THE QUEENSLAND MURDERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10968, 24 January 1899, Page 5

THE QUEENSLAND MURDERS

By Telegrapk-Press Association -Copyngh',. Brisbane, January 23. The magisterial inquiry regarding the Gatton murder begins to-morrow. The police have already taken oyer 3000 statements in connection with the case.

It is reported th.it an empty cartridge, similar to that found at (Jot-ton, has been discovered near the scene of the O.iley murder.

The latest police theory is that after the Gallon murder was committed, one of the perpetrators increased his immunity from arrest by shooting his accomplice. The black trackers are vigorously searching for tie body.

The police authoritatively deny that Michael Murphy was mutilated.

CLAIRVOYANT ELUCIDATION.

The following description (says the Brisbane Telegraph) was given by a well-known and very popular lady whilst in a clairvoyant condition at a private seance held the other evening at the Australian Hotel: —There wcro four men concerned in the Gatton murder. One of them, the ringleader, is tall and dark. He is 28 years of age, and weighs about 12st. Two of the others are dark also, while the remaining one is fair, and inclined to ho reddish. The ringleader is tie oldest of the four. All of them are evil-looking men of the larrikin type. All four lived at Gatton before the murder was committed, and some of them have respectable parents. The fair mau did not actually murder any of the Murphvs, but he assisted to outrage them. After the foul deed was committed the murderers disposed of their clothes by enclosing stones in them and throwing them into a brook or small river close by. At present the murderers are seeking refuge in a place west of Toowoomba. about 40 miles | distant from any civilisation. They are hiding in the mountains and caves. They never move from their hiding-place, because they are afraid of being seen. They are living in couples, being distant about five miles from each other. They, however, visit one another during the night time. They are very anxious to secure the pipers, but'cannot get any. All four are terribly afraid of being caught. Consequently, they are always on the alert. They can see anyone approaching from a considerable distance. Their fear also, at times, compels them to climb trees, so that they may get a better view. A man knows of their hid-ing-place. In fact, this man was aware of the intended murder of the Murphys before the murder was actually committed. He resides at Gatton, and is either a blacksmith or connected with the blacksmiths trade. The police up to the present have been entirely on the wrong track in search of the murderers, and it rests entirely with the murderers themselves whether they will be caught or not. The perpetrators of this foul deed have very little money. They are, howevei, .provided with horses, but their provisions are fast giving out. In their seclusion they are afraid to lieht fires outside the caves, in case of being seen, consequently they are compelled to light their fires inside the caves, and, as a result, they are nearly stilled with the smoke. The murder was committed about eleven o'clock on Boxing Night. The brother Murphy was shot first of all. and put in the bottom of the dogcart. The murderers than tried to gag the girls, but they found this no eafey matter. Both girls straggled valiantly, and pinched and scratched the men severely. The murderers then told them that if they were not ouiet they would blow out their 'brains. There is no road to the place where the murderers are hiding, just a wild bridle path. They will be arrested shortly.

THE KNOTS WHICH BOUND THE VICTIMS. Burgess, who, as I have previously stated (writes the Queensland Times' special), is an American, was at one time a sailor. It will be remembered that the handkerchiefs with which the unfortunate girls' hands were secured were tied with peculiar and very secure knots. This was generally remarked upon on the day of the discovery of the bodies, and it was even stated by the persons who favoured "the stranger theory" that there were none of the young fellows in the district, whom they'knew, who would really know bow to make such knots. If Burgess is in reality the guilty party, then the mystery regarding the peculiarity of the' knots is solved. When Burgess left the gaol he was wearing a pair of elastic side boots, but when arrested he had a pair of bluchers, which were comparatively new, and Ad not appear to have been worn longer than about a fortnight. This is a verv significant fact, as future developments . wili probably show. • I