THE GREAT BARRIER CASE.

Temuka Leader, Volume 1510, Issue 1510, 9 November 1886, Page 3

THE GREAT BARRIER CASE.

kvoKLom, November 6. The preliminary enquiry into the Great Barrier tragedy, in which Oaffrey and Penn are charged with the murder of Bobt. Taylor, commenced to day at the Police Court, Mr Seth Smith, B. M., presiding. Owing to the excessive crowding in Court it had to be cleared. Mr Hudson Williamson, Crown Prosecutor, at the outset asked permission of the Bench for the Governor of the gaol, Mr Beston, to make a statement respecting the alleged Interviewing of the accused and the published statements in certain papers alleged to have been obtained at such interview. Mr Beston emphatically denied that any Interviewing had taken |ilabe, and at the time no one had access to the prisoners but their counsel and the gaol officials. Sergeant Pratt, on behalf of the police authorities, gave a similiar denial as to any interviewing of the prisoners having taken place while prisoners were in custody of the police. A special guard had been placed over them. The first witness was the girl Grace Cleary alias Graham, who gave her evidence clearly and unhesitatingly. Much of what she had to say has already been published. Her examination lasted all day,' and her evidence was damaging to Oaffrey, but tended to exculpate Penn of having a share in the aotuel deed. From her evidence it appears she heard on board the cutter on the night before leaving Auckland what was proposed to be done while the . men were drinking. On going into the cabin she saw them looking at a black satin flag. > She asked Oaffrey what the black flag was for, and he said it was for the death of “old Tuskey.” She knew that was Taylor, for she had heard Jack call him by ; that name before. She heard Oaffrey say he was going to shoot Taylor. There was at .that time on board the cutter a fellow called Jim, who asked Oaffrey to put a girl out of the way for him. He meant Mrs Seymour, He eaid he bad been in tow with a girl, and that ehe had fooled him. Tbie talk did not continue very long. It wae seriously, not ae a joke. Two of the nen were lifting betide Geffrey, and two beiido her, and Penn, was on deck at the time. ' Oaffrey eaid he would go ashore, and try to get the girls, and if be did not get them there would be tome ■hooting done. He eaid he would go ashore and take some cord with him to tie the father u ’, and that he would out a piece either out of his ear or tongue, to that he could tell no tales. He said he would fores the girl down to the boat, and if she did not go he would shoot her. Penn steered the vessel, and the was on deck with him, and Oaffrey below asleep. She saw three new revolvers on board. After giving details of the trip down to the Barrier, ehe eaid on the morning they got there they dropped anchor. They pulled the saili down, but did not tie them up. They left them loose, and Oaffrey said, "So as to be ready to get out of the bay quickly.” After they had done the work something was Said about a murder. Oaffrey said he would try to get the girls, and if he could not get them he would shoot the father for revenge. Before they went aebore Oaffrey loaded the revolver in his cabin. Penn.was then on deck. Geffrey had some brand/ about three glasses. Penn did not have anything to drink. Witness saw r affrey put the revolvers in his pockets. He did not give any to Penn. She then described Oaffrey and Penn leaving the vessel for Taylor's with new ■heath knives in their belts, and Oaffrey with a cord in his pocket to tj,e up Taylor it he got the girl. She heard Penn tell Oaffrey he would go up to Taylor’s’and ask for some butler, and he was to get the girl* while the father was procuring the butter. The girl then lost sight of the men on their landing, but in describing their return sha said Oaffrey had blood on his clothes and hat, and a revolver in his hand. When he came on' deck he showed the revolver, and she said “ Oh, Jack, what have yon done ?” and he said he had p U t, the-.—-old curse out of the road. She asked him where the girls were, and he said they had jumped out of the bedroom window. She asked him if Harry had anything to do with it, and the words he said to hey were that he had told him to fire, but “The—fool fifed at a pietnre, but not at a man.” The blood on his left arm was above the elbow, and looked as if Taylor had caught hold of him. On examining Geffrey's revolver she saw four shots had been fired. She saw saw »o blood on Penn’s clothes, or anything unusual about him. Afterwards she saw a second revolver in the cabin, but did not know wbo placed it there. The girl then described the voyage to Australia pretty much as already published, Oaffrey regretting he had done the deed. She knew Oaffrey had feelings againit Taylor, for he need to talk about him. He said he was engaged to Taylot’e dangler, and’when she came up to be married Taylor put it off, that he got on the spree, and was run in for three months, and while there Taylor persuaded her to marry Seymour, and she heard him flay he would shoot Taylor the first chance he got. Penn knew what Oaffrey’e intentions were when on board, for Tonn told her Oaffrey got him drunk and got him to promise to go with him to get the girl. She h»d hoard Oaffrey say on t e voyage to Australia if he had got the girls he would have thrown both overboard on teaching the 1 Australian coast.