THE PHOENIX PARK MURDERS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1227, 18 December 1882, Page 2

THE PHOENIX PARK MURDERS.

FINDING THE WEAPONS. Notwithstanding the fact that close ’ upon six months have elapsed since I Lord Cavendish, Chief Secretary, and i Mr Burke, Under-Secretary, were I murdered in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, the London, Dublin, and Liverpool ■ police are still engaged in investigating the mystery of the murder. The i daggers, or at least the weapons used ! in the assassination were found in j Dublin, or, as one report states, iu the i suburbs, about two months ago, but i the police are very reticent in the m&tI ter. The weapons are described as j transfixed knives. The blades are : about three-quarters of an inch in . breadth, and fully nine inches long, with a small handle. They are described as being very sharp, and of 1 good steel. It is stated they were not purchased in Ireland, but are of English made. The authority mentioned described them as a novel description of knife, resembling very much a narrow carving knife. The finding of these knives is expected to lead to the Executive making speedy arrreta in Ireland. The occupier of the house j in which the knives—which were be- ' yond auy doubt the deadly weapons | that were used in the park—were ' found was arrested, and he underwent about six week’s imprisonment and ! was recently liberated. The number of persons who it is now believed were concerned in the murders was ten, and they are reported te be Irish and IrishAmericans. The statement made by Westgate that he was paid for taking part in the outrage is not believed in, nor is his statement in any way corroborated by the information, all of a circumstantial character, which the au- ■ thorities are in possession of. Many : of the men supposed to have been en- | gaged in the assassination are still in ' Ireland, but beyond mere strong sus- | picion, there is nothing which would lead to conviction without, it is feared, the aid of an informer, and an informer, it is to be regretted, is not likely to come forward. The car upon which the assassins sat is reported now not to have been one of the Dublin hackney cars, but an old private outside car. At the time of the discovery of the knives it is reported they had signs of blood, and they were subsequently sent to the analysts. A Swansea correspondent reports the return to that port of the barquentine Gladstone, in which Westgate, the self-accused murderer of Lord Cavendish and Mr Burke, sailed from Swansea in May. It will be remembered that the Gladstone sailed for Tucacus the Thursday after the murder, and Westgate was shipped at the last moment. He had no clothes except those he wore, and he was en- 1 tirely dependent on the crew for a change of apparel. Before the vessel had been at sea a week, Captain Rich- ] ards remarked that there was evidently , something wrong with Westgate, who appeared to have a dread of some im- ( pending danger. His behaviour was ( noticed to be generally peculiar, and 1 in this state he made a partial confes- 1 sion, which was reported to the mate, ' and this confirmed the earlier suspi- , sions entertained. On reaching Tuca- , cus, Westgate was regarded as one of i

the Phcenix Park tragedy. When Athat vessel entered the port he was put in irons and conveyed to Porto wheri) Captain Richards delivered up his prisotief, made his depositions, and then returned to his ship. Considerable excitement presailed among the people at Porto Cabello on the arrival of the supposed murderer.