s. Wilson, m requested, went to Burgess and gave their message to him and Burgess told Wilson to say that ho (Burgess) would meet them on the bridge, When he returned to Kelly and Sullivan with the message, they said to Wilson “ they had camped out the day and night before, and were web, tired, and hungry.” Wilson and Inspector James had a conversation on the, same day, the purport of which was that.it appeared.Dobson was murdered betweeen Maori Gully and Arnold Gully, and he (Wilson; told Mr James that the party could not have time to go there, when the latter replied, but they were not on the road that day.” Wilson answered, -‘yes, Kelly and Sullivan were.”