The Great Barrier Murder.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2432, 22 October 1886, Page 2

The Great Barrier Murder.

(By Telegraph.—Copyright.)

(EEUTEit's TISLEGKAMS.)

- : Sydney, October 20. The prisoners Caffrey, Pen, aud Lfzzie Graham, charged with the Barrier Island murder, were again brem: lit up at the Police Court May, and wore remanded to Auckland.

..;■■/■ -Kbmi'syey, October, 11. Perm; who was implicated with Caffrey in the murder, at '.-Great. Barrier Island, was arrested by Senior Constable MoLelland yesterday' evening, within two miles of Macleay Bar.. The girl Graham was with him, and Penn and the girl were lodged in Kempsey lock-up. When Penn was charged by .Constable McLelland with wilful murder, he replied that the chargo should be''"'implication in the crime." ' i

Kbjipsey, Monday evening, At the Police Court at Kempscy this' afternoon, Henry Albert Point waa brought up before Captain Davies, R.M., and Mr 0. Sutherland J.P. Despite his three months' adventure at soil, and his five weeks' traversing of the desolate coast, the prisoner looked respectable, His deep set black eyes and pleasant face stamp him as a man capable of better things than murder, Inspector Harrison conducted the prosecution. Sonior Constable McLclland, of Trial Bay, doposed of having arrested the prisoner about six o'clock the previous night, about two miles from Macleay Heads, on the ArakoDn sido. When Constable McLollaud first approached him, Penn wont to meet him and said he had come from a wreck. Constable McLclland asked what wreck, and prisoner said " The Sovereign of the Seas," This was a voluntary statement, A female was with Penn. Witney then'told the prisoner that he would arrest hiiu for the murder of Robert Taylor, on the Great Barrier Island, in New Zealand. The prisoner said, "I was thoroand implicated in the murder.'' The constable asked him if he had any firearms, and Penn handed him a British Bulldog revolver, loaded in all chambers. (This was produced in Court.) The girl with Penn was carrying a single barrel fowling piece, unloaded, in a swag, which Penn acknowledged to bo his. Witness found a powder flask and shot; also two bullets and some caps, which exactly fitted the fowling-piece. Shortly alter arriving at the Police Station at Arakoon, Senior Constable McLulland charged Penn that, in conjunction with John Call'rey, ho did murder Robert Taylor on the Great Barriei' Island, New Zealand on June II) last. Ponu repeated he was there, and was implicated in the murder, After a fow words wero passed Pomi' asked if Call'rey had been aircslcd. Witness told him that he had, and he believed he had confessed to the murder. Witness was in plain clothes at the time, bub previous to arresting Penn he had told him that he was a constable. The girl when arrested gave her name as Grace Graham, but afterwards said her name was Clcary, Captain Davies asked the- prisoner if lie wished to put any questions, but he declined to question the witness, The prisoner was remanded to Sydney.

The girl is to give important evidenco against the prisoners. Lizzie is eighteen years of age, and belongs to Napier, New Zealand, She is rather good looking, and has a clear complexion, and wears her hair cut over her eyebrows. Penn looked dejected this morning. Ho is 25 years of age. He told the police that he and Lizzie have been living under ut tent near Crescent Head for five weoks. When they first touched .tho coast they landed near Port Stephens, and saw somo mon on the beach. Caflrey then, in reply to questions, said that their vessel was a fishing craft. From that time until arrested Penn and Lizzie did not see a single person until Sunday fortnight when they saw one of the Port Macquarrie police riding alow/ the beach, Sydney, October 14, Caffrey's two companions on board tho cutter Sovereign of tho Seas, after the murder of Taylor, arrived in Sydney this morning by the Clarence and Richmond J River Navigation Company's b.b. Queen of the South.' Penn, the mate, was legironed and handcuffed. The prisoners wore brought down in charge of a couple of mounted constables. They were conveyed at once to thu Water Police lockup, and charged before Captain Fisher, D.S.M., Penn with the murder of Robert Taylor, and Grace Graham, or Clcary, as an accessory aftertho fact. On the application of the police both prisoners were remanded until Monday next, Penn, who is 23 years of age, is a young fellow of medium height, and is in manner and appea'iance more li!e a criminal than Caflrey.' He is exceedingly communicative, and apparently most anxious to unburdon himself of everything concerning the tragedy in which he is implicated. The girl Graham is only 18 years of age, and appears to bo little troubled by the charge that is hanging over her. Both on landing and after the remand was granted in her case, she smiled and chatted away freely with those near hor, avoidini', however, any reference to her experiences since she left ,New Zealand. She is of ratherprepossesssintr appearance, and her frank face, youth, and good spirits make it difficult to roalisc has recontly gone throuph weeks of hardship which would have told seriously on tho health of most women.

Penn states that the girl Graham had been living with him on board tho cutter for snmo time prior to the murder. On the day it was committed' Caffrey aud himself wont ashore to Taylor's place, and he was m the doorway of Taylor's house when Caffrey shot Taylor. Penn acknowledges that lie was carrying a revolver at the time, but, in explanation, says that it was his habit always to have a revolver on'him. The girl was left on board the cutter while they went ashore, and was totally unaware of the object of their trip until some time after their return, when they told her what had happened. On learning it, and beintj told that thoy intended to make away from the New Zealand coast in consequence she pleaded hard to bo landed, but, under tho circumstances, they, decided to take her with thorn. As already stated by Caffrey, Penn says that they tried to reach the American coast,' whore 1 thoy thought thoy could bo safe from discovery, but, mooting-with five or six severe gales, and the cutter becoming in such a leaky condition, as to inspire

them .w.itlvgreakfwrs for hertofety- theyeventually.turncd back, and 'succeeded'in fetching the New 'Soutlw.Wales coast, Penn confirmed Caffi'ey's statement that they came as far south as Sydu'ey Heads, but finding too" many crafts about went northward again in' hope of effecting a landing on the Queensland' coast. Whether they were afterwards wrecked ojjanded and wrecked the cutter afterwards Penn did not say, but according to his accounts, he and Caffrey commenced to quarrel over the girl almost immediately after they set sail. Caffrey. on the principle that dead people tell no tales, wanted to shoot Grace Graham, but Penn, between whom and the girl there appears to exist a strong affection, objected, and he saved her. After then the dread.of murder being over present; Ponn and tho girl came to an arrangement by which one of them always remained awake whilst the other slept, Penn throughout the voyage keeping his revolver loaded ready .to use in the ovent (if any cruelty on the part of Caffrey. After they landed, near Bellinger River, Caffrey,' Ponu, and the girl camped together for a fortnight. The same quarrels about the girl which had taken place uninterruptedly on board, continued on shore, Caffrey arguing that it was necessary for their safety that she should bo put out of the way. At last, on tho fourteenth day, Caffrey askod Penn to go for a walk with him, as he had something particular to talk to him about. Penn made up his mind that Caffrey's' only object was to get him away from tho girl into the bush, and there shoot him, and on that account he refused to stir from where lie was. High words followed, which culminated in Caffrey parting company with them J. li was'the intention of Penn and tho girl to get married a3 booh as they could possibly manage it, John Caffrey arrived in Sydney on the 10th inst., by the Clarence and Riohmond Steam Navigation-Co.'s steamers Coraki. Notwithstanding the fact that there was no intimation in tho press when Cafirey would arrive, the news got bruited about and a thousand persons assembled outside the wharf fates, hundreds on tho tops of numerous roofs, and oven on ,tho riggings of the vessels lying in tho immediate vicinity. After the vessels cania alongside a posse of water police went on board and no time was lost in bringing Cafirey ashore. Ho was strongly manaclod, both by tho hands and the ankles. When outside the irates the police had some dillicvlty in hooping tho crowd back. Tho police conveyance, au open two-wheeled dog cart was waiting, and into this he was immediately hoisted, as having the shackles on ho could not 1 freely uso his limbs, The driver had difficult work in piloting his way through the surging mass of people, and on the road from the wharf | repeated groans wore given by the popu> lace, Caffrey evidently felt his position very keenly, unci ho apparently did not care about thousands of eyes bointr fooussod on him. He pulled his slouched wido-awako hat as far over his face as it was possible to go, and also bent liis body inwardly so as to hide himself ng much us possible from the public gaze. A large crowd followed the vehicle to tho Police Court, where he was duly arraigned on the capital charge. Thoarraignmont.however, was merely of a formal character, and he was remanded pending tho necesßary extradition authority from Now Zealand. From one of his captors it is learnt that Caffrey has been most quiot and submis-. sive.and has occasioned no trouble whatever. He was of course watched continually on the way down from Kempsey, and Constable Roynolds had little or no sleop for over three days or nights owing to the unremitting guard ho kept over the prisoner.. It was the intention of the Inspector-General to have sent Caffrey to New Zealand under escort to-morrow, but news of Pimn's arrest having arrived it was decided to forward a cable messago requesting the Now Zealand authority to forward a sufficient escort for both prisoners. Some additional ovidence may be taken on Monday next,