ROMANTIC AND CRIMINAL CAREER OF BUTLER.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 105, 23 March 1880, Page 3

ROMANTIC AND CRIMINAL CAREER OF BUTLER.

We glean the following particulars of the alleged murdrer of the Grants from the Dunedin files The man Butler, whatever may turn out regarding his guilt or innocence of the crime at present imputed to him. is unquestionably a notorious and desperate criminal. His age is 28; he is a smart clever, intelligent looking man, of good address and carriage, and lie has had a good education, said to have been received chiefly in Pentridge Gaol, Victoria. From the time he was ten years of age he has been “in trouble” almost constantly. In Victoria he served sentences in the total amount ing to 12 years, his principal crime being roobery under arms. We believe he came to Otago in the end of 1875, or the beg nning of 187 C. The first knowledge we have of him in Otago is that for a period of some months in the early part of 1876, he held the position of teacher in the Rom- n Catholic school at Cromwell, a position his educational attainments enabled him to fill wonderfully well. He also established a night school in the town, which was numerously attended. For a time in Cromwell he seemed to be settling clow ;i to a respectable life. But the ciminal instinct could not be repelled. Although the charge was, we believe, never brought against him in a Court of law, there was an assumption so strong as to almost justify its being termed proof, that from the residence of the Rev Father Keogh, the Roman Catholic clergy •n, stationed at Cromwell, he stole a large.sum of money —£50 or £6O we believe. This theft he is believed to have effected by his favorite mode of entrance —the window. Through Butler’s suggestio s suspicion became fastened on a young lad who attended his school; but it was transferred into what was believed afterwards to be the right path by the fact that Butler made heavy investments in clothes and jewellery. Almost immediately following this he made a sudden exit from Cromwell society, and made his way for this city. Here lie lost no time in getting to work. He gave the police a great deal of anxiety. His Cromwell history having been communicated to the police he 3, there was not long adoubfcastowho wa bhechiefactor in the burglaries. Detection came at length. Butler’s first exploit in Dunedin was breaking into the Queen’s Theatre in Prince street on the night of Sunday, 23rd July, 1876. He obtained admission by breakin *. open a side door leading into the theatre from Dowling str:et. He stole therefrom a couple of wigs, a cornet, and other articles' On the 2nd August he committed some further small robberies ; on that night also lie entered the house of Bishop Moran. This he followed up on the night of the 6th of that month by obtaining entrance to the houses of Mr G. K. Turton and Mr T. S. Graham. In all these cases he made very considerable “hauls” in cash and jewellery. He did not long enjoy his liberty after this, for on the evening of the Sth he was arrested by Dective Henderson. On his residence being searched, a large quantity of stolen property was found, Also in his box two loaded revolvers and an assortment of wigs and burlars’ housebreaking instruments. There is very little doubt that Butler is a systematic housebreaker, and he is supposed to entirely alone in the diTerent thefts that he has so cleverly accomplished. To know what a thorough rogue he is, we may mention that last Sunday he taught a certain Sunday school in Dunedin, and the same night broke into two houses and made away with Ll5O worth of jewellery. It is elsewhere explained that the Sunday school referred to was not one in connection with the Roman Catholic Church. The Queen’s Theatre charges were brought against him, when he was committed for trial, and at the October (1876) sessions of the Supreme Court, before Mr Justice Williams, Butler pleaded guilty to six different charges of burglary, housebreaking and larceny, and in passing sentence His Honor said: —“ Prisoner Robert Butler, you have pleaded guilty to six indictments which have been found against you. One indictment is for burglary, two for housebreaking and three for larceny. You ask me to take into consideration your age, position, and future. You say that you have suffered youi’self to be led away, and that you are not yet hardened in crime. That may be so. But at the same time the law must be vindicated, and a punishment sufficiently severe must be inflicted. It is not as if it was an isolated case, but it appears from your conduct that you had the intention o* commencing a career of crime. I shall, in passing sentence take into consideration that the e has been nothing else against you hitherto, and that none of the crimes which you have committed have been accompanied with violence. The sentence of the Court is that you be kept in penal servii ide in the Colony of New Zealand for four years. From the above it will be seen that the man now arrested for the suspected commission of the murder of Mr and Mrs Dewar and child, and for the attempted arson of the premises, is a man having a very uneviable notoriety as a criminal. He is suspected of being concerned in the attempted burglary at Mr G. P. Farovhar’s residence or. Friday night last ; and if the supposition is a co;ceet one that Mr Stampers house, which was burned down on that morning, was also visit id by a burglar, there is the possibility that he was offender. From evidence given at the inquest it appeared that the prisoner Butler, who had been under police surviellance since his discharge from gaol on the I6th of last month, was seen by Detective Bain on the Saturday previous to the murder. On a former occassion he said to Bain, after asking for work, “I want to do well for myself this time, and would like to get work, beceause if I break loose again I will be one of He most desperate tigers ever let loose in a commuuity.’ Bain got him some work at I vensboume. He had previous'y asked to be introduced to some of the newspaper editors, as he was desirous of writing some articles for them. It was also found that Butler left Dunedin on Sunday morning soon after the murder, and changed his clothes and cut off his moustache before he reached Blueskin, nine miles aw;ay. —Chronicle