THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 764, 22 October 1886, Page 10

THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

By Electbio Telegbaph—Copybight,

(EEUTER'S TELEGEAM3.)

Sydney, October 14.

The prisoners Penn and Lizzie Graham arrived in Sydney to-day from Kempsey. They wore brought up at the Police Court, the former being charged with the murder at the Barrier Island, and the girl with being an accessory after the fact. The prisoners were remanded until the 26th instant. Penn has made a statement to the effect that Lizzie Graham was r u board the cutter at tbe time the murder was committed. See was, however, unaware of the object of the trip until their return to the vessel, when she was detained ub aid against her will. Sidney, October 18.

The prisoners Caffrey and Penn and Lizzie Graham were again brought up at ibe Police Coart, the two men being charged with the murder at the Barrier Island, and Lzzie Graham with being an accessory after the fact. They were remanded, pending the receipt of a New Zealand warrant.

Sydney, October 20,

The prisoneri Caffrey, Penn, and Lizzie Graham, charged with the Barrier Islaud murder, were again brought up at the Police Court to-day, and were demanded to Auckland.

THE ARREST OF PENN.

HIS SENSATIONAL STORY.

(Per s.s. Wairarapa, at Auckland.)

(UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.) / Kempsey, October 11.

Penn, who was implicated with Caffrey in the murder at Great Barrier Island, was arrested by Senior - Constable McL Aland yesterday evening, within Uto miles of Macleay Bar. The girl Graham was with him, and Penn and t'regiri were lodged in Kempsey lock-up. When Penn was charged by Constable McLellaud with wilful murder, he replied that the charge should be “implication in the crime.” Kempsey, Monday evening.

At the Police Court ac Kempsey this afternoon, Henry Albert Penn was brought up before Captain Davies, K.M., and Mr C. Sutherland, J.P. Despite his three months’ adventures at s;-a, and his five weeks’ tiaversing of tbe desolate coast, the prisoner looked respectable. His deep set black eyes and pleasant face stamp him as a man capable of better things than murder. Inspector Harrison conducted the 'prosecution. Senior Constable McLelland, of Trial Bay, deposed to having arrested the prisoner about six o’clock the previous night, about two miles from Maclesy Heads, on the Arakoon side. When Cods able McLelland first approached him, Penn went to meet bim, and said that he bad come from a wreck. Constable McL.llan! asked what wreck, and prisoner replied, “ The Sovereign of the Seas.” This was a voluntary statement. A female was with Penn. Witness then- told the prisouer be would arrest him for the murder of Robert Taylor, on the Great Barrier Island, in -New Zealand. The prisoner said, “I was there, and implicated in the murder.” The constable tasked him if he had any firearms, and Penn handed to him a nickel eilver British Bulldog revolver, loaded in all chambers. (This was produced in Court.) The girl with Penn was carrying a single-barrel fowling piece, unloaded, inja swag, which Penn acknowledged to be his. Witness found a powder flask and shot; also two bullets and some caps, which exactly fitted the fowling piece. Shortly after arriving at the Police Station at Arakoon, SeniorConstable McLelland charged Penn that, in conjunction with John Caffrey, he did murder Robert Taylor on the Great Barrier Island, New Zealand, on June 19 last. Penn repeated that he was there, and was implicated in the murder. After a few words had passed, Penn asked if Caffrey had been arrested. Witness told him that he had, and he believed he had confessed to the murder. Witness was in plain clothes at the time, but previous to arresting Penn he told him he was a constable. The girl when arrested gave her pame as Grace Graham, but afterward said her name was Cleary. Captain Davies asked the prisoner if he wished to put any questions, but he declined to question the witness. The prisoner was remanded to Sidney. The girl is to give important evidence against the prisoners. Lizzie is eighteen years of age, and belongs to Napier, New Zealand. She is rather good looking, and has a clear complexion, and wears her hair cut over her eyebrowp. Penn looked dejected this morning. He is 25 years of age. He told the police that he and Lizzie have been living under a tent near Crescent Head for five weeks. When they first touched the coast they landed near Port Stephens, and saw some men on the bsach. Caffcey thsn, in reply to questions, said that-Stheir vessel was a fishiDg crafr. From that time until arrested Penn aud L'zzie did not see a single person until Sunday fortnight, when they saw one of the Port Macquarrie police riding along the beach. /

Sydney, October 14

Caffrey’s two companions on board the cutter Sovereign of tbe Seas, after the murder of Taylor, arrived in Sydney this morning by the Clarence and Richmond River Navigation Company's s.s. Queen of the South. Penn, the mate, was leg-ironsd and haudeuffed. The prisoners were brought down in charge of a couple of mounted constables. They wtre conveyed at once to the Water Police lock-up, and charged before Captain Fisher, D.S.M., Penn with tbe murder of Robert Taylor, and Grace Graham, or ;Cieary, as an accessory after the fact. On tbe application of the police both prisoners were remanded until Monday next. Penn, who is 23 years of age, is a young fellow of medium height, and is in manner and appearance more like a criminal than Caffrey. He is exceedingly communicative, and apparently most anxious, to uuburdeu himself of everything concerning the tragedy ill which he is implicated. The

girl Graham is only 18 years of age, and appears to be little troubled by tbe charge that is hanging over her. Both on landing and after the remand was granted in her case, she smiled and away freely with those near her, avoiding, however, any reference to her experiences from tbe time she left New Zealand. She is of rather proposaessing appearance, and her frank face, youth, and good spirits make it difficult to realise that she has recently gone through weeks of hardship which would have told seriously on the health of most women.

Penn states that the girl Graham had been living with him on board the cutter for some time piior to the murder. On the day it was committed Caffrey and himself went ashore to Taylor’s place, aud he was in the doorway of Taylor’d house when Caffrey shot Taylor. Penn acknowledges that he was carrying a revolver at the time, but, in explanation, says that it was bis habit always to have a revolver on him. Tbe girl was left on board the cutter while they went ashore, and was totally unaware of the object of their trip until some time after their return, when they told her what had happened. On learning it. and being told that they intended to make away from the New Zealand coast iu consequence, she pleaded hard to be landed, but, under the circumstances, they decided cn take her with them. As already stated by Caffrey, Penn says that they tried to reach the Americau coast, where they thought they could be safe from discovery, but, meeting with five or six severe gales, and the cutter becoming in such a leaky condition as to inspire them with great fears for her safety, they eventually turned back, and succeeded in fetching the New South Wales coast. Penn confirmed Caffrey’s statement that they came as far south as Sydney Heads, but finding too many crafts about went northward again in hope of effecting a landing on the Queensland coast. Whether they were afterward wrecked or landed and wrecked the cutter afterward, Penn did not say ; but, according to his account, he and Caffrey commenced to quarrel ovor the pul almost Immediately after they set sail. Ciffrey, on the principle that dead people tell no tales, wanted to shoot Grace Graham, but PenD, between whom and the girl there appears to exist a strong affection, objected, and he saved her. After then the dread of murder being ever present, Penn and the girl came to an arrangement by which one of them always remained awake whilst the other slept, Penn, throughout the voyage keeping his revolver loaded ready to use in the event of any cruelty on the part of Caffrey. After they landed, near Bellinger River, Caffrey, PeDn, and the gill camped together for a fortnight. The same quarrels about the girl, which had taken place uninterruptedly on board, continued on shore, Caffrey arguing that it was necessary for their safety that she should be put out of the way. At last, on the fourteenth day, Caffrey asked Penn to go for a walk with him, as he had something particular to talk to him about. Penn made up his mind that Caffrey’s only object was to.get him away from the girl into the bush, and there shoot him, and on that account he refused to stir from where he was. High words followed, which culminated in Caffrey parting company from them. It was the intention of Penn and the girl to get married as soon as they could possibly manage it. John Caffrey arrived in Sydney on the 10th inst, by the Clarence and Richmond Steam Navigation Co.’s steamer Coraki, Notwithstanding the fact that there was no intimation iu the press when Caffrey would arrive, the news got bruited about aDd a thousand persons assembled outside the wharf gates, hundreds on the. tops of numerous roofq and even on the rigging of the ve a sels lying in the immediate vicinity. After the vessel came alongside a posse of water police went on board, and no time was lost in bringing Caffrey ashore. He was strongly manacled, both by the hands and ankles. When outside the gates the police had some difficulty in keeping the crowd back. The police conveyance, an open two-wheeled dog cart was waiting, and into this he was imn e liately hoisted, as having the shackles on he could not freely use bis limbs. The driver had ' difficult work in piloting his way through the surging mass of people, and on the road from the wharf repeated groaDß were given by the populace. Caffrey evidently felt his position very keenly, and he apparently did not care about thousands of eye 3 being focussed on bim. He pulled his slouched wide-awake hat as far over his face as it was possible to go, and also bent his body inwardly so as to hide himself as much as possible from the public gaze. A large crowd followed the vehicle to th 9 Police Court, where he was duly arraigned on the capital charge. The arraignment, however, was merely of a formal character, and he was remanded pending tbe necessary extradition authority from New Zealand. From one of hi 3 captors it is learn t that Caffrey has beau most quiet and submissive, and has occasioned no trouble whatever. He was of conrse watched continually on the way down from Kempsey, and Constable Reynolds had little or no sleep for over three days or nights owing to the unremitting guard he kept over the prisoner. It was the intenticn of the Inspector-General to have seut Caffrey to New Zealand under escort tomorrow, but news of Penn’s arrest having arrived it was decided to forward a cable massage requesting the New Zealand authorities to forward a sufSoient escort for both prisoners. Some additional evidence may be taken on Monday next.