FEAR MAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 90, 17 April 1934, Page 5

FEAR MAD.

PITIFUL SCENES. ABORIGINES IN GAOL POLICE ATTACKED IN TERROR.

There was a pitiful scene in the Darwin Police Court last week when the five Caledon Bay aborigines, brought to Darwin by Mr. F. H. Gray, in the lugger Oituli, and arrested by police on murder charges, were forcibly dragged into the Courtroom by six policemen. They were naked, except for the scanty loincloths, supported by pieces of string and rope, and were in their primitive state, except that their beards had been shaved off. They behaved like caged wild animals when they were locked up in the police cells, tearing at the bars and shouting and crying for hours before their fright at the first .taste of civilisation disappeared. Murderers Frightened. Their terror was doubled an hour before they appeared in Court, when the police entered their cells to handcuff them. The three killers of the Japanese were so frightened at the appearance of the chain handcuffs that they attacked the police irf the cells with the gaol utensils, striking Constable Don on the head with the cell bucket. After a brief struggle the men were subdued, and the police then did their best to allay their fears with patient explanation by signs that they had nothing to fear. . , Until they were taken into Court, however, they continued to voice their terror by high-pitched wailing, and held out their pinioned arms to all who passed the cells, begging the passers-by by signs to tremove the manacles. Takiar and Merara were first taken to Court. Their removal from a cell adjoining that of -the other three was the signal for an outburst of wild, alarmed shouting. . , , , , Takiar and Merara cringed back and refused to budge until two police, drawing them by the chains, and two more pushing them, hustled them into the room.

They sat gazing wild-eyed around until tho missionary, Rev. A._ J. Dyer, appeared, and tliey greeted his arrival with, smiles and signals. The other three shouted wildly for Takiar when taken from the cells, and clung to the bars and posts, frightened beyond reason. When Mr. Dyer walked out to try to pacify them, one of the aborigines threw his aTms around Mr. Dyer and clung to him, while the other two were pushed, pulled and half-carried into the Court. Eventually the police had to disengage the aborigine. All cried loudly for Mr. Gray, to whom they had given themselves up. They gave no more trouble while the formal process of remanding tliem was completed, and afterwards walked quietly back to tho cells. Accused Remanded. Takiar, on the charge of having murdered Constable A. S. McColl, was remanded until April 16.

When Merara was charged with having murdered a man, name unknown, at Woodah Island, between February 1 and August 1, 1933, the Superintendent of Police, Mr. A. V. Stretton, said that two men, Traynor and Fagan, _ were known to have been murdered, but it was impossible to identify the remains of the one body recovered. Merara was remanded until April 23. Natchelma, How and Narkaya, charged with having murdered a Japanese, Tanaka, at Caledon Bay on September 17, 1932, were remanded until April 17. Mr. Stretton said that he expected Kinjo, the sole survivor of the six Japanese who were attacked at Caledon Bay, would return to Darwin in a few days.

Kinjo was at present away with the pearling fleet, and, when he returned, he. would be asked to identify the aborigines at a line-up.