THE BALLINA TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8162, 21 July 1906, Page 3

THE BALLINA TRAGEDY.

LATEST CABLE NEWS.

UXIT» MM iSeOCUTIO*— BT lLtCTftt IOMUIH-COHIIdHT.

/ THB-MOBDERKB'S STORi". | Story. July 20. • . Since the arrest of Brown he has aAed freely, Mid has said that the whole Iking tu the remit of a secret formed at Ballina to keep up a Wkita Autraha. The plan was to a rtroltttioß against the blacks Wi Qninoae, and kilt them oft. There WK/aunbtf lin the society, but it wfci to o«- kept quiet till they got isotey-to buy arms. Brpwn mentioned the sienes of aetatal boys of his own aft, TWj drilled and practised with bayonets, Being pampkini m targeta. He agreed to get mimey, and went to Oleefe'i for that purpose, not with the intention of killing them. They wmhji best friends, he said, and had treated hi* like one of the family. When he got there the old people were gheVteaeehia. He described how he waited "hit opportunity and attacked tbm - The itory of the secret society u to be well sifted by the police Brown's •esoeiates an respectable lads. He ■ays some of those pledged to the ■oeisty are of the best families in the district. During his flight he had a terrible (law ia a swamp, wading for hows up to hi* waist. He continued walking night and day. DTQUBST.OS THE VICTIMS lIS -DEADWOOD DICK" 'fITORY COBBOBOBATED.

Beceired 90,11.18 pjn. Brown, July 20. At tke inquest on tke O'Keefes, a boy eomaanios! of Browns deposed that: ttow° weeks ago, Brora asked him to f> witi. km (Brown) to sand- . bag the O'Keefes. Browm explained "ttttm Ihsf "said-bagging" meant to Ut-to reader insensible. Witness rsfa«r4tfl a$ tad Wet in the day wian asked kin to go bosh-ranging, adc&|( that He knew some others who WnUia, A ana with whom Brown camped fan rrssaae* that the day before the tnftax; Hi aaiform and bayonet were take* oat ot the hnt by Brown, without •etaussißa. Be identified his bayonet, asjthat with which the murder was eosamitted. Tim O'ieefe stated that sometimes his father reprimande-l Brown for aegleeting hie work, bat generally they got oa well together. Shortly before he left their employ, Brown quarrelled with Otlliek, who [kooeked him down. ' Brora got a revolver anl attempted to ■hoot .GilUek. Once Brown broke ■pea a box belonging to witness' father aad stole money, for which he was •eateaoed to six months. Subsequently Browm »Ume<r to work for them. BTATE'B MOST BLOODTHIBSTY CRIME. Eeeeived 21,1 a.m. StTwar, July 10. The Coroner, committing Brown for trial, eaaraeterised the crime as the most blood-thirsty in the history of the State.