THE THEATRES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 210, 11 August 1862, Page 5

THE THEATRES

(To the Editor of tlie Daily Times ) thf 'collli* f.°* a Httle- surPrised at the letter iv wsmmm you to gn-ehim the true key to works of iiSr" aud acknowledging that he cannot interpretiTh s ovra consciousness the sublime beauties Suake SX/^rv 1- 011' Tl-iePreseilt Wo to most t net Si *P >' IL reClS? > tarne ' aud finite- To the gitted eye^ it abounds in the poetic. Could tulVnlZl^ t° mCt reP/«i°n of some of nic be.>t plays ot Shakespeare, for instance he wmiM gou learn what he desires to be taught-t'ltl c Drains, far from injuring society, is one of to I that it-lifts the mmd above ordinary life, gives it a respite from depressing cares, aud awaken! the con? Ke.onsne.ssoi ite aUinity with what is pure and noble. In its legitimate and highest efforts, it has the same tendency and mm as Chnstiswity-tliat is, to sp itualwe oar nature So much by way of a little cud of sweet fancy for "Enquiry-' to chew, while he contempUtcs the brijrht side of the picture. I ho p 3 to m"et him sornetuue at the play m his tendered momentV where-his mind t s cairicl beyond and above the .beaten, dusty, weary walks of ordinary life, and rai'ed into a purer element. He will" adknowlwli Ivith others then that the tendency of the legitimate Dmmo is to reveal to us the loveliness of. uature-to bS* back the h-eshusas of youthful iee!ing-that it revived tiie relish of simple pleasures ; keeps unquenelied S enthusuvsui which warmed the spring-time of 0 »r D-injr; strengthens our interest in human nature by vivid delineations of its tenderest and loftiest feeHn»s • sprea.ls our sympathies over all-classes of societ-• kmts us by n U w tits of universal being, and throth S^WSnS 1% Pr°PhetiC VkiOli hd ** foith^ I am, Sir, faithfully yours, Dunedin, Blh August, 1562. TOT°R>

THE TIBBETS TRAGEDY. FROM. A COItUESPONDBNT. (To the Editor of the Daily Tijies.) Sih,- One of the most awful anil distressing occurrences has just taken place on the borders of Southland ami Otajro ; a tragedy so frightful in its refills especially to those who survive, that it is unparalleled in the lnstory of the colony. It is in the hope that you will tnve a comet version of the matter, that I have been asked to ionvard tills stattmenr. which you may ray upon as truthful, seeing that disparaging- co»: jepiures.ana unjust reflections may, through the medium nt the papers, not only wound the romainma^tor in this matter, but.what would bo far worse cause liearts at home ignorant of the truth, to bleed atitsh, at wounds which time alone, with its assuaging effect, will only partially heal. On Wednesday hist Captain Tibbets, of the Wakaia (who has been for some time deranged,) fnind that one a. Ins horses which had been at Switzer's head station had it. eg broken. On a sudden impulse he jumped up resolving- to shoot every man at that place and started accordingly oa horseback wir,h a revolver, and finding a man thatching a hut. fired at him but witnout effect.; throwing Die pUol at his head, he rode on to where the rest of "the men were at work trying to shoot the whole of them. He then rode home sixteen miles, having picked up his revolvercleaned it, tried it, and then preceded to do the same wit :i a double barrelled gun, ordered his horse to be saddled, but bis brother desired the man to disobey the order aud to go forward to Switzer's ami warn them ot his intended approach. This was done and endeavours made to dissuade him, but in vain At mid- lay next day he started for Swil/.er's on foot, b-it no on.c was in the hut, all having apparently decamped; his dog, however, tracked the hiding place of one poor fellow, Peter Ureen, who run for his life, but unfortunately too ate. The madman fired two halls into him, leaving him dead on the ground ; he then fired at a woman but providentially missed her; he then retraced his step* homewards. His brother, with Corporal Morton, ot the Southland police, (whose cool courage throughout deserves every praise) having procured a summons from a neighboring J. P., proceeded cautiously towards the hut, at the door of which his dog was fying; but under the impression that he was within, iyiu"(with a madman's cunning) *in wait for them, they went to a patch of bush at a little distance to plant their hor-.es, waiting till evening came on to surprise him. ' r

i he brother however, getting impatient, went down to the hut, Morton accompanying him ; both were armed, t.:o former with a double barrel, the latter with hU troopers revolver. He was not within, hat haniiy_iud they «ot there when he was descried ap-proa-eiuiij* from the direction of Switz«r's. Closhv the door, they made holes iv the wall, and when he" approached, the brother, 0. Tibbets, called out to him to laydowvi his ;ivn\<, covering his approach at the sime time, fro.v the loophole with his gun, Corporal Morton at the other Joopliole, covering him in like manner with his revolver. The only answer from Captain Tibbets was a shot at his brother inside, and when again advancing nearer. still to take a deadlier aim, the poor -unhappy brother, his feelings at the hUjl.-e-t pitch of exeiteraeut.gfired, and the X'oor madman fell dead up.m the ground. The moment Charles Tibbets saw the.deed lie liad done, ho raised a pistol to put an eul to his own existence, but was prevented by Morton, who threw his arm up, preventing further injury than a shot through his forefinger. fie is now down here in the •hospital, kindly cared for, wait:ns? for the result, and lamenting that he had not suffered his own life to be tiiki'u iv place of what hnd occurred. This is natural; but in :.uch a scene, the wonderful instinct of self preservation, added to the excitement of tinmoment, prevented it. The d :epest sympathy is felt aud expressed for the poor survivor, an 1 I do hope that you will exert the powerful influence possessed by the press, from .suffering any injudicious remarks from t>ein« printed—refraining from any at all, if possible, till the coroner's inquest shall have terminated. His sorrowing mother and sister at home, will have deep grief enough to bear, when news arrives of his death; how much more will it be aggravated by unjust, unfounded, or contradictory repirts. Who does not ! pity the unfortunate brother, compelled in self defence to take a life that drew its existence from the same breast, himself excitahle, but not more than we all are 1 If reports or statements are circulated prejudicial to his character, what may he not do to hims.'lf? It is fortunate that Corporal Morton was on the spot —a man of undoubted coumge, and accustomed to pursuit and capture of bushrangers in Victoria; be even ■ states that this was the most dangerous expedition he was ever upon. Had not his caution persuaded the brother to use more circumspect measures, a madman's cunning would have destroyed them both, and left him still more dangerous to encounter, and the struggleto apprehend him more deadly. The facts above stated-to the time when they arrived at the hut—are by an eyewitness. The remainder is from information from Corporal Morton, given to the same ptrson. I enclose my card, and remain, , Yours very sincerely, Pity.