THE CASTLETOWNROCHE MURDER. Examination ot the Supposed Murderer.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1946, 25 December 1884, Page 3

THE CASTLETOWNROCHE MURDER. Examination ot the Supposed Murderer.

WILMAM SHKKHAN, the man ju routed :tt Auckland on the charge, of murdering his mother, brother and sister at Castletownroclie, Ireland, seven year-, ago, was brought up for examination on Tuesday at f the Auckland Police Couit. before hi-. ** Worship the Mayor, nnd Mr Y. Magnire, J.P. The following account of the jnoceedings is taken from the Herald : The Clerk of the Court (Mr .T. Cnnninghani) read the chaige as follows :— William Sheehan, the charge aeainst you is that you did, on or about October 27, 1877, on land out of the colony, to wit, at Castletownroche, County Cork, Ireland, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, feloniously kill and muider three persons, to wit, Catherine Sheehan, Thomas Sheehan, and Hannah Sheehan. Superintendent Thomson conducted the case on behalf of the polico, and Mr W. J. Napier appeared to watch the case foi the accHsed. Mr Thomson then related the circumstances which led up to the arrest of the accused. The information had been laid under the IGtb section of the Fugitive Offenders Act, 1881, which \vm passed by the Imperial Government in 1881, and brought into force in this colony by the proclamation of His Excellency the Governor on October 31 last. On November 2he had received intimation from Wellington that a cablegram had come to hand from the home Government requesting the colony to keep under supervision one William Sheehan, who it was supposed had come to the colony with his family, as ho was suspected of murder. From information he received he ascertained that Sheehan was in the I Bay of Islands district. He despatched > Constable Herbert, of the Thames, to the North disguised as a gumdigger, and he soon ascertained that Sheehan was working for the Hon. H. Williams at Pakaraka, whose service he had entered for a year. The constable kept him under the strictest supervision without the accused at any time becoming aware of his presence. He (Mr Thomson) had a written daily report flupplied to him of the accused's movements. On the accused coming to Auckland at the expiration of his tenr., it was ascertained that he had some intention of I going to Sydney, and the surveillance was doubled, to prevent his going away. Detective Walker took out a provisional wanant under his instructions to effect his arrest at any time, should it become necessary, pending the arrival of the wairant from the Imperial Government. The accused had recently removed to Titnaugi, wheie he had purchased a small faim neai the Waitakerei Ranges. It was not until Sunday that circumstances permitted of his taking ' Bteps to arrest the accused, and on Monday, in company with Detectives Walker and Twohey, he proceeded to the farm and arrested him. The accused said he was innocent of the chaige. Mr Thomson then made application that the accused might be remanded to Wednesday, 31st instant, and in doing so he biiefly related the fact-, of the alleged murder, k which is supposed to have taken place on or *l)out October 27, 1877. A detective officer » was daily expected to arrive fioni England with a warrant, issued by the Imperial Government. When the accused was arrested, he showed no surprise at the facts of the minder, when stated to him. Upon anival at the station, and after being cautioned as to any statement lie might make, he said he was quite innocent of the chaige, and could clear hlm-clf of the dim go by showing that his ielati\es, whit ai o alleged ti> Irue been nurdeied, had left him to go to Ameiicn. After a while he became quite talkative, although he had been cautioned, and In made the following statement •-- •■ I en mi from Ferinoy. My motliei K.ite, my bi other Tom, and my sistor Hannah left on a car about that time for Kei m< >y. Tho fai m was six miles from Femioy, and foui from Castletowmodie, and twelve fmin Lismore. They bade me good day when they were leaving. They said they weie going to Feimoy. They had spoken befoio about going to Amenca, but I did not know they weie going then. I nevei siu or heard of them aftei that. I did not kill them. We always lived on good temis. We had GO acres of land rented from Miss Oliphant at £2 per acre. She was a hard landlady. If she had been married, maybe I should be there yet. We had a sei vant called Mary Reilly. She was out for the cows when they left in the car. I do not know who was the dnver. It was a Dei by car. Duane was at the house at the time. It was between 11 and 12 o'clock in the morning. They had told me they were going to America to stay about a fortnight, and come back again. Broderick's faun was the second farm from ours. I know the well on it. It was 40 or H 50 feet deep. It was a mile - and -aP half fioni our house to the well. My brothei s — John, James and Edward— are still in lielatid. The farm has never had a tenant since 1 left it. I had a letter fiom Home about six months ago. If Duane knew anything he could not keep it so long as tin's, He would let it out in five minutes. I was m.uned to Mary Ann Btown in November, seven years ago. My inothor was never against my marrying hei." After reading this statement, Mr Thomson said he thought it would not be necessary to say more on that occasion, but if the Bench thought it lequisite lie would put Dective Walker in the box to prove the arrest. He understood that Mr Napier had no objection to the icmand. Mr Napier --aid it w.is not his intention to oppose the remand, as his client wi-hed to clear himself of the giave charge which had been laid against him. He had, the Bench would see. been attested on an information laid by Detectiv e Walker on hearsay evidence which had come tin ough tho Piess Until the anival of the depositions taken at Home he would not make any effort to go into the case. Howevci, he would make an application which, although it might be considered unusual, would, lie thought, be granted : it was that his client might be admitted to bail as it was quite evident he had made no effott to hide himself, and had not changed his name. The police had the means of keeping him undei suiveillance before he was anested, and could easily do so now if his application was gi anted. Mr Thomson said that he must stienuously oppose the application at tin-, stage and quoted fioni the IGtb section of Mie Fugitive Otlcncleis Act, nndei which the pr (visional wan ant had been issued, and the accused airestid ltpiovulod for the accused being bi ought bcf.)ie the Resident Magi-tiate, and that was why lie had apphed for the remand. Accuding to the Act it was necessni y that the depositions fe should be taken befme the Resident MigisHbtrate. The bench then lemanded the accused to Wednesday, the 31»t, and lefused the application foi bail. In tpply to Mr Napier, Mr Thomson said every facility would be given to the accused to prepare hw defence.

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Messrs "W.J.Bunter and Co. will sell at the Ohaupo yards on Tuesday next, the SOtli inst., about 500 head mixed cattle, including' dairy cows, fat cattle, 3 and 4-year old steers by pure Hereford and Shertboro bulls, full list In ea (butty y*ge.