BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 311, 31 December 1872, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

abetted. Blenheim : Dec. 31, Wallace, from Nelson, at 9 a.m.

The Carl Ateocites.— Speaking of the conviction of those concerned in the Carl murders the Australasian says : — So far all has been done tbat could be done, but with ali this, the fact becomes clearer as the case is looked into, that the arch-offender, the prime mover in the matter, is the man Dr. Murray, who is shielded from prosecution by a promise given — it must be believed in ignorance of tbe circumstances — by Mr. March, the English consul at Fiji. It appears that when the affair was inquired into at Fiji, Murray was seized with what he called *'' remorse",- and underwent what be called ''conversion." Under the influence of these feelings he made a clean breast of the affair, and received from the consul a guarantee that he was not to be prosecuted. He has, consequently, under this safeI conduct been allowed to give evidence at [Sydney, on which the officers and men have been convicted. This is a course never adopted without reluctance, even when the witness is only an ordinary accomplice, but in this case Murray is seen to.be the originator, the director, the first promoter of tbe crime of which he is now engaged in convicting his tools. They were not his colleagues so much as his instruments. He chartered the ship 'for an especial purpose, he was on board to see that tbat purpose was carried out, what was done was done by his orders, under his eyes, and with his active cooperation. While the massacre was going on, this scoundrel was proved to be carrying about a musket, and to be singing the air " Marching through Georgia." It is, indeed, shocking to the public sense of justice to see this man not only getting free from punishment, but eagerly aiding to hang bis wretched employes, and actually writing a letter to a public journal to relate the fact of his " conversion," and to claim a tribute of admiration for having lately performed " a great voluntary act of atonement " in having assisted to attend to some smallpox patients, a service for which he was duly paid. : The atrocious villainy of the man is only equalled by his sickening hypocrisy, and it can only be regarded as a deplorable official blunder which saved this, great criminal from the punishment he so richly deserved.