The Alleged Cattle Stealing in Forty-Mile Bush.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2999, 10 September 1888, Page 2

The Alleged Cattle Stealing in Forty-Mile Bush.

The following is the statement subscribed to by John Jenkins, James Parker, and William Higggins, the three men who were committed for trial at Woodville on the 6th inst,, on a charge of stealing and killing a black cow the property of H, B. Hodder. The statement was made by Parker-on behalf of himself and his two comrades.

Parker said: I wish to make a full confession, Higgins, Jenkins and myself are the ones who killed and carried away this beast in question, said to be the property of Mr Holder, but when your Worships hear my statement perhaps you will see that I believe a trap was laid. I would first wish to state that I liuvo taken up a village settlement seotion about three months ago, During that time I hare been fencing, grassing, logging up k, I have been thoroughly pushed for means of support, For the last three weoks or a month my wife and myself have had scarcely anything to live on, I found it was impossible forme to go on any longer in the state we were in, Being so, on the Friday, it was agreed that we, Jenkins, Higgins, and myself should go out and. try to get some wild meat, On the Saturday morning I took a gun—the gun does not belong, to me and wo three met at the back of Jenkin's house, We stopped there, I might say an hour, considering how wo should go so as to-gefc to wild cattle, and avoid, the tame ones, While waitincr there Mr Wyeth and a boy, George Warliam, came along. As he got abreast ot, us, Jenkins went out and. said.to Mr Wyeth, " there are three of your cattle in my place] I wish you would come and take them out, but before doing so iie said to Mr place yours ? Mr Wyeth Baid/no' there are two wild ones tliere, A few weeks before Jenkins told Mr Wyeth he said that there were plenty of wild cattle here, what do you say if we go out some Sunday and get one. Jenkins said i Very well, l am quite willing, They did not go out to get a beast, butftom thestatement of Wyeth, I thought there were wild cattle about the place, and after considering it over for about an hour, on Saturday morning wo went out to try and get one, Wo got out to the back of, Wyeth's section, We heard the dogs after some cattle, We went down as quickly as we could possibly go to where the cattle ran, Wegot within three chains of them, they were running as hard as they could go in front of the dogs, Something seemed to bail them up, and the oattle stopped, and as they bailed I spotted one particular cow—this black one, I did not distinguish a brand of any description on one side, and did not fire at the beast, waiting a chance to see the the other side to see the brand, While watching, one beast jumped towards mo and rushed at me and I got behind a tree. The black cow passed me, left side towards me, and I saw no brand, and so I fired, and the bullet entered in ..her left shoulder. The beast ran about three chains after I fired and fell, We all got up to her about the same time, We gave the beast a thorough examination and were convinped there was no brand on her. I felt very pleased when I saw there was no brapd and thought certainly they.were wild cattle, We skinned the beast and left her thero for the flight. njorning we went and cut the beast up and carried her down to Jenkins's, After we got all the meat away the hido remained and weconßidered whether weshould ohuck it away or whether, it would beany use. We then thought we would takea portion of it, and as the hind part was dirty wo chucked) it away caielesjly, There were two pieces of this hide. The hide was brought to Jenkin's and chucked down, visible for anyone as far as I was concerned, The head was brought down and the horns, and apparently the ears cut off, but for what. purpose I cannot say, hut I believe since they were cut off, to make it more convenient to get into a small .bag. As regards the brand •J.H. that has been mentioned, I can confidentially say there was no such brand on the beast, I have no more to say but hope if there was a brand as mentioned, my friends will step forward and state why it was done,