THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2178, 24 June 1886, Page 2

THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

Tiik Tryphena correspondent of the Auckland Herald supplies the following additional particulars : — Mrs Taylor'* statement relative to the mtrnler i« a* follows:— About half-pa»t coven o clock I saw a man coming along the be^eh with his hands in hi» pockets. He came up to the door and twked my husband, who wa* cutting up a sheep in the kitchen, if ho could get, i pound of butter, remarking that he came off the cutter Tairua. My husband asked him to come in. Caffrey then jumped into the house with a revolver in each band. The man Perm then drew two revolvers also. Caffrey called to my husband to put his hands up. My husband called out, "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, don't shoot me !" and ran to the bedroom. Caffrey then fired three shots. My hus.band shut the bedroom door. I begged him not to kill us. Caffrey went after my husbnnc), and burst the bedroom door open. Taylor called out, "You are a coward, Johnny !" Fenn then caught Mr Taylors hands, and Caffrey shot him in the head. I then ran out of the house. Perm followed me, and presented a revolver at me, and said he would shoot me if I moved. I begged him on my knee* to have mercy on me and not kill me. Caffrey called out to him not to (ire at me. My boy also begged Caffrey not to shoot his father. The man 'Penn then called out, "Whore are tho girls?" I told him I did not know. My daughters. Mm Seymour and Jennie, were in bed. When they heard tho shooting they jumped out of the bedroom window in their nightdresses, and hid in the long grass till the murderers left. Oaffrey told me before he left ho would go out to my son-in-law's place and clear the lot of theni .out. Although there waa* a very rough' tea, Mr» Taylor and her two daughter* and grandchild, two month* .old,, and a boy. launched a flat-bottomed boat and pulled acrow Trypheha and took refuge at the postr office.- While -they were crowing Tryphena'they were in terror that -Gaffrey would* run them down. They kept -well to windward of him, and managed to get t acro|a before he could get near epojigh;,, A , thauengerwa* despatched ant hpnrebaek to warn Mr Seymour of his danger. When Caffrey and iPqnn. left Taylor'^ they ran very faat to their boat, got on board of the cutter, and got under weigh. While beating out at Tryphena he hoisted a black flag. It is thought he will clear out with the cutter altogether, as he in supposed to have plenty of stores on board to supply him for. eighteen tuonthi or two years. There are only the two men on board of her. They receired on board from the Walker Qnm Company about four tons «>f stores for the gum store at Blind Bay. It it suspected he has not landed them. For the last two years Caffrny had openly threatened to shoot Mr Taylor, but it was net thought that anything would happen. I paid a visit to tho house about an hour after the murder. It presented . a sickening «ight. Blood was all about; the floor, spattered on "the 'wall and over the bed, and old Mr Taylor lying on the floor with a pool at his head. While securing the valuables and papers of Mrs Taylor. I found an American bulldog revolver lying in a corner that one of the murderers laid out of his hand no that be could hold Taylor. In their hurry it got knocked into the corner, and wax forgotten. Four chambers wore loaded and one discharged. ,»*■ The only reason that can be assigned for the coldblooded affair is that Caffrey /wished to marry one of Mr Taylor q daughter's, and they refused to have anything to do with him. This was about two years ago. Since then he has threatened to shoot Mr Taylor and his daughter.

Saturday, 10.30 p.m. Seymour and party have arrived at Tryphena. They report that they saw the cutter Sovereign of the Sea sailing almost off the east vide of the island. The murderers seemed to fear to -attack Mr Seymour in daylight. It is thought they are waiting to attack him at night. Seymour and party were well armed. If they had met the murderers they would have given them m WArm reception. The settler* are nil arrnr»d, as Caffrey has threatened the lives of several. I>oor« are locked and windows ■nequred at night, a thing quite unknown •here. ■ Mr Alcook had a large party of men on. the beach waiting for Caffrey ; seven of "wham hid gunk. The murderers had not tße courage to come a»h->ro. The cutter was ,4cept,dff and on all day, a few miles from ' Mr Alcock'n. A cutter came into Tryphena late last night and left before daylight on Sunday morning. The weather was fine, so k was no wind-bound boat. Henry Albert Penu, the young man who, according to the meagre account* received ap to date, is said to h.ivo audited C.itfrey in the murder of Mr Taylor at Tryphena, Great Barrier Island, w of respectable parentage ; his father, Mr Charles Penn, a draper, by occupation, is now a salesman in Jhe establishment of Mr W. G. Allen, *Viclt>ria Arcade Buildingp, and was •formerly employed at the Thames in the •dame line. The family, who reside at • Milf«rd-«tr,e«t, Pousonby, are naturally !Jniicli>WMd.at the nature of the charge brought against young Perm, hut, though in deep gnet, they yet seem quite confident that there is some great mistake, and that when fuller particulars of the tragedy are received it will turn out that their relative hat not been an accomplice in the murder. Thp Perm and Taylor families have been injtifn£t6 friends for many yean.