The Hawke's Bay Times, MONDAY, 17th DECEMBER, 1866. THE MURDER OF Mr DOBSON.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 447, 17 December 1866, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times,

MONDAY, 17th DECEMBER, 1866. THE MURDER OF Mr DOBSON.

PUBLISHED EVERT MONDAY AND THURSDAY. “NUIXIDS ADDICTD3 JUBAEE IN VERBA HAGISXRI,”

Consequent upon the arrival of Sullivan the approver at Hokitika, the accused Wilson alias Murray has been placed upon his trial for the murder of Mr Hobson. At our latest dates (6th December) the trial was not concluded, but Sullivan had occupied two days in giving his evidence-in-chief, and his cross-examination would probably occupy the whole of the next day. We are unable to afford space for the report in full of Sullivan’s evidence ; neither is it necessary, as it appears to abound in details of minor importance, but we will endeavor to give as lucid an account of it as we are able, in as few words as possible. He deposed that he saw the prisoner alone on the 28th of May, and received messages through him from Burgess and Do Lacy to the effect that the three—the prisoner, Kelly, and Sullivan—should seize a position commanding a view of the river, so as to observe when Mr Fox came down, and then one of them should let Burgess know of it, as there were police in plain clothes in the neighborhood ; that they disguised their faces with masks of cloth, and selected a place where there was a bridge and also a ravine. In this ravine they commenced to fix a tent, and sent Sullivan along the track to meet Fox, whoso time was overdue, and engage him in conversation until in the vicinity of the tent, the others remaining there to watch and be ready—busying themselves if anyone should pass by fixing the tent, which was purposely left hanging over a pole, so that they might begin to stretch it out if necessary, that he did not meet Fox, but met a young man about half a-mile from the bridge The young man was dressed in dark-colored clothes, with what appeared to be a top coat suspended from his shoulders by a strap, leggings or boots on his legs, and wearing an Albert guard. A coat being shown Sullivan he said it resembled the one he saw cn the young man’s shoulder, and aa Albert guard being produced, he said it resembled that worn by him; it was what was called a snake guard. After speaking to the young man he walked along the track for about balf-an-hour, not seeing anything of Fox, but passing several other persons. He then returned to the bridge and tent, and found the latter fixed and pegged out, the door closed, and Kelly in a stooping position before the door, but did not see the prisoner then. He next saw a man and a girl on the road, went and spoke to them, watched them out of sight, and then returned to the tent, where he found the flap thrown back t and

the prisoner and Kelly both. The prisoner was on his knees gathering up some papers that were on an opossum mg. Kelly took the papers from the prisoner to a fire a little distance from the tent and burnt them; a piece of the paper blew from the fire and caught it and read some writing that was on it. There were the names of Mr Revell and Mr Dobson, it purported to be part of an order for £45. The prisoner took a pencil with a bone top out of a pocketbook that he had in his hand, broke off the bone, and then put both the pocket-book and pencil in the fire. Sullivan asked where the things came from : Kelly in reply asked whom he had met, and he replied “ a party neither man nor boy.” They both said the things belonged to him; they had “ put him up because he seemed afraid and anxious to evade them,” leading them to suppose he bad something, Sullivan then asked where he was, and was desired to go with them and see. He wasled by Kelly and the prisoneralong a track behind the tent and under a kind of terrace until they came out on a flat, when prisoner, said “Here he is.” Sullivan observed a man about five yards off in a recumbent posture, his head lying over his shoulder, his tongue protruding, and his face of a dark purple color, and recognized him as the young man he bad spoken to three-quarters of an hour before, whom he had described as having a coat strapped to his shoulder, and wearing an Albert guard. He cried ; “ The man is dead !” Kelly replied : “ Yes; he died from fright,” the prisoner confirming the statement. They further stated that while tying him up he fell and they allowed him to sit where lie was, and he died from fright. Both Kelly and prisoner were greatly excited, and he asked them what they would do with the body. Kelly said “ Leave him there; I once left a man so who was afterwards eaten by rats but Sulllvau suggested that he should be buried. They all returned to the tent, Sullivan taking a gun to watch the road, and the others proceeding to bury the body. In about a quarter of an hour he observed prisoner pulling out the fire and Kelly taking down the tent, after which tljey packed up their swags and returned towards Greymouth. The above was the sum of the first day’s evidence, and during the second fuller details were given of the proceedings of the men, but which we have not space to reproduce, further than to remark that they planted their swags, with the intention of returning next day to resume the watch for Fox, and that the prisoner quarrelled with Kelly because he would not let him take Dobson’s watch, which he said was worth as much as the money they had got, and which he could put away “on the cross,” mentioning the name of a person who would “ stand for it;” that, having found Burgess, Kelly handed him six £1 notes and half-a-sovereign that he had got from “ the fellow,” and that Burgess gave Sullivan and the prisoner each 30s as their share of that money. While giving evidence Sullivan was much annoyed by the conversation in an undertone between the prisoners attorneys. Messrs Button and Bees, and had twice to aj>peal to the Court for protection. Mr Button called the attention of the Court to the fact that witness had a pencil and was taking notes, but this he denied, remarking that he was writing a question that he wanted put. His Worship could not allow him the use of a pencil, and questions relative to the case could be put by the Grown Prosecutor. Of course it is impossible to say what the cross-examination of Sullivan may bring to light; but, so far, the statement he has made seems to be pretty consistent in itself, and to bring the case home to the prisoner as being a party to the murder of Mr Dobson.