THE NEW SOUTH WALES TRAGEDIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9824, 25 July 1900, Page 3

THE NEW SOUTH WALES TRAGEDIES.

Further Murders.

A Woman and her Child Killed.

Threats to Kill All the White Settlers. A Trio of Desperados. Making for the Mountains. A Hot Chase. Reported Capture of One of Them. United Press Association. By Electric Telegraph — Copyright. (Received July 24, 5.30 p.m.) Sydxev, July 24. News was received this afternoon that the blackfellows concerned in the Mawbey massacre killed a woman named O'Brien and her child ten miles from Merriwa to-day. (Received July 25, 12.20 a.m.)

Mrs O'Brien, her boy eighteen months old, and Mrs Bennett (nurse) were with the family. Mrs O'Brien, who was near her confinement, was sitting in the kitchen at eleven in the forenoon, when two blacks armed with rifles rushed in and fired several shots. Mrs Bennett was wounded in the shoulder, breast, and thigh, but escaped through a window and ran to Mr O'Brien, who was working a short distance away. She told him to !go for help to the nearest neighbor, seven miles away. When he returned there was no trace of the blacks. , Mrs O'Brien died in the kitchen, shot through the breast, and with a tomahawked head. ! The child is dead, also with a tomahawked head. Mrs Bennett's condition is serious. (■Received July 24, lCTp.m.)

The Mackays were stuck up early yesterday afternoon. Both the old people were terribly mutilated with tomahawks. An adopted daughter escaped and gave the information. .

Another girl of ten was unharmed, promising to find .the miirperers two horses. The blacks stole Mackay's horse, accoutrements, and £8 ;in money. Subsequently .they stuck up an Indian hawker- in Gulgong road> and demanded boots and ammunition.

Both were armed with rifles an*d ; tomahawks, boasted that they had Mawbeys and Mackays, and were then off to Ml Henry iNfevill, of Wollar, a few miles distant, neari their native haunts, which is described as the , roughest country ■in Australia. . If they reach it their capture will be extremely difficult. The police have left Gulgong \to try arid intercept them. i Hundreds of settlers are assisting in the chase. :,- - : ; Jfrjpz tq Mackays they, stuck up two %ettle!f| houses, and d| ? manded food. They threatened to kill them if tliey informed the police of their whereabouts. ■ Th6y declared that they intended"!to kill others, and would never be taken alive. (Received July 25, 12.50 a.m.)

At the inqnest on the Mawbeys, Jinimy Governor's wife sftid Jimmy had a grudge against Mrs Mawbey for making him pay a few shillings for rations. Jimmy said that if Jack Underwood had not been so slow he would have killed Mawbey and his sons sleeping with him. He got a rifle and ammunition, and declared that, he, Joo Governor, and Jack Underwood were going to their native haunts to kill some tribe against whom they had a grievance. TJjey would steal rifles and ammunition, take to the mountains,, and shoot anyone wha came, to take them. Witness added that she wanted to see Joe and Jacky Porter cleared because they had no hand in the murders. | At the inquest on Maokay the eVidesnee of ithewife aud daughter , ' clearly | established the identity of the slayers. A verdict of ;wilful murder was returned against;' Jimmy aud Joe Gove|i',nor, f.v; ,-, t:,.'- x '~:, j ... A rutoor is current that the'blackjs, at the instigation of Jimmy Governor, t(| "attempt It<fl kill all tnte settlers in because |ie alleged they had stolen the black's country. ■ G*nlg6jrg reported / late" ■ Jb-night that' J'tfc'fey Underwood, bad been cabtured and lodged in gaol. j