Chasing Horse Thieves

Manawatu Herald, 8 April 1902, Page 2

Chasing Horse Thieves

AH the available police in Ihe Brisbane district are in pursuit of the Kenneths—the three brothers who are supposed to have made the raid on_ the . Merival. station last iweek, and since then to have shot at two men who went in pursuit. A desperate encounter when they are overtaken is feared. It is reported that a feud existed between the police and the Kenneths id connection with a certain cattle-steal-ing prosecction. Ibe brothers had also threatened Mr Dalke, one of the missing pursuers. Over forty armed police are searching for the Kenneths, who are known to be armed with revolvers, and to be splendid shots. Spurs and poaches which had belonged to Mr Dalke and Constable , Doyle have been found by a stockman ■ near where a large fire bad been burned. There was a lot of blood about the spot. The stockman also saw a fire on the ranges, where it is supposed the fugitives had camped. Two station managers whom the Kenneths bad threatened to kill have .asked for protection. HISTORY OF THE KENNETHS. The Kenneths (or Keonifs) formerly leased a thousand acres of Carnarvon station, and bad accumulated a herd of a thousand cattle by, it is alleged, 1 "crooked” means. When Dalke became manager of the station he cleared them out. They then settled On Meteor Dowus station. They were before the court several times for horse-stealing and " faking ” brands. Last month they were maddened by being fined £4O for travelling stock without a license, and threatening vengeance, they decided to taka to the road., They raided Merival station, stuck up a Chinaman and a contractor. A black-tracker states that Dalke and Doyle met'three of the Kenneths, and after a chase caught one. The others returned and opened fire. When he saw Dalke fall, the tracker galloped off, with the Kenneths, in pursuit. When the tracker returned the party had gone. He found signs of a desperate encounter. There is great excitement in the districts where the Kenneths are out. The supposition now is that after shooting Mr Dalke they also shot Constable Doyle, and carried off their bodies on pack horses. A companion of the Kenneths has been arrested.