THE GREAT BARRIER TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 752, 30 July 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE GREAT BARRIER TRAGEDY.

THE SEARCH FOR CAFFREY.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, July 23

A settler at Waitakerei having informed Thomson that a man like Caffrey, the perpetrator of the Great Barrier murder, has been seen in the Waitakerei Ranges, a party of police has been sent out to scour the ranges. Auckland, July 24. The first information that reached Superintendent Thomson regarding the man supposed to be Caffrey was by means of a letter from a settler residing near the South Heads Manukau Harbor. In consequence of the communication Detective Tuohy was sent to Manukau, via Onehuuga. He took with him a -photograph of the murderer, which was positively identified by the settler who gave the information and two other persons. Detective Tuohy’s investigations showed that some days previously the supposed Caffrey had rowed across to the North Head, and the -last trace of him was at Cornwallis Bay, where he had passed a night in a bushman’s hut. The facts regarding him collected by Detective Tuohy certainly gave color to the belief that he is a criminal evading justice. He gave different accounts of the place he had ■come from, sometimes saying he hailed from the Thamc-s and at others from Rctoiua. He was very mistrustful in his demeanor, and at time 3 was very much excited, almost to the verge of madness. On Thursday last Detective Tuohy met Superintendent Thomsen at Oaehunga, and the result of the interview was that Constables Haslett, Carroll, and O’Brien were seat off with Detective Tuohy to iollow the trail from Cornwallis Bay. In the meantime Constable McKay, of the Water Police, who knows Caffrey well, was sent to Kaipara to search all vessels lyiDg at Kaipara Heads and at Helenaville. Superintendent Thomson also telegraphed to Aratapu and Dargaville urging watchlulness.

Avondale, 2 p.m. Sergeant Clarke and party have started for Dr S.ockwell’s, close to the coast. Two settlers who were met on the Mountain-road, near HendersoD, were shown the photographs of Caffrey and Penn, but they did not recognise either as that of aDy man on the hills The police intend scouring the hills right through to Heiensville, calling at all the bush mills on the road. Hetective Tuohy is fol lowing the track to Mannkau Heads, as the man is probably making for Helecsville.

Auckland, July 27. The pursuit of the two men supposed to be Caffrey and Penn continues. Eight policemen on foot disguised, and two- newspaper .reporters, mounted, are scouring the Waifakerei ranges, but up to the present they ba.ve not sighted the men. Yesterday. the police reached a settler’s house just an hour and a half after the suspects had left, but the trail was again lost. From their, suspicious movements and the positive identification by settlers, the police are confident the men seen are the murderers, ■ Auckland, July 28. Superintendent Thomson has instructed the police parties, searching for Caffary and Penn to return to town. They ran to earth two men at Waitakerei Falls whom the settlers had declared to.be. Caffery and Penn. They proved to be two wandering gumdiggers.