THE EYRETON TRAGEDY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12539, 28 June 1901, Page 5

THE EYRETON TRAGEDY.

readers and physical geographies. v New Zealand school teachers might paste this ia their text-books. ' , ,

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

M’LEAN ARRESTED.

HE CONFESSES HIS GUILT.

Although Inspector EUison only returned to Christchurch, from tho scene of the triple murder at a late hour on Wednesday evening, he again left for Kaiapoi Tjy train at half-past seven yesterday morning,-A representative of this journal accompanied him, and at Kaiapoi, where a trap was procured. Constables Joyce and Simpson joined! the party and proceeded to the scene of the tragedy. Upon arrival there it was found that the house was locked up, and there was nobody about. Shortly afterwards several relatives arrived, and a thorough search was made of the premises in the hope of discovering the key of the sale in which it was supposed there was a considerable sum of money, but although every nook and corner of the premises was closely inspected, no signs of either the safe key or the keys of the house could be found.

Dr Murray, of Kaiapoi, who had made a hurried investigation! on the night that the tragedy was discovered', arrived shortly after ten o’clock, and made a minute examination of the three bodies, which still lay in the same position in which they bad been found. When the body of the little boy was uncovered it was found that tho poor little fellow had gone to bed with an indiarubber ball in his hand, and this was lying close beside the body. The undertaker arrived shortly after noon, and an hour later the bodies of tho three victims had been placed in the coffins to await the funeral, which ’will leave the house for tho Eyreton cemetery at 2 p.m. to-day. FURTHER EVIDENCE. - On making a thorough inspection of the house yesterday, it became more and more evident that the motive of the crime had been robbery, and that the place had been ransacked in order to find the key of the safe, which was built into an outhouse in concrete. Not a nook or corner had been missed, and the pockets of all the clothing in the house which belonged to the women had been turned inside • out. It appears that the fact of there being a safe on the premises at ai!l was known only to Mrs and Miss Martin and Mr George Martin, none of the rest of the family being aware of its existence until it was found by the Police. Miss Martin was in the habit of keeping several hundred pounds in money in, the safe, but was induced by her brother to bank it a few weeks ago, and it is supposed that, the murderer had by some means become aware of the fact that money was kept in the safe, but was not cognisant of its removal to the bank. It was found that Miss Martin’s silver watoh and chain were missing, as well as a purse containing £9 in notes, which she was known to have had in her possession at the time of the murder. Mr W. Hall, who had been staying with the Martins for a short time previous to the murder, and who left on, tho day before the tragedy, states that M’Lean appeared to be on very good terms with the family, but was always complaining that his heart was bad. Two young ladies who stayed for a fortnight at the house aver that on several occasions the household was .frightened by M’Lean, who was in the habit of getting up and walking about in the night, and'that on one Occasion he went out and walked up. to the cemetery in the middle of the niglit. (Mr G. Martin, who practically managed the farm, gives M’Lean an exoellent character as far as being a hardworking mam is concerned. Upon Inspector Ellison's return to Kaiapoi he received a telegram to the effect that M’Leon had been arrested at TLnwald, and he at once drove back to town. TRACKING THE FUGITIVE. A DIFFICULT TASK. PROMPT ACTION BY AN HOTELKEEPER. THE ARREST. As the members of the detective force had had very long hours of duty during the Royal visit to Christchurch, when they returned to the Police Station at about eleven o’clock on Tuesday night, they were hoping to enjoy a good! night’s rest, but in this they were disappointed. A few minutes after thjeir arrival a telephone message was received from Kaiapoi giving news of the murders, and stating that the man Stewart M’Lean was missing, and that a horse and trap were also gone. Detective Fitzgerald, surmising that M’Lean was identical with a previous offender, examined the records, and secured a photograph of the man he suspected. Just before midnight Inspector Ellison, with Detectives Livingstone, Fahey and Fitzgerald and Dr Irving went out to Eyreton. Nobody could 'be found at that late hour who could identify the photograph. The Inspector, after securing important evidence, came back to town, with Detective Fahey, leaving Detectives Livingstone and Fitzgerald and Constable Joyce, of Kaiapoi, in charge of the premises to make inquiries and to endeavour to secure any further information. On the way homo Inspector Ellison called at the house of Mr Obed Clothier, about four miles from the scene of the murder, and showed him the photograph, and both Mr and Mrs Clothier at once identified the police record picture as that of the missing man. Information was sent bade to the detectives of the identification of the photograph, and Detective Fahey at once made inquiries as to the man’s movements. He ascertained from Mr Lot Giles that M’Lean had been seen shortly after seven o’clock on theSaturday morning. with the Martin’s horse and trap as if making for Mandeville. The detective then started off on a bicycle, but finding the road very rough after going about ten miles, be secured a horse and trap, and traced the man to the Cust Hotel, where he had a drink at about teno clock on the same morning, M’Lean was then traced to Oxiord, where he had dinner at the Terminus Hotel, changing a £1 note to pay for it. Here ho inquired the way to the West Coast, and left for Sheffield between one and two o’clock. The next heard of M’Lean was his having lost his way when making for the Wairaakariri Gorge Bridge, by which he lost, about ten miles, and he ultimately reached the Sheffield Hotel about eight o’clock on the Saturday night. Here ho stayed until the following morning, when he Inquired the way to the West Coast, and went up the road towards Springfield. However, the detective discovered 1 that the fugitive had not reached Springfield, and with the as- ■ sistance of Constables Leahy and Barrett, found that he had, when about a mile out of Sheffield, crossed the railway lint and doubled back to Waddington. At Waddington it was found that he had made inquiries from different people as to the way to tho West Coast and the road leading to Greendalo and the Rapgitata Bridge. M’Lean appears then to' have crossed the Selwyn Bridge and gone up through Coalgate, Qlentunnel and Whitecliffs on to the Double Hill Estate, where he stayed during Sunday night and for the greater part of tho next day. Leaving there on .Monday afternoon he came back to Hororata, and left tho trap at Mr J. Cress well’s place at Waireka. Leaving that place late in the evening, and riding the horse, he proceeded a few miles, there- tying-his horse to a fence,.,he

slept under a gorse hedge. Early on, Tuesday morning he started again with the intention of crossing the Rakaia Gorge 'Bridge, but again missed his way, and came to the river some miles below the bridge. He was pub on the right road by a mam whom he met, and ultimately crossed the bridge I just after dark. IM’Lean camped in a paddock'not far from the bridge, and next morning started off in the direction of Ashburton, stS bent on making the Rangitata Bridge. He reached Valeria that night, and slept in the railway station, tying his horse to a post. Here he appropriated a new top-oeat which he found in a parcel in the station addressed, to a settler in the district. About five o’clock yesterday .. morning he resumed his journey, and riding down alongside the Ashburton River made for TLnwald, which he reached about seven o’clock, leaving the horse in a paddock just outside the township, and planting the saddle under a gorse hedge. At Tinwald M’Lean entered Mr Lagan’s Hotel, and calling for a whisky cashed a third pound. Mr Lagam came downstairs at about eight o’clock, and thinking that the man answered the description given in the newspapers of the missing mam, ho at once telephoned to the Ashburton Police Station for a full description, which was given over the wire by Constable Moore. Mr Lagam then informed them that the man wanted was on his premises, and detained M’Lean until the arrival of Mounted Constable Edo, who went over and arrested him. Detective Fitzgerald having discovered that tho man was making for the Rangitatai, caught the train at Rakaia and arrived in Ashburton immediately after the arrest had been made. The polio© who have had the matter in hand Ipive bad a very trying time of it travelling night and day in bitterly cold weather, and deserve every. credit for the arrest, and the prompt action of Mr Lagan is also worthy of commendation. THE ARREST. THE DEMEANOUR OF THE ACCUSED. When arrested, M’Lean was alone in the bar of the hotel, and when charged with the offence was quite cool and collected, and admitted his guilt. The police are reticent as to the exact words of the confession, but it ig understood that he stated that a letter which he had recently received from his grandmother in Victoria, had upset him, and had prevented his sleeping) at night, and that this had partly unhinged bia mind and caused him to commit the crime. Ho stated that he left the clothes which he wore when committing the crimes, at the Martins’ place. The accused was wearing the coat taken from the Valeria station, and upon this being searched he was found to have Miss Martin's watch and chain, her purse, containing £6 19s 6d, and a coin which was also identified as the property of Miss Martin.. M’Lean stated’ that he bad nob the key of the safe at all, and had ; thrown the keys of the house away. He admitted having taken Miss Martin’s purse containing £9, and that he had spent the money which was missing. He is said to have stated that he knew the penalty for his crimS was death, and that he was ready to die, bub he hoped that his grandmother would not hear of it, os it would break her heart. THE ACCUSED. Stewart M’Lean, as lie now calls himself, is about twenty-three years of ago, and is a native of Australia, having been born at Eaglehawk, Bendigo, where his grandmother and several relations live. His father and mother are both dead. It is a coincidence that a little over twelve months ago he was arrested not many miles from Tinwald on a charge of housebreaking. The Ashburton correspondent of the “ Lyttelton Times ” telegraphs:—ln confessing his crime to the Police, M’Lean said, he recognised the enormity of his offence, and further said he was prepared to die, and hoped that the authorities would hasten the carrying out of the death sentence. The Police give great credit to Mr M. Lagan, licensee of the Tinwald Hotel, for his timely assistance in telephoning to the authorities. A local photographer requested permission to photograph the prisoner, and his reply was: “Oh, yes, let him take it; it may be the last.” ’When at Tinwald ho seemed very anxious to assist the Police ’ in getting the horse, cart, saddle and bridle back. He informed them that the horse, saddle and 'bridle were in a paddock adjoining Lagan’s Hotel, and that tho cart would be found on a by-road near Hororata. THE JOURNEY FROM ASHBURTON. HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS. A great crowd assembled on the Ashburton platform to witness the departure of M'Lean by the 3.15 ,p.m. train for Lyttelton. He 'was brought on to the station handcuffed to Constable Ede, and was placed in a carriage immediately to prevent him being hustled by the crowd, who indulged dn loud hooting. The news had spread quickly, and at the various stations along the line people collected, and hostile demonstrations were made. Inspector Ellison, with half a dozen constables, met the train at the Christchurch station, where a 'great crowd had collected. Tho moment the train drew up numbers climbed on to the platforms of the carriage anxious to get a look at the prisoner, and when the engine was put on to take the carriage van to the Lyttelton line, about a score of people climbed on to it and endeavoured to get a view through the glass door of the compartment. As the train moved , off there was a good deal of hooting and groaning. M’Lean, who was still handcuffed, to Constable Ede sat in the extreme corner of a first-class compartment in which the shutters had been put up. He looked sullen, and did not speak. He has’ a rather forbidding look, and wears a black beaid and moustache of about a month s growth. When the train drew up at the Lyttelton* station there was a large crowd waiting for it.‘ and a hostile demonstration was made when the prisoner stepped from the carriage on to the line, between Detective Fitzgerald and Constable Ede. On reaching the plgtform of the station, it was with some difficulty that the guard of constables cleared the way through the crowd, which followed the prisoner and his escort up to the gaol. A considerable amount of hooting and groaning -was indulged in, and there were cries of “ Lynch him!” “ Smother him!” "Hang him!” etc. A constable had been gent forward to the gaol to give notice of M’Lean’s arrival, and the great doors were immediately opened and closed behind the prisoner, who was handed over to Gaoler Oleary to await the adjourned inquest on Wednesday next, when ho will be taken to Kaiapoi. After he had been lodged in gaol the crowd quietly dispersed. THE ACCUSED’S CAREER. The accused, M’Lean, was an Inmate of the Prison Gate Mission Home for about a fortnight after his release from Lyttelton gaol in April this year, and the officers there believed then, that MLean was suffering from slight mental derangement. THE ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT. A REMAND. Alexander M’Lean, charged with the murder of Sarah Martin and others at West Eyreton, was brought up yesterdav morning at the Ashburton Magistrates Court before Mr H. Friedlander, J.P., and Mr R. Alcorn, J.P. No Evidence was given, and the accused,, was remanded for eight days to Christchurch on the application of Sergeant Barlow.