BLACK MURDERERS CAPTURED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 182, 2 August 1900, Page 9

BLACK MURDERERS CAPTURED.

(By Cable.—Press Association.)

(Copyright.)

THEY SEIZE A LAUNCH AND KILL

THE CHEW.

POUT DARWIN, this d*y

Th« police ITave captured two blacks who, after throwing the engineer ■ overboard from the launch Wunyullah, murdered a European named Larsen and three black boys.

Ivan Eg-goreffe, the engineer on the launch, who was thrown overboard, was picked up by the schooner Minniehaha and landed at Port Darwin on the 25th ult. He stated that there were Larsen, three Victoria River blacks, and himself on the Wimyullah, and he had intended talcing- the launch up Daly Kiver. When they reached- the month of the river Eggoreffe sent one of the blacks ashore to secure the service of another ab-orig-jnal, who knew where the sandbariks in the river were. The black returned with two others, saying one would not come without the other. Eggoreffe noticed late that night all the blacks sitting together, and advised them to go to bed, but they replied they were not sleepy. A little later.Eggoreffe was pulling- on the anchor chain, to ascertain the strength of the current, and while he was in a stooping1 position he was dealt a severe blow on the back of the head with a. tomahawk or crowbar. He fell partially stunned, and blood ran from his nose, mouth, and ears. He was then picked up and thrown overboard. The cold water seemed to revive him, and he was able to ,swim, but. as the tide was carrying him away from the launch he called out to Larsen to save him. Larsen answered, " Strike out for the dingy, my boy." Tlien lie noticed that the dingy was drifting in his direction, someone, presumably LarKen, having cut the painter. Eggoreffe manag-ed to get into the dingy, but found there were" no oars. He then used the footboard as a paddle. Soon after he was fired at by someone on the launch, the bullet' striking- the water close to the dingy. Eg-g-oreffe thereupon lay in the little craft and allowed the tide to take him towards shore. Another bullet was fired at him without result. On reaching1 the river bank Eggoreffe crawled through mud up to his waist to the land, where he became insensible, from exhaustion and loss of blood. Next day he found the dingy adrift, but m.mag-ed to secure it, and in endeavouring- to reach the opposite bank was carried out to sea in the dingy and was picked up by the Minnie-haha.