The Mountain Murderer.
BUTLEIiS CAKE EI!. (P'T P/V-X Auckland, This Day. Farther particulars by the mail with regard to liutler, the New South Wales murderer, have been received : Butler now says his true name is John Newman, and that his parents were proprietors of the Boat Inn. <t well-known tavern in Staffordshire. At the age of 17 he ran away from home and joined the Boyal Navy, serving ten years. He took part in the Zulu War, and was in the column sent to relieve Colonel Pearson, heseiged in Fort F.ceowa, and was awarded the Zulu medal for services rendered during that Subsequently Butbr enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders, and served in the Egyptian campaign, during •which he received such injuries to hi* hand that he received his discharge in March, 1883. and received the Egyptian medal for services rendered. Later on ButJer says he worked in the coal mines near Lancashire. On the outbreak of the Soudan War, Butler enlisted, but missed hit* troop's departure, and was then stationed at Edinburgh Castle, but became disgusted with garrison life, and made himself so disagreeable that he was court - marshalled and reduced to the ranks. 1 Itdeserted and enlisted in the l.'nited States Cavalry, and was almost immediately proposed as acting-corporal. He again deserted, and afterwards joined the volunteers and assisted in putting down the Reil Rebellion. He was assistant meterological in Quebec Observatory. Again be enlisted in the United States Army under the name of Anderson, but, after a few months, deserted, and shipped on board a British ship in September, Ihmh, under the name of Nevunan. At Birmingham, in a disreputable .house, he g 1 t into trouble, in which one man was shot through the arm. and others injured. This necessitated his speedy departure, and he proceeded as viiuiftii to Chili, where he was employed i:i the San l'arlo silver mines. He -im got tired of tins life, and shipped to Antwerp and Liver pool, and thence to Sydney by the British ship Ulida. Butler says three weeks after this he shipped to Newcastle as boat •wain in the British ship Star of Bussta, Captain 11. I-egge. This was a very eventful voyage, and some men who read this and who have sailed with Black J tick, alias Bully Legge, will understand why the whole crew left before the ship gut alongside of the wharf at San Francisco. When fourteen days out from San Fran-.-£«cs-tnutiay was with the greatest difficulty averted. Several of the crew refused duty, while Butler. at pistol point. jVwaa ordered to the aft cabin, when- he remained until ar:;\Al. It is probably as well that tlu« w.i- f>. »r there would haw been no"Bullv' I-« "r no Star of Kussia. Butler denies hj«. > guilty of any more serious crime than d< -<rtion. In conclus ion he says :—There will be no plea for inerev, no sympathy asked, for death 1 bare faced before in the trenches of Tel t.l K<-b:r and m * trioiw occupations of a » tU'b-r».r-- T ' ! eWH ■ the r.-. ' ' (.1 «|<: 'lis •-! ft . V.. ,t -• t» • •»« • imy lit* -t •
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Bibliographic details
Hastings Standard, Issue 280, 25 March 1897, Page 3
Word Count
516The Mountain Murderer. Hastings Standard, Issue 280, 25 March 1897, Page 3
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