FEARFUL CRIMES IN NORTHERN QUEENSLAND.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2567, 29 March 1877, Page 2

FEARFUL CRIMES IN NORTHERN QUEENSLAND.

For some time past we (Cooktown Herald) hare beenimnidsted with'the reports of,depredations being mmmfeted-r' north, 'east/^outlill^^ *eft/^ |£c bloodthirsty(-firage^ffltf^foor blac¥s£' Draya r have been stuck up, and teamsters obliged to fly, wonien hunted, *%ullools speared, and the latest atrocious actia the committal of the most bloodthirsty doable murder that has been our lot to chronicle since CobktdWn!¥as first Bett!bdra&d"God knows ,there hare been enough. But a 'short' to^ac^VFm^rrsVmic^ia . X}ece,mb t e>r,,tw,o pa^kjpng^amed^Hugh and Donald * MacquairieTwno 'for the iast riwo years hare been p^lw?s / j ! hetir!?eß, o^oi»lßr. town and Maytown, started from Gray and po>) store* with-vtheir pack-team of - splendid animals, representing a ralue, with^their loading, of orer £1000. Tte Macquaries take the "Hell's Gate" track, and nothing more is heard of them till a report is received on Wednesday last ixom John Ilogan, who states as follows: —" -Normanby, .January 3Q. As I was travelling frdm Maytown to t!ooktown on the Hell's Gate brack'o& Sunday last, about three miles from 'theUatW place, from what I saw'the triggers ba<fjujit completed the slaughter pf^ tw^hors'e|ighaving just remored one and the other. Some papers ahd^oojtsi "were scattered about, which I picki&i-up for the purpose of identification. They bore the name of Hugh MaQquarie.And .wer^inyoices, let* ters, &cVfroa¥Gra^ aria 'Co?, aid sereral others. There, was a pack saddle on the remaining horse, but I did not remore it, but travelled witlfall speed to the Laura, thinking to pull the men belonging to the slaughtered hpr^ and,on;.my, f w«j«aw; - freßh tracks on the road'/ Soon after f. . picked up ; . six hprieej, comprising four pack, one' saddle^' and riding horse. I .searched t »b«ut for signs of a fresh outrage; but did not find any, and finally reached the Laura -J^rtipt.-sught. The horses I picked" up t'rarelled down without being dnren, giving eridenf rrfign*.*, of knowing the track well. IKroughttdur, horses jd^wpj r one t knoefcad 7 £Pr **> the Laura,'ahd "another broke hfs'leg.and I shot him on,. jthq..« track." Since this straightforward ifepbr't has been receired, confirmation of the dubplieaA, «rt«mge. Jbas been afibrd'ed: by another pailer, who stales that wh^e. Bogan fiwt Isaw_tl|e slaughtered horses '-^Hal^^W, 'he found tracks Qf. r blee^g,bodies having been dragged off the foaa tnto the bush, and also picked up more papers bearing the names of Hugh and Donald Macqua* rie, which.have alsp-been-han4edj^r to the police. The escort which" arrived in town on Wedne.sdar^.undejr Mr Fitzgerald, furnishes fresh r¥porls of outrages everywhere, horses lying about disgustingly mutilated on the Hell's Gate^Jtrack, packs""sfre*wn everywherer'rations icaX» tered to^be^w l inds, v and, / f<jriaU l f?ef know, the skeletons of theirVowiiera" bleaching around camps,.where,;sho blood^ibirs^ s^vages.have indulged ihTthei^gafl^baJlsticfeats^,;j,,,r, Cl^; :., '