THE MAUNGATAPU MURDERS. APPREHENSION OF THE THREE OTHER MEN. DISCOVERY OF THE HORSE AND BAGGAGE. IDENTIFICATION OF THE FOUR PRISONERS AS THE SUSPECTED MURDERERS OF MR. DOBSON AT THE GREY. (From the Nelson Colonist, 22nd June,)

Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 117, 26 June 1866, Page 2

THE MAUNGATAPU MURDERS. APPREHENSION OF THE THREE OTHER MEN. DISCOVERY OF THE HORSE AND BAGGAGE. IDENTIFICATION OF THE FOUR PRISONERS AS THE SUSPECTED MURDERERS OF MR. DOBSON AT THE GREY. (From the Nelson Colonist, 22nd June,)

That the four unfortunate men, whose sudden disappearance on their way from the Wakamarina to Nelson we reported in our last, have been foully murdered, there remains, we regret to say, uo doubt; and circumstantial evidence is gathering against the four persons now in custody. The pack-horse which belonged to the four missing men was first tracked on r L uesday near to a ravine, about one and a-half miles on this side of Franklyn's Flat; and then the traces disappeared. Yesterday the horse was louml dowu in the gorge shot, with the pack-sadle on and the swags attached to it. Three men who were apprehended on Tuesday, as well as the man Levy, who was taken last Monday night, are believed to be the murderers of Mr. Dobson, and are the men wanted at the Grey, ou a charge of intending to commit; a felony on Fox, the storekeeper, for whom poor Dobson was mistaken, and no doubt shot, and his body disposed of. We purpose following the narrative of circumstances and facts which have occurred since Tuesday last. On that day we reported the capture of H iiliam Levy, the man who had visited Deep Creek on Sunday week, and also his being brought belore the Resident Magistrate on Tuesday last and remanded. Since then, the police obtained some information which led to the apprehension of three men with whom this Levy is more or less identified, and who, as we have said, are implicated in the supposed murder of Mr. Dobson. Levy denied having any mates; but it was ascertained that he had lodged in the Oyster Saloou, and this man's baggage was found there and seized and himselt shortly after apprehended. The same night, two others were taken into custody ; and there seems little doubt that they are all of one ganj*. These three, who gave the names of Richard Henry Mullin, Thomas Joseph M'Gee, and Thomas Noon, were brought beloie Mr. Poynter, on Wednesday charged with being suspected of waylaying the lour lost men. The prisoners "were remanded till to-morrow (Saturday.) About five o'clock yes ten] a v afternoon a messenger came in to say that the horse of the missing nieu had been found. Its discoverer was James Martin the halfcaste, who is accompanied Uy a fine dog. The horse was dead, shot through the head. Its body was found lying at a spot about a mile and a-quarter ou this side to a mile and a-half on this side of Frauklyn's flat. The animal hud been apparently backed to the edge of the cutting forming the road, and then allowed to tumble down the bank. It lay about filty feet down from the road, and was covered with branches of trees and fern. '1 he swagß of three or lour men were attached to the pack-saddle which was still on its back. It is probable that four swags were attached to the saddle, because that of one of the Harvey's was, we believe, taken on by Matthew's party. About two or three hundred yards further on, nearer the flat, Dudley's swag was found down the decline. It includ 'd a bag in one end of which were some account books and a pocket book. The end of this bag had been cut open as if to take out, the books. Mr. Davenport, who arrived about an hour after ihe messenger, says that all the property has been taken charge of by the police. The head of the horse whs in progress of being opened in order to h'nd the bullet. There was a rumor in town to the effect that a gun had been found near the place ; but there is no ground for such a report, as nothing of the kind had been discovered when Mr. Davenport left. Felix Matthews' son was present at the finding of the horse and swags, and was very much overcome by the discovery. It may be premature, perhaps unjust, to express an opinion at this stage; but we

only echo the public belief that the men now in custody are, not improbably, the murderers. Certainly very strong suspicion attaches to them, for they are known to have come up from the Grey, and the description of some of them tallies with ihat of part of the four who were at Jervis's, at Canvas Town. When there, thpy were all in poor condition, and had evidently little money. Each of them when taker, had a considerable sum in his possession; and although none of them had gold dust, yet Wakamarina gold could easily be identified, and the Banks could, we should suppose, be able to recognise any person who within the last nine days sold goid of this kind. Yesterday a telegram was received by the police from Christchurch, giving the descriptions of all four men now in custody, as being suspected of the murder of Mr. Dobson, and atfiiinst whom warrants had been issued by the bench at Greymouth, on a charge of intont to cmnmib » felony on the person of William Fox, storekeeper at the Arnold, the man for whom the four or five persons seen near the place where Mr. Dobson was last heard of, were known to be lying in wait. One man named Wilson, is already in custody at Greymouth, and is known to be the mate of the men now in the hatids of the police in Nelson. We have been told that a conversation between two of the prisoners was ovur-huard at the lock-up when all was quiet. They are in separate cells, and one of them was heard to say " Mullin," (alias Burgess) " Did they strip you ?" " Yes," was the reply. " Did they see the gun-shot on your back ?" " Yes," said Mullin. " O my God 1" wa9 the ejaculation of the querist.

The Melbourne Commissioner of Customs classes papier raache goods as furniture. Agricultural operations are going on briskly in the neighbourhood of Forbes ; and the disposition to select land is on the increase, many selections having been recently made. The Gowrie station, in the Darling Downs district, Queensland with 55,000 sheep, &c, has been sold for £66,000. The Synod of the Presbyterian Church ill Scotland reassembled for a third time on April 17. Several deputations waited on the Synod, amongst others one from the Free Church of Scotland. Earl Dalhouaie, and Lord Kintore were members of the deputation, and they both addressed the assembly. It appeared from the addresses of their lordships and of other members of the deputation that the efforts of the committee now sitting in Edinburgh, to uudeavour to bring about the union of all the Presbyterian churches are likely to be crowned with success. One of the members of the deputation — the Rev. Air. Ferguson — advised the members of the Free Church in England to waive any formal difference and unite with the Established Church of Scotland.