THE DOBSON MURDER CASE.

West Coast Times, Issue 376, 6 December 1866, Page 2

THE DOBSON MURDER CASE.

TRIAL OF WILSON ALIAS MURRAY.

(continued.) The cross-examination of Joseph Thomas Sullivan by Mr Button, was renewed. No conversation liaviug reference to Fox took place before I left the tent to meet the man and woman. [Mr Button complainedj of the witness invariably adding something, and not giving a decided answer. — Mr South remarked that whatever answer the witness gave, it had a right to be recorded.] — I went to intercept them — that is to say, I went for that purpose. That was my instructions. I had nothing to do but delay them. I was master of my own actions in anything that I did. I was not particularly instructed to sco if they were worth robbing. I had my own idoa about that. Kolly had not given me instructions to rob thorn.

[Mr South— Really, Mr Button, how could Kelly have given any such instructions when he didn't know that thoy were going to pass that way ? Mr Button— l am the best judge as to how to frame my quostion. Witness — I think, Mr Button, I should be permitted to give my explanation. His Worship — I again say that you can givo any explanation after answering the question.]— From tho time I left tho tent till I- met tho mau and woman, I had no conversation with Murray or Kelly with roforenco to Fox. When the man and woinau passed I went aa though I waa proceeding to Groyniouth, but I turned rouud and watched them. Mr Button — How far had you gone before you turned round ? Witness — Momentarily. Sir Button — That is uo answer aa to how for you went. Witness — Why ! How far could you walk in a moment. Mr Button — You are not there to ask me questions.

Cross-examination continued — I continued talking to tho man and woman about two minutes. I was talking to them about tho state of tho road ; we wero bantering. They had a good look at me. After they hadpasecd the tout I roturnod to it. They walked on and did not atop. I returned immediately they had passed the tent. I do not kuow when the firo was lit at tho tent. Kelly, Murray, aud I then went into the bush, we had not gone more than forty or fifty yards when we turned to the right, that would be down tho river. I have no idea how far we went in that direction. It may hare been a quarter of a mile. I know it was not half a mile. I had never been there before. I cannot say which of us was leading ; wo came backwards and forwards up and down ; wo wero looking for an object, when wo found tho object it turned out to be a man. I did not feel his pulse ; lie was dead I believe. I was told he was dead. I did not touch liini, I was not within five yards of him. I suggested that he should be buried. I do not know who wa3 to bury him. I took no part in burying him ; I kept guard of the road while I believe he was being buried.

Mr Button — Were you present when the arrangements were made to bury him ? Witness— How could I throw out the suggestion if I was not present ? I did not do my business by proxy. Cross-examination continued — I was requested to do nothing elso but keep the road. One of the party asked me to help to bury him. I think ifc was Kelly ; ho spoke the most. At the time Kelly asked me to assist in the burial no one was appointed to keep the road. It took about five minutes to make the arrangements. I left the body almost immediately after seeing it. The arrangements were made as we walked to the tent. After this I went down the road towards G-reymouth about eighty or a hundred yards. It was about twenty minutes afterwards that I rejoined Kelly and Murray. I should imagine it was two hours and a-lialf from that time before we reached Greynaouth. Thcrcwero two revolvers and two double-barrolled guns. One revolver belonged to prisoner and the other to Kelly. The guns were the property of Kolly. I never had any firearms. I used one of theirs in the fore-part of tho day. When I cay used, I mean that I had one of them in nry possession. Wilson told mo on tho 19th May that the revolver ho had was ono of Phil Levy's, aud that ho meant to click to it. That revolver was lent to Burgess by Wilson on tho 27th May, and I saw Burgess rot urn it to him on that day. I had never been up tho track in my life- towards tho Arnold townslup, bcforo the 28th May — that is, further thau tho iron hut. Besides tho ai'ins audthoprovisiouß, the swags contained a tent, two 'possum rugs, bedding, tomahawk, tin kettle aud three panuilcins, and ammunition. I don't know what money tho other two had, but I had none. Wo loft somo masks or caps which Wilson brought out on tho Monday morning. Kelly had a small glass jar, about three inches high, containing strychnine. Ho also had some flax. I don't think there was anything else. We earned the swags botween vi. The prisoner carried the opossum rug, revolvers, provisions, j kettlo, pannikins, and tomahawk. By tho kettle I mean a billy. Ho also carried tho powder and come slugs. I cannot rocollect whether prisonor carriod anything elso. Kelly had the tent, tho flax, and the bottle that I mentioned. It was in his pocket. We had a shovel. Kelly carried it to make him appear like a digger. It belonged to him. Thoro was a ridge polo and a fork already cut at tho placo whero we oncampod. Thore was also an upright which I call a fork. I cut anotbor upright, and the tent was hung over the ridgo polo. Wilson reeved the tent through, while Kolly was gutting a revolver from Murray's swag. It is possible somo ouo may havo passed while wo wore loading firearms in tho bush. Nobody could havo crossed ! tho bridgo from tho Arnold side without my hearing. Nobody could have passed up or down tho track without my knowing it. I had no appointment with Burgess that night, but I met him. BurgOßS made no arraDgoinont that night to go with us and bring in tho things tho noxt morning. Ho might have gone a good many times, but I did not sco him. Burgess did not make any arrangement on that night (the 28th) to go anywhoro else tho noxt morning. It was about ten o'clock on Tuosday morning when wo arrived at Groyinoutb. I started from tho last-named at about half-past five. a.m. At about oight o'clock I got into company with the prisoner about threo miles and a quarter from Grey-

mouth, at a place whoro a canoo was lying on tho track. It was not far from there that we " planted" tho tilings tho preceding night. I cannot say how far it vras from there, but ifc was not a great distance. _ [Mr Button— About how for. Witness— Isovr, your'o a vory strange man, I've told you I CQimoL boy how far. • His Worship — I cannot, compel tin; witness to stato that which he cays ho cannot.]

Cross-oxamhmtiou conliuucd — It was not a inilo— nor half a. mile— it might havo been a quarter of a uule. It woidd take longer thau tcu minutes to walk from the canoe to whero tho things wero. We stopped for a while where the things wero, and. made two swags of them. Mr Button — Did you stop there half an hour, or how long ? Witness — It wouldn't take a man half an hour to undo a swag. Cross-examination continued — When wo mado the owags up we wcro returing to Greymouth, and we met Murray, and -on meeting him we proceeded on the same track towards Greymouth, but we stayed at the iron hut. Directly we met, the prisonor Kelly and he quarrelled ; it lasted whilo o were walking to the hut, which was a di&tance of a quarter of a mile. Wo remained at the iron hut about two minutes. I put my swag down, and Murray took his turn to cany it. After leaving the ir6n hut wo stopped, when wo met some men who enquired for cattle. Wo stayed just so long as a person could put a question and receive an answer. We then went on to the shanty, which is about 4 or 500 yards from the bridge, which is on the Arnold side. We only remained there Avhile I took tho swag from Murray. About a quarter of a mile at the Arnold side of Greymouth Murray and I waited about half an hour. Kelly then came up, and wo all went on towards Greymouth. We had no more I stoppages on the road. Murray then look the swag that I had earned from the thanty. [The Court was then adjourned for half an •hour, and on its reassembling the cross-ex-amination of Sullivan was resumed.] I don't know what the strychnine was for. On Monday night I slept atGreymouth. I did not sleep quietly that night as I was disturbed both by a. man in the house, and the thoughts of what had taken placo during that dny. On Wednesday and Thursday, Murray, Kelly, Burgess, and myself went up the track. We did not go further than a little past the iron hut. After Monday, the 28th I never went up the road aa far as Dobson's grave. Our object in going up the road on the Wednesday and the Tlmrsday was to intercept Mr Fox on his way from Greymouth. It was arranged that we wero to bail up Mr Fox. I knew of no other object. Mr South — You are not bound to answer such questions. Witneca — I know that f-ir, but I'll ausM er all hie questions. Cross-examination continued. We wero waitiug for l"ox till about half-past 12 a.m. on the Thursday. --* Mr Button — You mean off and ou. Wilncbs — I don't know what you mean by that. Why don't you speak plainly. Crosa-oxaniination continued. — On Sunday, tho 3rd June wo left Greymouth. Mr Button — How mauy of jou? Wituctis — I coidd not tell how many were on board tho stoaincr. Mr Button — How many of the party ? Witness — What party ? Mr Button — Your party. Witness — There wcro four. Mr Button — Was the prisonor one of tlie four. Witness — Ho was not. Mr Button then sat down, and Mr South said that he did not deem it necessary to reexamine tho witness. The ovidcuce was then read over to Sullivan, aud signed by him. The Court was then adjourned at twenty minutes past four o'clock, till 10 a.m. to-mor-row (this day).