THE MURDERS BY BLACKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11433, 25 July 1900, Page 5

THE MURDERS BY BLACKS.

TWO MORE VICTIMS. A WOMAN AND CHILD KILLED. By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright. Sydney, July 24. News was received tliis afternoon that the black fellows concerned in the Mawby massacre had killed a woman named O'Brien, and a child, 10 miles from Merriwa to-day. At the inquest on the Mawbys, Jimmy Governor's wife gave evidence to the effect that she quarrelled with her husband on the night of the murder. Jimmy and Jacky Underwood bade Joo Governor and Jacky Porter good-bye, stating their intention of leaving tho camp. They camo back in about an hour. Jacky said ho had killed three of the Mawbys, and Jimmy the other three. Hearing Mawby coming, they all left the camp. Jimmy, she said, had a grudge against Mr. Mawby for making him pay a few shillings for rations. Jimmy said if Jack Underwood had not been so slow he would have killed Mawby and the two sons sleeping with him. Ho got a rifle and ammunition, and declared that ho (Joe Governor) and Jack Underwood wero going to their native haunts to kill some tribe against whom they had a grievance. They would steal, they said, rifles and ammunition, and take to tho mountains, and si root anyone who came near them,

Tho reported death of Mi's. Mawby is premature, but she is in a very low state.

At the inquest, Jimmy Governor's wife said she wanted'to see Joe and Jacky Porter cleared, because they had no hand in the murders.

A rumour is current that the blacks, at the instigation of Jimmy Governor, have resolved to attempt to kill all tho settlers in the district because they are alleged to/ havo stolen tho blacks' country.

AT; tho inquest on tho Mawbys'tko evidence of tho wife and daughter clearly tablished the identity of tho slayers, and a verdict of wilful murder against Jimmy and Joe Governor was returned.

Tho Mackays were stuck up early yesterday afternoon, and both the old people were terribly mutilated by the tomahawk.

An adopted daughter escaped, and gave information. Another girl aged 10, was unharmed on promising to find the murderers two horses. The blacks stole Mackay's horse, accoutrements, and £8 money. They subsequently stuck up an Indian hawker, in the Gulgong Road, and demanded his boots and ammunition. Both were armed with rifles and tomahawks. They boasted they had killed tho Mawbys and Mackays, and were then off-to kill' Henry Nevill, of Wollar, a few miles distant, near their native haunts, which aro described as tho roughest country in Australia. If they reach it, their capture will be extremely difficult. The polico left Gulgonga to try to intercept them, and hundreds of settlers are assisting in the chase.

Prior to visiting Mackays', they stuck up two settlers' houses, and demanded food, and threatened to kill them if they informed the police as to their whereabouts. They declared thoy intended to kill others, and never to be taken alive.

Mrs. O'Brien and her boy, 18 months of age, and Mrs. Bennett, a nurse, who was staying with Mrs. O'Brien, who was near her confinement, were sitting in the- kitchen at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, when two blacks, armed with rifles, rushed in, and fired several shots. Mrs. Bennett was wounded in the shoulder, breast, and thigh! She escaped through a window, and ran to Mr. O'Brien, who was a short distance away. Sho told him to go to call the help of tho nearest neighbour, seven miles away. When he returned thero was no teco of tho blacks. Mrs. O'Brien was found dead in tho kitchen, shot through tho breast and tomahawked on the head. Tho child was dead, tomahawked on tho head. Mrs. Bennett's condition is serious, Gulgong reported late to-night that Jacky Underwood had been captured and lodged in gaol.