THE BALLIN A TRIPLE MURDER

Evening Star, Issue 12871, 21 July 1906, Page 5

THE BALLIN A TRIPLE MURDER

THE INQUEST. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, July 20. At the inquest on Mr and Mrs O’Keefe a boy companion of the accused Brown deposed that three weeks a.ge Brown asked him to go with him and sandbag the O’Keefes. Brown explained that by sandbagging ho meant to hit them and render tlsem insensible. Witness refused to go. hut later in the day Brown asked him to go bushranging, adding that ho knew some others who would go. A man with whom Brown camped gave evidence to the effect that on the day before the tragedy his uniform , and bayonet were taken out of bis hut by Brown without permission. The witness identified Ids bayonet as that with which the murders were committed. Tim O’Keefe stated that sometimes his father had reprimanded Brown for neglecting his work, hut they generally got on well together. Shortly before Brown left their employ he quarrelled with Gillick, Once Brown broke open a box belonging to witness’s father and stole money, for which offence he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. .He subsequently returned to work for them. The coroner, in committing Brown for trial, characterised the crime as the most bloodthirsty in the history of the State. A CONFESSION' SYDNEY, July 21. (Received July 21, at 9.37 a.m.) Brown told an interviewer that the oaths binding the members of the secret society were so stringent Jhat he would hang before be gave the names of his associate*. Ho was selected to steal O’Kecies haiiK books, in order to raise funds.. Ho used the sandbag on Mrs O’Keefe, intending only to render her -nseruuble, but the bag buret, and in defending herself she cut his neck with a bottle. He says he could have killed Tim O’Keefe, but ho only wished to stun him.