REPORTED STATEMENTS BY THE PRISONERS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 189, 29 January 1887, Page 5

REPORTED STATEMENTS BY THE PRISONERS.

We are given to understand that yesterday tha ti\ o condemned prisoner?, John Cafirey and Henry Albert Perm, made eoparafe as to the share they had in the murder nt the Grefat Barrior Island Digests of these statements were at Qnce forwardtd by telegraph to tho 2Jini«ter of Justice, but the greatest reticence ia observed with regard to their nature. Tha Minister of Justice, a? will bu geea from a Wellington telegram published below, states that he has not jet received any confessions, and could not publish them if ho had until they have b-3en laid before tho Govoruor. Of course no ofiWal cognizance could bo taken by the Minister of a telegraphic summary of a document of c o inucn. importance, and Mr Toles caution i? to ba ommoudod. The weight to bo attached to any confession would depend a good deal on the circum stances under which the statement was made. It ia understood, however, that Porm admits having fired the last shot, though we have no means of ascertaining to wbat extent these adau'wons g). Tho statements made by tha two do not: agree with each other, nor with tho evjdep.ee dd duced at th c j trj'il, but fchsy will throw much light on the tragic aif.iir. With reference to the statement made by Cafirey we are better informed The following, we le^rn on very good authority, is the substance of Gaffrey'* statement of the affair : — When Perm and Caffrey left the vessel, they hid no intention of committing homioide, the revolvers being merely taken for tbe purpose o^ iiitimidatitig Taylor. It was agreed between them that Perm should go and a=sk for butter a^ a ruse, and that while Taylor w as away getting tne butter in the dairy they were to take tne girl off. When he entered the kitchen and told Taylor to hold up his hands, he intended to tie Taylors hauds. Ab Taylor would not hold up his hand?, he fired the three shots? for the parpo~o of intimidation. The first went out at the kitchen door, the second went near Lincoln Taylor (but wr.s not meant ior him) and entered the lintel, and the third wenc near old Taylor, and he believed that it hit him. After hearing the medical evidence, he think? that he did not hit him. Between, the time of the murder and hia capture at Sydney, the belief that he had shot Taylor preyed on hi° mind, and he is now considerably relieved that the evidence shows it to be improbable that he hit the old man Taylor. Ho remembers striking the old man on tho no^e about the doorway, but he wasVu exoitcii that he doten'c know how the pool of blood came behind the door. He did not threaten to go to B'arataunga and " ti.iieh the lot."

What Mr Tolo Says. Our Wellington reporter interviewed the Minister or Justice on the subject this mortiincf, when Mr Tole eaid the Government has not yet rocoived any confession. If any puch confession has been made it dqosj r>sfc be submitted to His Excellency, and the Executive under these circumstances would not feel justified in making it public, as it is a matter for the (iovernor to consider.

5Er Jackson Palmer Yesterdaj' Mr Jackson Palmer, one of , the counsel for Caffrey, visitod the prisoner in his cell afc Mount Eden. Mr P,»lraor found Caffrey far more cheerful than ho hud noticed him since tha trial corunienced, and remarked on his changed . demeanour. Caffrey replied, ".Oh, yes. The worst ia over now that the suspense of the trial is over. 3 ' Talking of tho trial he recognised the justice of the sentence of the law as laid dow,p by th,e judgo He was to blame for Taylor h death, as if he had not gone to the Barrier Taylor would have been alive to-day. He said he was quite prepared to die, and that he derived great comfort from the ministration of the Rev. Mr Hill. He waa thoroughly satisfied with the way Meesra O'Meagher and Palmer had conducted his defence, and said he hopfad to have an opportunity soon of thankiog Mr O'Meagher personally. for the great exertions made on his behalf.

The condomued murdereie, who are being assiduously attended by the Rev. J. S. Hill, have now apparently realised that they have no hope u£ o?capa from the scaffold ; .indeed, fchey both made nn intimation to that effect to Mr Hili when he visited them yesterday afternoon. It would appear that the prisoners have been at enmity ever since.their incarceration in Mount Mden, bub yesterday Mr Hill arranged for a meeting between them, and they were to all appearances perfectly reconciled. The Very Rev. Father Walter McDonald, who knew Pdnn during hia cab-driving career, paid the prisoners a friendly visit yesterday,

"Jack Ketoh." As the illness of Major Green, the Sheriff, is likely to prevent him from taking any- pwt in the arrangements for or'tha conduct; of the execution, the distaeteful'duty of seeing the sentence carried out- will' in all probability devolve on the Deputy Sheriff, Mr G. W. Basley. That gentleman, we believe, had a viait from a person wno haa acted as hangman at several executions in this city. Hie buai neeß with Mr Baeley was of course to tnajce the 'ghoulish request for •Uhe job." Mr Basley requested the would -be executioner to call again. Ie ia considered probabief thaj) theauthoritiQB at Wsllington Will make arrangements' to send up the man who acted as executioner at the hanging of

Wioiata, Htroki.and one or two other mardefers. The number of perpons o'ber than official^ who will bo admitted to the execution will not exceed ten.

Petition for Cafifroy's Reprieve, A petition i* in circulation to-day far ihb repriovo oi Jeffrey on the ground tbat ttie evidence showed that he d.d. not fire tbe fatal thoc.