THH MANSFIELD MURDERS

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 21, 15 January 1879, Page 3

THH MANSFIELD MURDERS

The means by which the following account was obtained I (' Argus ' correspondent) am compelled m honor to keep secret, but I place every reliance upon the source from whence jt came. One portion of the s;id narrative is confirmed from the fact that when the remains ef Sergeant Kennedy were discovered there wept* found neap him some sheets of writing: paper, fastened together with, a small paper-binder, wiUi three leaves lorn from it, and upon the missing leaf it is -supposed the letter was written to his wife, Jt hqs. since been proved that the paper was bought m Mansfield by the late Sergeant Kennedy previous to starting on the fatal expedi ion. Tiie particulars given below were related by Kelly himself personally to a confederate some time after the murders were committed, and whose name I cannot reveal. The following is the account referred to : — . .'• M'lnfyrp's evidence, as given m the c Mansfield Guardian,' is m the main pretty correct, Upon seeing M'lntyre gallop away, Kennedy continued to fire at us without effect as we sheltered ourselves. We let him fire about, five shots from his revolver, ho remained nearly m the one position, and standing. A shot was fired by one of my nwtee, after which he started to run, followed by my brother and myself. After running about quarter of a niije, apparently seeing no chance oP escape, as we were making upon him with our weapons, Kennedy got behind a tree, and as I ea.me within pistol shot he fired hi* last remaining charge, As I saw him levelling fair at my head, I suddenly fell on my knees, and as I did so I heard the bullet whiz just over my head, I tlmn fired at Kennedy, who fell wounded at the foot of the tree where his body- was afterwards found. The other two men Hart and Byrne, who were coining up to v«, seeing that the sergeant was' secured turned and went m pursuit of M'lntyre, who had escaped on Kennedy's ht»r«». The sergeant never moved from the spot where he fell, but complained of the pain which he felt from the bullet wound T {should say we- were with him far nearly two hours trying to get what information we (v^ld out. of him. He always endeavoured to turn, the cor, versation m tlv* direction of his donip«?ic affairs, his home, his wife and- family, and ve»\y frequently of the little one he had ' recently bnrie'd m ihe Mansfi Id OTrotery, to whom he seemed very much a* 'a'-hed, cvi lent} v fen- wins he would soon b,e hy its side. I eonM" not h<lp feeling ■ much t')iwhed »t his pitiable condition, and after a littlel said, " Well Kennedy, I am sorry th*t I shot yon Ker<\ lak" mv gun and shoot me,' Kennedy replied. •' No' I for-give yon and may God forgive?' you too." He then wrote as rnueh on some clips m his mite-book as >,;. s failing strength would allow him. After he had written what he eonld with his pencil, he handed the ' v aper to'hiA, and asked if f would- give if to his wife. 1 look the paper, and promised that when T had a safe oppor, tunity I would (To sq. The se-rgeant then appeared to be suffering very much and m great a«onv. I could not look upon him.sA, and did not wish to leave him alone to linger- out m such pain,, so. T snddenty % without te.ttfng him see what t interifted, pnt wnzzle of my g.nr» to withiiia few^inchcSofsE'f i nnecly I s.\ifeas:t. When hesaw that I wa.s goingj ta shoot h> tPCfi«<} o.f nfe. to te'»ve hirh a Up© siay. ipgM Be>:mfr,Bhi^e.if6h>e if I can, for tiie sske-'^f my po^r- wife and family. rousiicgTy Tftive shed bhtnd enough/ ftred, : rtn.<> Ke ttip<j insitantly, withowJ; j nftthe-rjgi-ftftn"" We iheA took his cloak J t»(\ covfred i^ over b>s-hody. and 1 lefl im to ; .)i'e' buried.liy fc&ose who. might i»dhini, I did n,ot cut; ofF hjs e.iras w-as>^pbrted; it n>Ust have boon paten hfaj" l "■■■ ■ '