A SEVERE FIGHT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9189, 11 September 1908, Page 5

A SEVERE FIGHT.

CABIS EWS- _. >Ak Telegraph United Press Association-^ &mxi" Copyrfi^wU

MURDERERS AND A EXPEDITION.

Received September 10, 10 a.m.. PERTH, September 10. Further details of the doings of the police party sent out to arrest a native named Major and three others, charged with the murder of George Fettel and George Davis at a station at Turkey Creek, show that there was a severe fight between the murderers and the punitive expedition. The natives fought very bravely. Between 150 and 200 shots were exchanged before the murderers were killed. The ringleader (Major) used three rifles and two revolvers, his gin standing by his side loading the weapons. Tho gin was shot in the chest. Other gins state that the murderers were on their way to murder another white man when they were overtaken by the police. On August 12th the Commissioner of Police was advised that the manager and cook of the out station at Blaclcfellows' Creek had been found dead, under circumstances pointing to murder by blacks, who are very troublesome in the district. A tracker discovered strange hlackfellows' tracks leading into the house and from it. The men were murdered in their bunks, and had been dead for seme days. It was suspected that the murderers were led by "Major," a notorious native, who a month previously shot a stockman named Macdonald. "Major" was seen thirty miles from Turkey Creek with three other black fellows, carrying two Winchesters and a pair of revolvers. A Kimberley squatter attributes the murders to the "over-education of natives," who have learned the white man's ways, and indulge in killing from wanton devilry, with a desire for stores, ammunition, and cattle.