The Great Barrier Murder.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2447, 8 November 1886, Page 2

The Great Barrier Murder.

. ■ - ■♦ - <— PRELIMINARY INQUIRY. Press Association. Auokmnd, Novembor 0. The preliminary inquiry into the Great Barrier tragedy, in which Caffrey and Penn aro charged with the murder of Robert Taylor, began to-day at the Police Court, Mr Seth Smith, R.M., presiding. Owing to excessive. crowding in Court the room had to be cleared. Mr Hudson'Williamson, Crown Proseoutor, at the outset asked the permission of the Bench for the governor of the gaol, Mr Reston, to mako a statement respecting the alleged;" interviewing" of theaccused and the published statements in certain papors alleged to have been obtained at such interviews. Mr Reston emphatically denied ,that any. "interviewing" 'had taken placo. and at ; tbe same time no one had acoess to the prisoners bat their counsel and the gaol officials. Sergeant Pratt, on behalf, of the police authorities, gave a similar denial aa to any interviewing of the prisoners having taken place while they were in the custody of the police.: A special guard had' been placed oyer them, The -first witness called was tho girl Grace Cleary, alias Graham, who gave her evidence clearly and unhesitatingly. Much of this has already been published, Her examination, which lasted all day, was damaging to Caffroy, but tended to exculpate Penn of having a ahare in tho actual deed, From her evidence it appears she heard on board the cutter on the night before leaving Auckland what was proposed to be dono, while the men wero drinking. On going into tho cabin she saw them looking at a black satin flag. She asked Caffroy what the black flag was for, and he said it was for tho death of "Old Tnsky." She knew that was Taylor, for she heard Jack call him that name before. Heard Caffrey say ho was going to shoot Taylor. This was at that time in the cabin. A fellow called Jim asked Caffioy to put the girl out of the way for him. Ho means Mrs Seymour. He said he had beon in tow with the girl, and that she had fooled him. This talk did not continue very long. It was Baid seriously, not as a joke. Two of the men were sitting beside her and Penn, on deck at the time. Caffrey said he would go ashore and try to get the girls, and if he did not get them there would be some shooting done. He said he'would go ashore and take some cord with him to tio the father up, and that he would out a piece either out of his ear or his tongue, so that he oould tell no tales. He Baid he would foroo tho girl down to the boat, and if she did not go he would shoot her, After an adjournment the girl was again placed in the box, and stated that since the adjournment she had twice seen Mr Napier, the solictor. On being asked by the Crown Prosecutor who steered tho vessel down the harbor, sho declined to answer the question, and tho following passage-at-arms onsued : Mr Williamson: Is that a result of your interview with Mr JNapier) Witness; I think you might use it against me in the case, Mr Williamson : Is that tho result of the interview! Mr Napier: You have no right to ask suoh a Question. She has been advised, and well advised, Mr Williamson said'that no doubt that Mr Napier always gave tho best advice. . • ■ .Mr Napier said that Mr-Williamson , had no right to make those remarks. Ho contended that every answer given by. her could be used against her in tho evidence. If not they should .withdraw the oharge against her, and then she should be compelled to answer. . '•' i 'The examination was 'resumed, tho Court holding that the question was reve ' lant.. She then said that Penn steered the vessel, and that she was on deck with , him, and Caffroy was below asleop. Sho saw three new revolvers on board. After i giving tho details of the trip down to tho Barrier sho 'said that on tho morning they i got there they dropped anchor. They pulled the sails down, but did not tie them up. They left them loose, 83 - Caffroy said, "Soas to be ready to get out of the Bay quickly," after they had i done the murder. Something was Baid about a murder, for Caffroy said ho would try to get the girls, and if he could not , get them he would s'oot the father for , revengo. Before they went ashore , Caffroy loaded tho revolvers in the cabin, , Penn was then on deck. Caffrey had some brandy-about three glasses, Penn ' did not have anything to drink. She , saw Caffrey put the revslvers in his pockets, Ho did not give any to , Penn, She then described Caffrey' and Penn leaving the vessel for Taylor's with . now sheath knives in their belts, and Caffroy with a cord in his pocket to tio I up Taylor if he got tho girl. Heard Penn toll Caffrey that he would go up to Taylor's and ask for some , butter, and Caffrey said "All right," Ho was to get tho girls while the father ( was procuring the butter. The girl then lost sight ot tho men on thoir landing. In ; describing their return she said that , Caffroy had blood on his clothing and hut and a revolver in his hand, When ho ' came on dock he showed the revolvers, , and sho said, " Oh, Jack, what have ynu \ done,'' and he said he had put the } out rf the way. Sho asked him where , the girls were, and ho said thoy had '. jumped out of the bedroom window. She ; asked him if Harry had anything to do | with it. The words said to her were that he had told hiin to fire, but " tho s fool fired at a pioture high, but not at a , man." The blood on his right arm wat s above the olboiv, and looked as if Taylor had caught hold of him.' On examining , Oaffrey'a revolver she saw that four shoti j had been fired. Saw no blood on Penn'f • clothing or anything unusual about him, Afterwards saw a second revolver in the cabin, but did nut know who placed it I there. The girl then described the voyage ■to Australia pretty much as already pubI lished, -Caffrey regretting that he had dono the deed. She knew that | Caffrey had feelings against Taylor, , for he used to talk about him.- He said \ he waß engaged to Taylor's daughter, and , when she camo up to be married Taylor had put it off; that ho got on the spree ; and was run in for tlireo months, and | while there Taylor persuaded her to marry Seymour. She heard him say that , ho would shoot Taylor at the first chance he got. Penn knew what Oaffrey's intentions were when thoy were on board, for Penn told her that Caffrey got him drunk and got him to promise to go with him to get the girl, Had heard Caffrey say on tho voyage to Australia that if he had got the girls, he would have mado Mrs Seymour a slavey, and thi own both overboard on reaching tho Australian coast, When the examination-in-chief of the witness closed, tho Crown Prosecutor withdrew the charge against her, and she left tho court in company with Mr Napier Mr Napier will cross-examine her tomorrow. Caffrey and Penn wero then taken back to tho Mount Eden Ganl, a large crowd surrounding the court-house as thoy were driven away, Penn soenied less defiant and jaunty than hitherto; and seemed to realise more distinctly the gravity of his position, while Caffrey, on the other hand, was more cheerful aud less depressed, smiling to the orowd aa he loft the Police Court.