CRIMINAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 118, 19 May 1892, Page 6

CRIMINAL.

Constance Spargo has been committed for trial, at Pahiatua (Wellington), for bigamy. The woman was married at Masterton some years ago, and ifc is alleged . thab subsequently she married a sailor in Wellington, and then lived in Blenheim.

A terrible tragedy occurred at Kamo, near Whangarei, on April 20th. Both the victim, Arthur Kefctan, and the prisoner, Butler, "were natives of Switzerland, and were .settlers on land at Miniiwhangaba. They bad a quarrel over a road to the-settle-ment. Thequestionwasleftto neighbours to arbitrate upon, and they decided in favour of Kettan, who then proceeded to build his road, and was doing so when it is supposed that Butler came upon him and the tragedy occurred. When arrested, Butler bad several knife stabs on his body which he alleges wore inflicted by Kafctan in a scuffle, and that ho (Butler) had to shoot Kefcban in self-defence. Mr Ivefctan, the murdered man, was (.nfl founder of tbe settlement of German Swiss in 18S2, and was very successful in producing wine. Butler was also a German Swiss. There is great regreb expressed for Mr Kettan, who was a very superior young man, highly educated and well connected at Home. At the inquest a verdict of " Wilful murder " was returned againsb Butler. At the R,M. Court at Whungarei on the 27th Butler was committed to take his trial at the next sittings of the Auck--land Supreme Court.

One of the most daring and barefaced robberies was perpetrated on tho Union Steamship Company's steamer Tarawera, which arrived in port on May Hth from Sydney, on the afternoon before she sailed from the Company's wharf ab the latter place. On the sth inst., the day the Tarawera left Sydney, the purser,, Mr H. Taylor, received from the Sydney office the wages of the crew, amounting to about £170, which were to be paid the paroo day. Owing, however, to tho crew being busily engaged during the day in taking in and looking after cargo and getting the vessel ready for sailing that evening; there was no time available for the paying of their wages, and the money, which had been placed in two canvas bags (one containing £160 in gold, and the other £10 in pet? silver coin ranging from half-crowns to sixpenny pieces), was locked up in tho purser^ cabin in one of the drawers to utanii over till the morning. Subsequently it wos discovered, that tho drawor had been forced open and the money abstraotedj