THE CASTLETOWNROCHE MURDERS. Full Particulars of the Tragedy.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 82, 27 December 1884, Page 6

THE CASTLETOWNROCHE MURDERS. Full Particulars of the Tragedy.

(From the Auckland "Star," Dec. 22.) Great excitement -was caused throughout the city and suburbs last evening by the announcement in our yesterday's impression of the arrest at Waikomiti of William Sheeban on the charge of murdering his mother, brother, and sister at Castletownroche, County Cork, in 1877. Paragraphs have recently appeared amongst the items of our Home news staling that William Sheehan was supposed to have committed the murders in question, and that ho was know n to have left England for New Zealand, but the probability of his having settled in our community does not appear to have presented itself to the minds of many of our readers. Hence, it is not surprising that the news of his arrest in our midtt should have created such a &cn c -ation. lie has been in Auckland for some time, and ftp pears to have made quite a number of acquaintances during that period.

His Arrival in Auckland. Sheehan arrived here by the Doric with his wife and children about eighteen month? ago, and, so far as is known, proceeded immediately afterwards to Mr Williams's station at Pakaraka, Bay of Islands. Information was recently received by the police authoiities in Auckland that he was supposed to be in the colony, and a de* scription of his personal appearance came to hand in due courtc. The ca.^o was placed in the hands of Detective Walker, who has shrewdly and cleverly performed the task allotted to him. There was no difficulty in discovering that a Win. Sheehan had come to Auckland by the Doric at the time indicated, but whether he was the man m ho was required was entiiely a different question. The description ot his personal appearance did not exactly tally with the accounts given by those \\ ho had seen him ; but there weie some points of resemblance between the two descriptions. £fc Mas, however, considered unlikely that two families of Sheehan.s would be coming out to the colony at the same time, and little doubt existed in the mind of the detective that the Sheehan at Pakaraka was the man who wr.s required.

The Return to Town. "While the police Mere prosecuting their inquiries, intoimation reached them that Sheehan was about to come to town. Detective Walker faithfully met the steamer on their arnvnl, aud his persistence was at length rewarded. Some few weeks a£ % o, he met a man coming 1 oil' one of the steamers whom he knew at once to be Sheehan. From that time until the arrest, Detective "Walker has kept hie prisoner under strict surveillance, rfheehan went to live fora week or thereabouts at Mi Gleo^onV Hotel, and representing himself to be in ■want of work. Mr Gleeson obtained employment for him. Odd jobb such as painting carts and filling coal were gh en to him to do by Mr Craig, coal mci - chant, and he discharged his duties satisfactorily and faithfully. Sheehan took a small house in John -street, Fonsonby, where he lived with his wife and family for a time. Kat her more than a week aero he completed the purchase or a five roomed horse and t\\ entyacre farm at Waikomiti from Mr Beigtr. The stock on the laim included three cows, two horses, a cart, and a hundixd fowl-, and the price paid was 1310. The fauuU went to live out there, but Mrs Sheehan did not like the place because of her loneliness. She persuaded her husband to come back to town and try and get work here, and on Sunday last he brought his family back to town with him.

Tlie Arrest, The plans of the police were now fully matured, and fearing that the sir-pec'tcl murderer had got wind ot their i'lionticiit, and was about to take a -peody depuiture, preparations were at once made for hi-* arrest. Instructions to this effect v, ere received by telegram from Colonel Header on Sunday night. A ■warrant vas made out yesterday, and signed by Mr H. G. Jrcth Smith, Resident Ma^tiCte. It "Tnat William Sheehan did fcloniou-lv muider and kill Kate bhtehan, Jlauu-di Sheehan, and Thomas Shceh'm, at Ca-tle townroche, County Cork, Ire'and, on or about the 27th of October, 1577. 1 ' Mr Thomson pioceeded to Waikomi'i in a cab yesterday afternoon to efiect the urrect. He \va« accompanied by Detecth ts Walker and Twohey. The party met Sheehan driving a hor^e and. catl near the "VVaikomiti station, lie w.i c on his way to town to Fell' the hor.-o and eair. 31r Thomson ]iim T and ic>d the warrant, wuen iSheehan .said: "I did not murder them/ On the charge being iit\-f made to him, Sheehan s-eemed contused and disconc^itcc!, but he very '■oon recovered his .self-pcs-e-.-ion. He levoired to the subject repeatedly dming the drive into town. He admitted that he was William Sheehan, of Castletow nrochc. He paid that his mother, and hi^ brother, and iiis f-i^tcr had gone away to America, and he had never heard from them since He knew the well on Brodcu'ck's t<am in which the bodies were found, and indicated hK position from the re-idence which had been occupied by the Sheehan 's. He ridiculed the idea that he should have murdered his mother, and said that lie was on the bc-t of terms with her. Singularly enough, he said ! he had not read any of the newspaper paragraphs recently pubh,-hed, in which he was stated to be suspected of having committed the criino.

Sheehan s Family. Mrs Sheehan was married to William Sheehan in Ca-tletownroche about a month prior to the disappearance of the relatives •whom he is now charged with murdering, and they lhed on the farm for about five years afterward 0 !. They lented the farm of about CO acre*, but in consequence of their landlady pressing for rent, they concluded to emigrate to New Zealand, and arrived in Auckland by the Doric about 18 months ago. They were paying C 2 per acre rent for 60 acres ot land, and the lamily consisted of the husband, wife, and two children. Mrs Sheehan is a woman of about 80 years of age, of robust habit, and although, of course, greatly upset by this sudden turn of i affair.-, resolutely refuses to answer any questions. On their arrival in the colony, Mr and Mrs Sheehan had two children, girls, who are now about &ix and four yeais respectively, and since their arrival in Auckland another child, a boy, who is now about two months eld, was born.

The Prisoner m Court— His Appearance. A large concourse of eager sight-seers j gathered around the precincts of the Courthouse at 10 o'clock this morning in the hope of catching a glimpse of the prisoner as he crossed over from the Police Station. Their patience was rewarded in due course. He was escorted by several guardians of the peace, and the crowd made no demonstration. They surged into the Court, howevex*, in order to witness the further proceedings. His Worship the Mayor and MrF. Maguire

occupied the Bench, the central table was hemmed in by lawyers, reportoi'S, and police representatives while afar off an artist sat ready with pencil and sketch-book to limn the featuros of the accused. Aftor afovv time-worn "drunks" had been disposed of, William Sheehan's namo was called, and a moment Inter, amid a hum of conversation, a little peit-looking man made his appeal ancc in the dock. He was clad in a loo!?e, unbuttoned, and heavy brown tweed c coat, beneath which thero was displayed the front of a dark vest, and above the vet>t 11 a limp, unstarched cotton shirt. In line, the Q dress was that of an ordinary labouring man. s There is littlo or nothing about thevisago to arrest attention. It certainly has not a " villainous appearance, but thero is just the s suggestion of a furtive look about tho eyes. s As already implied, tho prisoner is rather i undersized, but his frame is athletic. Bis 1 hands and features are small. Tho face is s oval, the broadest portiim boiner tho fore- - head, -which is both amplo and high, while r tho chin is correspondingly small. From ■> the centre of the forehead, tho hair, f which is black, has disappeared, and, t indeed, with the exception of a spar?o 1 biidgo of hair across tho top of ? tho head, that portion might bo described as bald. Thero is a plentiful fringe at the - sides and back, however. Mild brown eyes, a rather small noso, somewhat tip-tilted, and black side whiskers, a\ ith shavon upper lip and chin, complete the picture. It may be added that the man's complexion is j slightly sunburnt, and that his demeanour was quiet and thoroughly self-possessed. s Having answered to the namo William * Sheehan, he Mas briefly charged with 'I haviny, on or about the '27th of October, 1577, at Castlotown Roche, County Cork, Ireland, feloniously killed and murdered ' Catherine Sheehan, Thomas Sheehan, and \ Hannah Sheehan, his mother, brother, and \ sister. [ His solicitor, Mr Napier, had previously 5 -uhispciedan instruction to him, and ho theretoiu remained silent.

Superintendent Thomson's Statement. Mr \\\ .) . isapiov then raid : May it please your Worship- 1 , I appear to notch the proceedings 0:1 behalf ot the accused. Supui'intj ndent Thomson t-vud : In this case, your Worships, 1 may si ate that the present proceeding." have been taken under the listh section oi the '2nd part of the Fugitive Oileudcr.s Act of ISSI , w Inch was passed by the Impeiial ('ovcinmcnt in ISSI, and bi ought in:o force in this colony by proclamation of His Excellency the Governor on the 31-t October Lat-t. The cheumstancos connected v. irh the arrest of the pri-oner are bricily ihe-o. On the '2i d November last. 1 leeeived jmimation fiom the hcid ot the Dcpaitment in Wellington th^ta cablcmumhad come to hand from Earl Deiby lcquesting the police of the colony to keep under supervision one William fheeh m, who, it Mas supposed, had come to .New Zealand with his family, as ho Mas suspected ot murder. In consequence ot this intimation, I took .steps to asco) tain ni-" v, hcieabouts and place him under supervision. From further infoimation I recehed, 1 believed him to be in the Bay of Inlands district, and I accordingly despatched thither Constable Herbert, from the Thames, a.s lie was unknown in the Koith. lie proceeded theie in tho disfXiii.se of a gumdigger, with t-v^'ag, billy, and gum-spear, and alter being there a day or two, ho ascertained the prisoner* whereabouts. Ho was found to bo working for Hon. [Temy Williams an I'akaraka. Herbcit obtained work on a road contiaet close by in oider that he .should have the p>i»oner under close supervision. It •pp'avetl that he was under engagement iui a term of twelve month j, and at the expiiation of the tonn, which v.as then near at hand, he came <lown to Auckland. Ho had previously intimated his intention of going on to Sydney, and therefore inneased \igilance was lendered necessary heie. As .soon as his arri\al heio had been made known, he was placed under a strict supervision, which was maintained, ({uite unknoun to himself, night and day. 1 had a written report supplied to me every morning giving information of hi.s moveintne^ tiom the time he made hisf appeal auce in the morning until he blew out Ins candle at night. About ;i fortnight ago he entered into negotiations with a man named Burmese for the pin chase of a small farm in the Waitakeroi Ranges. A bargain wa-3 struck, and lie took possession a week later. All I could do meanwhile wan to maintain the supervision over him, as 1 hud iij in^tiuctioiih to unless he weie lca\ing the colony. *As a means of pio\iding agc.ip.-t this, Detcelhe Walker some timo .igo laid an information before the Resident MaghtiaU), and obtained a piouhional w.tiratif U> arrest under the section already mentioned, and enabling us- to hold the pii-oner until the arihal of an endorsed wairant and duly authenticated documents to autlion.se his conveyance to the county wMiin which the alleged crime was committed. On Sunday last I was diiccted to effect the arrest as soon a.s possible. Act 01 dimply I pioccedcd yesterday to Waikoiniti with Detectives Walker and Twohey, and iJetective Walker by \ntuc of the prole s.sional warrant aricsfefl the piisoner. Without going into the details ot the murder, which I suppose are- now familiar Lo most persons, I may say that the circumstances of the alleged minder a.c bi icily these: On the 17th October, 1877, the prisoner's, mother, Kate Shcclion. his brother, Thomas Sheehan, and his sJster, Hannah Sheehan, suddenly and .somewhat mysteriouhly disappeared from their lawn, w hich adjoined piisoner's. farm. Fiom what the prisoner stated at the time it wa^ generally understood that the prisoner's relatives had gone to x'Vinerica and nothing moie wan thought of the matter until the caily part of September lafet when the remains of three human beings — two woman and a man — were found in a well on the adjoining farm about half a mile from the house formerly occupied by prisoner's missing relatives. The police have .since then been investigating tho matter, and eventually such evidence was obtained as to justify them in issuing a warrant for the prisoner's arrest on a charge of murdering the three persons. In connection with this, 1 understand that a detective olHcer armed with the warrant is now on his way hither, and if he has not yet arrived in tho colony he is expected daily. Under the provisions of this Act 1 have now to apply for a remand for the usual term of eight days, pending the arrival of the warrant issued by the Imperial authorities. In fuither justification of my application, I may state that the prisoner, after being duly cautioned, admitted that he was William Sheehan ; that ho had lived at Castlctownroche, in tho County Cork, and that his mother, brother and feister had gone to America. It seemed to be a refief to him to talk after the surpriso of the arrest was over, and the statement he then made was as follows : — I came from Fermoy, my mother Kate, my brother Tom, and my sister Hannah left on a car about that time for Fermoy. The farm was six miles from Fermoy, and four fiom Castletownroche, and twelve from Lismore. They bade me good-day when they were leaving. They said thoy were going to Fermoy. They had spoken before" about going to America, but I did not know they were going then. I never saw or heard-of them after that, I did not

kill them. Wo always lived on good torms. We had 60 acres of land rented from Miss Oliphant at £2 per aero. She was a hard landlady. If she had been married, maybe I would be there yet. We had a servant called Mary Reilly. She was out tor the cows when thoy loft in the car. IJo not v.now who was tne driver. Jt was a Derby car. Duane was at the house at tho lime. It was between 11 and 12 o'clock in tho morning. They had told mo thoy were going to America, to stay about a fortnight and come back again. Brodcrick's farm was tho second farm from ours. I know the well on it. It was 40 or 50 foot doop. It was a mile and a-haif from our houso to tho well. My brothers, J ohn James and Edward, are still in Ireland. Tho farm has never had a tenant since I loft it. 1 had a lettor from Homo about six months ago. If Duano knew anything, Jig could not keep it so long as this, lie would let it out in five minutes. I was married to Mary A.nn Brown in November, soven years ago. My mother never was against my marrying her. That is about all that it is necessary for mo to state on tho present occasion, and if Your Worships think it necossary to put Detootivo Walker in the box to prove tho arrest it can bo dono. I understand that Mr Napier, who apnoars f or the prisoner, does not object to the remand. Mr Napier, while offering no objection to tho application mado by Superintendent Thomson, pointed out to tho Bench that this information lias simply been laid by Deicctivo Wilkor upon hearsay evidenceHowever, ho did not intend to raise any objection on this ground. Tho prisoner was anxious to clear himself from tho charge ; ho hud not changed his name, and he had mado no eilbrfc to conceal his identity. The circumstances, therefore, vent io show that he was an innccent man Pending the arrival of tho wairant, however, he had to apply for tho prisoner's liberation on bail. Mr Napier teuton to urge that the liberty of any man, ho\\o\er horrible, was t-acied, and that it should not lightly be interfered vith. Superintendent Thomson sticnuou-jly opposed the application, pointing out, a>> he did .so, that it was neither strango nor exceptional. It would bo both strange and exceptional, however, weio tho man liberated. Their Woiship.s then adjourned the prL-onov till tho oUt, to appear befoio tho It. 11.