THE PARAMATTA RIVER MURDERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 152, 27 June 1872, Page 2

THE PARAMATTA RIVER MURDERS.

O CONFESSION OF LESTER. The following is the statement banded in by the prisoner Lester before sentence of death was pronouueed upon him by the judge. It professes to give au account of tbe murders of Bridger aud Walker, which appears to have been arranged and carried out as systematically as was the notorious Maungalapu tragedy .* — For remainder of news see fourth page.

' " On Thursday morning, the 7th of March last, about breakfast time, the prisoner Nichols requested me to go and obtain a boat from Buckley's, and to take the same to the Crafton wharf, and to be there at five o'clock. I waited till about half-past five, when Bridger came down in company with another young man, whom I thought belonged to the same ship as Bridger. After he had gone, and about twenty minutes to six, Nichols came. Nichols and Bridger had a conversation in the parlor of the public ; I being at the time of the conversation outside the publichouse (Royal Standard). Nichols called me inside, and we had a glass of ale each. Nichols paid for the drink. I went to the boat, and unfastened it. Bridger and Nichols came down and got into the boat. Bridger and I pulled an oar each, Nichola steering. Nichols and I landed at Balmain, Bridger being left in the boat. Nichols said before we got to Balmain, ' I forgot to get something to drink • we'll go in here (meaning Balmain) and get it.' When we got to Balmain, Nichols told me to come up with him. I went with him to the public-house, and he (Nichols) got fifteenpence worth of brandy in a gingerbeer bottle. We returned to the boat, and Bridger and I pulled up the Paramatta River. Nichols sang out to me, ' We will go ashore here for ballast for the boat.' I went ashore. Nichols pointed out a stone. I could not lift it. Nichols got ashore, and we both put it into the boat ; it was dusk at the time. We went a long way up the river. I was pulling both sculls. When we were proceeding, Nichols said, 'We shan't be able to get up to-night ; it is getting low water. We had better lay down and go to sleep.' Nichols took the sprit, put it into the mud, and made the boat fast by the painter to the sprit. Bridger had a bottle of (o. p. Navy) rum with him, which he had nearly emptied up to tbis time. We had a drink, when Bridger lay down on the starboard and I on the port side of the boat. Nichols was at this time sitting in the stern sheets (between the sheet and the stern). I fell off to sleep, and was awakened about half-past six (after daylight) on Friday morning, by hearing tbe report of a pistol. I got up, when Nichols told me to make a rope. which he had rolled up in a paper, fast to the stone, and to look alive, that he (Nichols) was going to send this fellow (pointing to Bridger's body) pearl fishing. I made fast the rope in a way, being at the time in great fear, when Nichols came forward, took the rope from me, again fastened the rope round the stone, then round Bridger's legs, took Bridger's boots and socks off, took four £l-notes and a lot of silver out of deceased's breast pocket. Nichols afterwards told me he took £6 14s. from deceased. Nichols asked me to give him a hand up with the stone on the side of the boat. I did so. He (Nichols) pushed the stone over the side, and the body followed. We then went up for the coffee, and afterwards came to Sydney. Evidence taken as to the deposition of the property correct. On Monday, the llth March, Nichols abused me for want of courage, and said that ' dead men tell no tales,' and told me of the advertisements and the quantity of replies he had received, and that if I would go with him he would give me sufficient to return home at once respectable ; but that if I refused to go I was to look out for myself. For fear, and not possessing strength of mind to resist, I yielded, and by his request hired the boat from Buckley on Wednesday afternoon, March 13, and brought it to tbe Paramatta steamers wharf and there met Nichols, Walker, and Stephenson. I carried the box up to Blow's Hotel, and left it there. After Stephenson had left we went down to the boat, and Nicholls called me aside and told me to keep up my courage. We all three then got into the boat, and I set the sails, Nichols steering, and we proceeded up the river a good distance, when Nichols made the same remark as in the other case, of getting a stone for ballast for the boat. It was now getting dark, and the wind having died away I lowered the sails and pulled both oars myself, Nichols still steering up the river, where he ran the boat ashore, and said there was not enough water yet to get up, he had better drop the kellick, and lay down for a couple of hours. I dropped the kellick after I had pulled the boat out into deep water, and laid down forward of the mast, covering myself over with the foresail which I had unbent. Walker and Nichols called to me to have some porter. Walker was then drinking. I* drank some, and went and laid down again forward, and Walker laid down on the starboard seat, Nichols being between the seat and the stern of the boat. Walker soon fell off to sleep, and I then got up and spoke to Nichols (it was raining at the time) and asked him to go back ; entreated him to do. so,- but he said he wouldn't, and asked me where my courage was. When I found it was no use, I went forward again and covered myself over with the foresail; and! wa& not there above ten minutes

when I heard the report of a pistol. I got up and saw Walker sitting on the seat, and Nichols striking him but the life preserver. I was too much unnerved to move. Nichols told me to fasten a rope on the stone, and I wouldn't; but went forward, and turned round in time to see Nichols throw tbe body overboard. He then called me a coward, and told me he would mark me for it. We then came back to Sydney. " Alfred Lester."