THE KYEBURN TRAGEDY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2327, 1 September 1880, Page 2

THE KYEBURN TRAGEDY.

A Murderer’s Confession.

The following is the statement made to the police : —Prisoner Ah Leo, who was in custody on suspicion of having murdered Mary Young, at Kyeburn, on the <lth August, 18S0, voluntarily makes 11ic following statement through the interpreter, Wong Ah Tack : —The statement I made last night is not correct. Every particular is not correct. I saw Lee Guy murder Mrs Young. I went to Lee Guy’s hut to have tea with him on Tuesdry evening (the night of the murder). I wont to his hut about I o’clock, or a little after, on the night of the murder. After tea Lee Guy put on his boots and went outside of Ins hut. I waited inside until ho came back at a late hour. I had no watch or clock, and could not tell the time, but it was very late, about 11 or 12 o’clock. When ho came home lie asked me to put ou my boots and come out with him. We both came out of the house together. When 1 went round Mrs Young’s house to the front door I saw a fork (like the hayfork produced) slicking in the ground about live or six feet from the front of the door. Lee Ouy told mo to go into Mrs Young’s garden and fetch

three stones. Then Leo Guy came with me, and he carried two stones, and I carried one. We carried the stones to Mrs Young’s front door. Then Lee Guy asked Mrs Young to open the door. She would not open it, and Lee Guy took the stones and burst it open. When lie burst the door open Leo Guy took hold of Mrs Young and threw her ou the floor, Then lie said to me, “ Hold her legs down.” Then Lee Guy took one of the stones and threw it on Mrs Young. When ho throw the stone down on Airs Young I let go her legs and walked awa} r . As I was walking out Lee Guy was tolling me to take hold of the fork. He said, “ Watch and see if anybody is coming; if you see anybody coming sing out.” I heard him searching and kicking up a row inside. Loo Guy was not in the house very long when he came out, and asked mo to come along to his hut. I went into his hut. Wo went in together. Then I asked him when lie was searching did he find any money. Ho replied, “ No, I could not find any r ,” Then 1 said to him, “ I dont believe you that you did not find any.” Then he took out his purse and showed it to me. There was money in notes and silver iu it. —I could not say how much. There was a gold ring and brooch in it. He showed it to me on the table. When he (Lee Guy) saw there was not much money iu the purse he took it back to Mrs Young. He said to me he thought there was £doo or £4OO in the house. He also said that when Mrs Young went to the Hogburn and Nascby he thought she went to the bank to draw money. When I said to him, “ Now you have killed Mrs Young, what are you going to do P” he replied, “ I am not afraid.” Then he told me to go on to Hogburn I said, “ What are you going to do ?” He replied, “ Tomorrow I’ll go and tell the Europeans that Mrs Young was murdered, and they will not think it was I that nurdcred her.” Then I said “Europeans will know it.” Then he said to me, “ if you don’t toll the Europeans that Mrs Young is murdered they will not think it was I done it.” Then I went sraight ou to the Hogburn. Lee Gu} r fetched some string from his hut, and was going to tie Mrs Young’s hands with it. He put on a mask before ho went to Mrs Young’s. Lee Guy had a bottle of ink in bis pocket, and it fell out, when ho took the stones from the garden. He searched for it, but could not find it. Lee Guy had two handkerchiefs —one was a white silk one, and the other was a white cotton one with a pink border to it. They were used —one of them to stop Mrs Young’s mouth with, and the other to tie over her mouth. Whilst in Loo C m -’s hut I said to him, Why don’t you take the handkerchiefs ? and ho replied, “ I don’t want them ; they cannot bo identified.” Leo Guy tried to tic Mrs Young’s hands with the string, but could not do so. Then lie took up the stone and struck her.