A Notorious Criminal.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 138, 13 June 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

A Notorious Criminal.

Aebest is Melbourne.

ijxTBAOBDINABY CaEEEE.

(From tha 'Melbourne Age.')

Eectivixg information some cix weeks back jbhab a notoriona New Zealand criminal was inspected to be ab large in Melbourne, the Criminal Investigation Department prosecuted vigorous inquiries, with the resnlb that) ft inaa namod Robert Butler alia* flames Wilaon, George Lac, Henry Donnelly, Henry Medway, and various other names, wa« fonnd to be in the city. As he had only been discharged from Wellington (New Zealand) gaol about the middle of January, 1894, his presence in Victoria was clearly illegal,seeing that three years has to elapie after the expiration of a sentence bafore a released prisoner is permitted to change his colony. Butler was 4 known to fee a man who invariably worked "alone, and as the object of the detective office was to discover and search hia abode with a view oi nxing any recent crime upon him, the man was nofc immediately arrested, but Jtepti under surveillance. As Detective M'Manamny was known to Bntler Detective Dalton waa bhe first who essayed to track fcim to his lair, but the wily criminal appeared to suspect that he was being followed, and would jump on one tram, travel b short distance and then jump quickly on another with a view of eluding pursuit. These and similar tactics he was observed to follow on several occasion*, and as of course it wai extremely undesirable that the man should know he was being waSched, no attempt ab whaft is professionally called a •dead shadow' could be made. Ab Dalton bad been in close proximity with Butler several times it waa coasidored that poaaibly the quarry might take the alarm, bo Detective Wilson was nexb detailed to keep an eye on the astnte New Zealander. Being la Btatnre and appearance lacs like the popular conception of a detective, WiUon aroused nono of the maa'a suspicions and | was successful in tracing him to a house in j South Melbourne. . Reporting progress, I Detective M'Manamny then joined in the j chase, and the two officers visited Butler a abode for the purpose of a search. Here, i however, they met with a rebuff, for i* appeared thai the object of their pursuit, though he had been formerly lodging at She place, had left some weeks ago, and had only returned when Detective Wilson followed, for the purpose of obtaining aome forgotten articles. A search of the premises revealed nothing, and as another attempt was being made to pick up the lost scent, the news of Ibe sticking up of Mr M'Phee in Powerstreet, Hawthorn, on Friday night, came to the Russell-street barracks. Tne first thing noticed was the similarity of the offender with the description supplied by Mr Power, of Cliffcon-etreeS. Richmond, who experienced an interview with an armed burglar on the 18th nit, and the second was the similarity of both to the man whose trail they bad been so hotly npon for several weeks. Shadowed by Detectives. Looking up the record of Butler, alias ■Wilson, ib was found thab in Decembar, i.864, he received a sentence of fire yeari on

%c roads ab Melbourne Criminal Court for jhe assaulting and robbing under arms of »n old man in the Fitzroy Gardens in remarkably sensational circumstances. Coupling these facts, the detectives concluded that it) would be of some advantage were the New Zealander confronted for purposes of identification with the victims of the recent robberies under arms, Butler tad beea sesn in the Btreeta of South Melbourne on many occasions, and it was confieauenbly considered moat probable that his residence lay in the vicinity of * Ihe Hill, and Detectives Hawkins and Dalton were accordingly told off to that iuburb to keep a watch for the person wanted. On Saturday night their vigilance was rewarded by meeting Butler face to face in Clareodonitreet. The detectives did nob act on the %pol), bub, sfeill keeping an eye on the man, communicated their success to Datective M'Manamny, who was waiting in another portion of the same thoroughfare. That officer decided upon immediate action, and all three madebheir way towards the corner of Dorcas-sbreeb, where She suspect was standing. Knowing the desperate character of the man with whom they had to deal, it was deemed judicions bo separate, and each approach from a ditferenb direction, so that in bh» «venb of his drawing a weapon, he Conld be disarmed before he had time to uso it. This strategical plan was adopted. Detective M'Manamny strolled along Clarendon-street apparently bound up in tframTpatiqa" oirthe conte»t;s of the various Bhop windows, while simultaneously DalSon and Hawkins crossed the road, one for the eaab and the obher for the north, in the direction of Bubler. When all bhreo were aboub a yard diistanb, M'Manamny Burned auddenly, aud Bhooting out bis hand, grasped Butler by the shoulder. ' I arrest you for being illegally ab large in Victoria, be announced, and before the wordo were fairly out, Hawkins and Dalbon had seized an arm of the man apiece. Though obviously taken by surprise, Bublor maintained his sangfroid, and on hearing the details of the charge nonchalantly remarked, ' Yes, that's roe.' A city bound tram was then boarded by the four, the prisoner maintaining a dogged silenca until the detective office was reached. There ho was searched, and in his possession was found a false beard—an obviously home made article constructed of some fur-like Eubsfcance aboub half an inch Ion? glued on to a strip of linen. This Bubler denied was a beard, alleging ib to be an article he used to wipa bis razor on when shaving. No signs of soap or any obher marks were, however, observable. A. piece of thread evidently used for the purpose of attaching the falee beard was also bronghb from one of his pockets. 'Is thai the charge you intend to pub against me ?' he inquired as they stood before bhe counter ab the City Watch House. 'It is,1 replied Deheetire M'Manamny. •Do you eueptct me of any jobberies 2' persevered th"c accused. ' Yes,' was the response. ' Wbab sorb?' at once rapped out Bubler. But M'Manamny decided thab the conversation must there •nd, and, vouchsafing no reply, gave bhe word for Bubler to bo led to the cells. Butmhk's Movements Since Leaving • New Zealand. In the course of his remarks ab fine detective office Butler sUbed thab after his discharge from Wellington gaol in 1894 he had made his way to Rio Janaiso, and had

there been in lAaineaa as an acountanfc. Things becoming unsettled in Brazil he decided some six months ago to return to Victoria, where he had lived 20 year? back. Tbi3 ha accordingly did, and for the lasb five months be has been living about Melbourne. Dnrins that time be has done no work, bub has, he alleges, lived on money he saved '■ in befefcar times.1 Ib baa bean found bbafe during hia residence in Melbourne he haa lived in dozana of lodging honaea under the names of Ferria, Feme, Byrne and others. Ab these places be seldom stayed many days, and his mo™meata were moab erratic. He would go and come afc all times of the day and night, and often remain away daya aba sbrefccb. To explain hia irregular houn he represented sbat he waa a journaliat employed on one of the daily newspapers, and thab hi 9 hours were nacesaarily uncertain. Up to three weeks ago he wore a mil beard, bot then shaved clean save for a monatache. Oa Saturday morning laab Butler g«b into

conversation with a man in South Melboarnei and upon the lafeter remarking thab ha was well off to have been able to keep his wafcch, he replied, contemptuously, • Pooh, that's nothing. I've gob three at home. I had a gold watch and chain presented to me only the ofeher day.' Thia remark the detectives judge to be a euphemistic way of alluding to the robbery of Mr MThee. AS the tima of his arreab Butler was lodging at Pot 6 Melbourne, where he had juab* shifted thab evening. A search was mads, but) though no firearms were found a Jong dark overcoat similar to that described by both Mr M'Phee and Mr Power was digcovered. Butler save the name of James Wilson, his age a? 49 years, and his profession as an accountant. He afterwards appeared before the City Court, when both tha viciitna of the recenb robberies were on hand to see if tha priaonar was identical with thair assailant.

Continped War Against Society. Butler's history ia one which stands oub in bold relief ia the annals of Australian criminality. His career is of so unique a character as might command the attention of Lombroao, Havelock, Ellis and all who make the criminal a special study. His whole life has been ona continued war with society, ' a gaol in fronb, an iron fate behind.' The argument that the State manufactures a large number of the criminate may also receive some support in thia instance, seeing that as a child of thirteen Butler made hia firab acquaintance with the Melbourne police, on thai) occasion receiving twelve months' imprisonment for vagrancy. On the expiration of this sentence he waa allowed several months' grace, and then arreuted once more for beiag without means of support, this time earning six months* gaol. The additional half year seemed to com plate the boy's education, for the following year he graduated into the ranks of crime proper, crei'tincr a year for stealing a watch. When that hard labour was concluded Butler became ambitious and assaulted and robbed a man under arina in the Fitzroy Gardens, as before menbioned. For this he waa sent to tho roada for five years, and the same day he was awarded an additional six months for receiving. Nothing more was heard of Sutler nntil 1871, when another five years fell to him for burglary, and on the expiration of that sentence he disappeared from Melbourne. He uext turned up at Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1880, when he was arrested for the sensational 'Cumberland - streeb murders.' A young married man named Jr'enry J. Dewar resided in Cumberlandaferaeb with hia wife and nine months old infant. On a Saturday night in April they all retired to bed as usual, bat early next morning the neighbours noticed smoke issuing from beneath the eaves of the cofetaga. °The alarm was given, and on the tire being extinguished a terrible sight met tue-gaze of those who entered the place. A bloodstained axe was on thedoorstep. Dewar lay on She floor of his sitting room wioh hia skull cleit in two. His wife wae close to him, with her head battered in, and in the bedroom tl»e infant child lay smothered by the smoke which had arisen. Tha bouse was ransacked, and it was plain that the robber and murderer had fired tha house to bide hia crime. A few weeks later Butler was arrested for burglary ab the house of a Mr Stamper. On boing arrested he endeavoured to shoot the conetable, and suspicion falling on him for tho Cumberland-street) affair, he was charged with murdering the three Dewara, with burglary ab Stamper's, with attempting to shoot the conabable, and with sacrilege in robbing bho Catholic Church. Boing tried for the marder of Henry Dewar and bis wife, Butler waa acquitted. _ A nolli ■prosequi was tlien entered regarding tho death of the child and the attempting to shoob, and he was removed back to the gaol for the day. On the acquittal becoming known the crowd of come 500 persons which had assembled outside the court received the verdict with hoots and groans. On Butler entering the cab an attempt waa made to drag him from the police. The following day, 13ih April, 1880, ha was presented on the charges of burglary and sacrilege, and was lentenced to 18 and 10' years' concurrent imprisonment respectively. In passing sentence the judge said : _' Ib is evident from the whole of your life you have committed crime. From your earliesb childhood you have been an enemy to sociefy. When the court has to deal with 3uch an habitual criminal as you ie is absolutely necessary that such a punishment should be meted oub as will prevent the danger to society which must necessarily enatie if such a character as yourself is at large. The sentence lam about to pass, you will distinctly understand, is nob measured in any degrea by what took placa recently on the charge on which you were acquitted. Such a verdict by no means exonerates you from grave suspicions in respect of the charge, but I concur in the verdict, nob because I am convinced of your innocence, bub because the evidence brought against you was nob sufficient to iustify a verdict of guilty.' Sentence was then passed. Since 1860 Bubler has been awarded sentences aggregating over 40 yeara. Befoke the Court. ' Are you going to prefer any obher cbargea againsb me?' asked Henry Butler, us Detective M'Manamny^met him ab the calls of the watoh house, before the opening of the City Conrß yesterday mornine. ' I am,' replied the officer. ' About highway robbery ?' queried the prisoner. * Possibly,' was the evasive reply. * Well,' observed Butter, ' I think it's a fair thing that those cherg'63 should be laid against me this raornrog.' M'Maoamny differed in this contention, whereupon Bubler cried, 'I'll make i»n applicatioa to have them on today's cfoarge-sheeb whan the Court meets, rvb all evflata, and wo'li see.' Wilson, in reply to the question whether he had anybhing to say againab the application for ft r>omand, said on the charge preferred against him he had nothing to say oxcepb that there was a mistake, for he had boen free mcc^ longer than Detective MeManamny had said. Technically he was guilty, althonpb he had only two months time to run. Thore was one thing ho wished to say Mr Panbon, P.&T. : Oh bake him away. Accused was tlen removed from the court. As he passe, d from the ante-room, and was crossing the passage to the barred enclosure in fronb of the calls, he glanced coolly at> tha crowd» ,which, being denied

admission to the court, bad collected In a squirming bunch ab the entrance to the cells. A movement swept over the eurface of the human heap as they craned their necks forward to catch a glimpse of the notorious criminal stepping into tha open air. Suddenly Butler's demeanour changed. Hia face assumed a livid hae, and he threw hia arms above his head. Fearing that he contemplated some act of violence, the police stood ready to secure him, but all tha convict did was to raise his hands to hia face and stagger out of sighb sobbing bitterly. * She has seen me; she has aeem ma,1 he cried. After a few minutes he regained hia composure sufficiently to explain that he had seen a female relative of bis among the people in the passage. This woman, he said, had known nothing of his past until that morniug. On arriving from Nevr Zealand h6 had sought her out and told her who he was, but had maintained silence regarding his criminal career. He finished his recital by plaintively beggiDg of McManamny that non 3of his other relatives should be informed of hia trouble, and having obtained an assurance that nothing would be done to pain innocent people, he quietened down. After the door of his cell was locked, however, the thought of the shame he had inflicted on his relatives appeared to recur to him with increased force, for he became delirioualy violent, crying out loudly and striking himself against the walls. He was therefore removed to fche gaol at) an early hour. On interviewing the woman whose presence had so affected Butler, Datectiye M'Manamny found that on his arrival in Victoria the man had represented tbafe he bad passed the last fifteen years in America. He remained on friendly-terms with the family until about four montbj back, when he remarked that he shortly intended to return to the States. As nothing had been seen of him since that date it was premised that he had left. Mr Alexander MThee, of Illawarra Road, Hawthorn, who wan stuck up by an armed footpad lash Thursday evening, attended the watch house yesterday morning and on being confronted with Butlor, remarked that he was morally certain that the ruan waa identical wich hia assailant.Mr Edward Power, of Clifton-street, Richmond, who waa compsllad to desiab from following a burglar on the evening of the 18th May owing to the latber threatening to shoob him, also stated lhat to the best of hia belief the prisoner and the burglar wera the same.

The falaa beard found in the possession of Butler, and which he asserted wa9 a razor wiper, w»9 yesterday identified by Mr Edward Dickers, hairdresser, of 273 Clarendon-street, South Melbourne, 83 part of property stolen from his shop on the 10th of May last. On thab occasion come person had scaled the back fence, and, seizing an axe "lying in the yard, had battered open the back doer, stolen a razor and other articles, among which was a Uhriaty minatrel wig, and also taken the axe. The beard row tound had been fashioned by catting and joining the wig. A razor discovered in a box ab Butler'e lodging*, Port Melbourne, was also identified by Mr Dickens as his. Butler will probably be charged with shop-breakine, in addition to the present charge of being illegally ab large and the tentative ones of robbery under arms.

When being tried for the Cumberlandstreet murders, Bufcler conducted hia own defence with great cleverness. He exercised hia risrht of challenge most freely as the jury were being sworn in, and the peculiar fact was noticed that every member of tho panel wore his hair parted in the middle. Being questioned as to the reason of this ab the conclusion of the trial, Bnbler said : ' I chose them purposely. I have never known a man with his hair parted in the middle who waa nob a weak-minded man,'

BUTLER CONFESSES. A cablegram from Melbourne on Thursday states Lhab Butier has been committed for trial on a charge of house breaking. He made a full confession.