LATEST AUCKLAND NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2263, 11 January 1887, Page 2

LATEST AUCKLAND NEWS.

|BY TKLEGKAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1 Supreme Court. Auckland, Monday Night. The Supreme Court opened to-day. His Honour in charging the Grand Jury congratulated them on the material diminution in the number of bills, though with 35 casus for trial he believed that the calendar of Auckland is still the in the colony. There is also further subject for congratulation in the fact that at this sitting there is but ore ease of assault on a woman to come before you. He trusted that the stringent measuretaken at last criminal sessions to repres this class of crime have had their expected effect. Referring to the Barrier murder, he said :—" Toe prima facie ease matin out • m behalf of the Crown is all that will I). laid before you, and from the depositions, that appears singularly clear. Grace Cloary, or Graham, deposes that repeatedly before the murder was committed, she had heard Catfrey planning it and arranging for escape subsequently, and she also states that he repeat dly acknowledged and boasted of the murder after it was perpetrated She also proves that the two prisoners went ashore, Catfrey being armed with a revolver, and went in the directum o) Taylor's house, and that on their return, there was blood on Caffrey's hands aud on his revolver, and he acknowledged to hei that he had put Taylor out of the road. Thigirl appears to be a person of the lowest character, and to be naturally desirous ui clearing herself and her paramour Penn. from the charge of murder, but the further evidence, to be laid before you of Taylor's widow and children, would be ample without her testimony. According to these last witnesses, Penn being unknown to the Taylors, went first to the house aud requested to purchase some butter, and when they were thrown off their guard Caffrey rushed into the house and began firing at Taylor, who ran into an inner room and closed the door. It was instantly broken open by Caffrey, and he and Penn followed Taylor into the room, and completed their bloody work. It does not appear by whom, the last shot that killer! Taylor was fired. This, however, is a matter of 110 importance for if you believe in the evidence there can be no question but that both prisoners were engaged in the murder. If, however, it be suggested that the prisoners went to Taylor's for another purpose, the abduction of his daughters, then I must tell you the rule of law is that if two persons are engaged in pursuit of an unlawful object such as the suggested abduction would be, and during that pursuit one of them commits an act which amounts to murder both will be held to be equally guilty. If the foregoing facts are proved yon will probably have no difficulty in coming to'a decision. The next case ithat of Reginald Burke, assault with intent to ravish. This appears to be a singularly brutal case. The Maori woman on whom the attempt was made left the settlement for Dargaville accompanied by two native girls and followed by the prisoner. After going some distance the two girls took another track and left her. The woman afterwards met a man of her own race and stopped to talk with him during which time the prisoner passed by. After resuming her journey [ she was attacked and so brutally treatod jas to lose consciousness. Her husband found her next morning still unconscious, and carried her into his whare. The

prisoner stated that he found her unconscious on the track, and lifted her into the ti-tree. The Maori \yho talked with the woman on itlie way swears that she was sober, and another witness deposes that he Baw the prisoner in the act of assaulting the woman. His Honour then passed in rapid review the other cases on the calendar. John Livensey was sentenced to five years fur forgery; John Grant Forsyth to six months for forgery; Emanuel Hard, breaking into a store at Whangarei, twelve months; Geo. Russell, twelve months' probation for stealing from David Duringfyam; Joseph Leonard, larceny of a watch, six 1 iporifchs ; 'Xf.' Wilson, 2 years, for forgery ; Win. Henry Jones pleaded guilty tp three indictiif-mts, charging him with forgery and uttering certain cheques, also with obtaining clothes by false pretence*. Hi-i Honour placed the pri-toner on probation for 12 months 1 , on condition that he would take the pledge, explaining; that if he broke the same, lie would lie liable to he brought back and de ilt with as if the order had never lieen issued.