THE FATAL RAILWAY OUTRAGE, THREE BOYS ARRESTED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3779, 25 August 1883, Page 3

THE FATAL RAILWAY OUTRAGE, THREE BOYS ARRESTED.

Dunedin, This day.

The Daily Times' special reporter at Clinton telegraphs that three youths of respectable position named James, Alexander, and John Roy, are at present in custody charged Avith the committal of the outrage on the fireman Henderson, Avhich Avould iioav seem to be the outcome of wanton thoughtlessness and carelessness, rather than of any deliberate intention. The goods train left Clinton on Thursday night for luvercargill at 10 p.m. The driver was Peter Dunn : the fireman, James Henderson ; the guard, William Duncan; and the brakesman, Simmonds. Except the guard, all were on the engine. After proceeding three miles and a half the train entered a cutting, ancl then tAvo shots were fired in rapid succession from the left-hand bank, about ten feet high. Henderson immediately uttered a cry and fell back across the engine, exclaiming, "Oh, Peter." The train was running at about tho rate of twelve miles an hour. The engine was immediately stopped and reversed, and the train relumed to Clinton. None of the three uninjured men alighted to make any search after the perpetrators, as alarm was naturally felt, and the lights on the engine Avere extinguished on passing the spot. At Clinton Dr Ford examined the body of Henderson. Both discharges appear to have struck the deceased. A quantity of shot entered his left breast, and the contents of tho second shot appear to have taken effect loAver down on the left side of

the stomach. No. 1, or cluck shot, was used. Though a constable and some Clinton rcsidents°went out that night, nothing was discovered ; but yesterday morning, on revisiting the spot, a constable picked up a portion of a small flute lying on the grass at the spot from whence the shots came. The morningoxpressfroniDuncdin brought to the scene Inspector AVeldon and two detectives. AVith the other police they made all inquiries throughout the clay, and at the spot of the outrage a piece of paper was found which had been attempted to bo used as a gun wad. This was a portion of a child's storybook entitled " Grant's Land." Three lads named Roy wero reported to the police to have been 'out rabbiting the previous night. These were questioned by the police, and at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon came the expanation of the mystery. Detective Henderson brought into the township of Clinton in custody three lads—James Roy, aged 19, John Roy, aged 18, and Alexander Roy, n ged 14. He also brought with him two fowling pieces—one single ancl the other double. The single one hacl been discharged recently, and one barrel of the other. Tho lads were immediately taken to the police station, and the main street of Clinton was at once filled with exciting groups of people. The lads' father is a well-known farmer and J.P., holding a good position and universally respected. Ho lives three-quarters of a mile from the scene of the tragedy. Three of his boys had been out rabbiting. It was James and Alexander who discharged the guns. They admit, it is understood, that they were firing at tho train, but they had no idea of doing damage. In fact, they assert, they did not know that the guns were loaded. Though they saw tbe train stop ancl go back they diclnot know that anything had occurred. They heard of the fireman's death yesterday morning, but still did not know they had done harm to anybody. Mr Roy was told he could come in and see his sons at Clinton, but he said he had spoken to them often enough, and they must stand the consequences. They took the matter very coolly, whistling at times when in custody, and chatting in an unconcerned manner m the police station. They said they were used to roughing it. They are looked upon in tho neighborhood as a littlo wild, but they do not bear a bad reputation. Tho whole of the affair seems to have been wanton and reckless mischief. It is the general opinion here that the shots were fired, not at the men on the engine, but _ at the funnel or some other part of tho engine itself. There certainly seems no possible motive that could have induced tho lads to make a wilful attempt to take life. That the lads should have been out rabbiting at that time is inexplicable, as it was after dark. They left homo at 0 o'clock in tho evening ancl returned at 11 o'clock. _ The deceased Henderson, hacl only been in the colony twelve months. He came from India. He had been married fourteen months, and at present has no children, but his wife is said to be approaching confinement. John Roy is charged with being an accessory to the fact, the two others being charged with murder. An inquest will be held on Monday.