NEW SOUTH WALES.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 569, 16 April 1868, Page 3

NEW SOUTH WALES.

HORRIBLE OUTRAGE NEAR YASS.—FIVE PERSONS MURDERED BY ONE MAN.

[From the telegraphic correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald.]

19tb March. Coxrov, a squatter, his wife, a man named Smith, aud two elderly shepherds, were murdered on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning by a shepherd, tieket-of-leave man, named Munday or Collins. A row took place ah ut wages; during the night he stabbed with shears and axed Smith. The others, hearing the noise, went to the place in their night clothes, when they were successively stabbed and axed. The bodies were brought to Yass this morning. The murderer has been arrested aud confesses to the murder. He was brought to Yass last night by j sub-inspector Brennan.

Munday, alias Collins, is a very small man, of good muscular develop- 1 ment, 5 feet 1 inch high, and 36 years old. He believes that he was born in England and taken to Tipperary when quite young. He is a ticket-of-leave holder; he was tried for murdering a man named Henry, at Maitland, in 1854, and being found guilty of manslaughter, was sentenced to 15 years, Ho attempted to kill a person at Mr Besnard's with a tomahawk some j months ago. He states he would have [killed five hundred on Tuesday uhdit if | he could. I FURTHER PARTICULARS. I The murder was perpetrated at Conroy's Gap, 16 miles from Yass. .The prisoner arrived in the ship jHavering, in the year 1849. He was tried at Maitland for murder in 1854, when a verdict of manslaughter was returned, and he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. He served 10 years, and obtained a ticket-of-leavc for Yass in 1864. An inquest is being held on each body separately. He has

been committed for trial for the murder of Conroy and his wife. The inquest on the three others is adjourned rill to-morrow. The bodies were found prepared in pile, with mattresses and bed-clothes, ready to he burnt, and the prisoner declares such to have been his intention. i’Oth March.

The inquest on the five victims murdered by Collins lias been concluded. The verdict in each case is “ wilful murder.” The prisoner maintained a

cool indifference tbiongbout lb 2 investigation. The funeral took place this afternoon, when the five bodies, passing through the town in the same cortege, filled the people with awe. They were interred in the Roman Catholic Cemetery.

After fatally stabbing bis victims, the murderer inflicted axe wounds on all the bodies, some of the corpses having as many as twelve. The arm of one and the leg of another were nearly severed. It is said that this wretch, after murdering his live victims, waited for Conroy’s son, with the intention of despatching him also.

Under the head::;" “ Justice and Mercy ” the Sydney I\loruiug Herald, J March 21, has the following Wil- j linur Collins, a Pentonville exile, was ] tried at Maitland on the 27th March, : 1605, for the murder of a fellow- 1 workman. The jury said that they ‘ bad great doubts whether the case was * not one of wilful murder, but their ; verdict was guilty of aggravated man- 1 slaughter. The Chief Justice, who 1 presided at the trial, sentenced the j prisoner to fifteen years hard labor, i the first three years in irons. The < sentence of his Honor, with the special 1 finding of the jury upon which it was ; based, nm>t both, of course, have been . duly reported to the Executive. But in March, 1368, two years before the end of the prescribed term of punishment, the prisoner is at large, having now murdered five other persons.” STATEMENTS MADE BY OTARRELL. The following items arc not given as; a “ confession ”of OTarndl. He hasj made no confession in the ordinary! sense of the term, hut daily intercourse with him elicits remarks and state-1 ments which possess an interest for the! public, and those which follow are mere additions to the particulars tele- | graphed from day to day during the ipast ten days. O’Farrell continues reticent respecting his accomplices. He is playful in his manner, frequently indulging in laughter. The surgeon of the gaol (Dr. Aaron) remarked to him that private executions were the custom in New South T A ales, and that there would be no admiring crowd to see him hanged. To this he replied, “ Well, doctor, when you are hanged, I hope there will be an admiring crowd.” He speaks freely on Fenianism generally, and treats it as the principle of secrecy in opposition to armies, permanent government, and publicity. He has stated that the Fenian government determined on the duke’s death as a reprisal for the I “ Manchester patriots,'" and that the , same policy would be pursued in the case of every Fenian put to death. , On being asked whether it would be resorted to in this colony, he replied,' “ Excuse me, time will fell.” He ' has several times repeated his original statement that he was one of the ten r to whom tiie assassination was dele-1 gated, and that he was bound to at- , tempt it. He remarked a day or two ! ago that lie delayed the business longer ! than be ought to have done according . to his instructions, and that if he had t shirked the task he would hirasc-lf have , been shot by others, who were bound by their compact to do so.

The Government have elicited through the police a large amount of information, the knowledge of which is kept t from the public for ulterior purposes.