THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 767, 12 November 1886, Page 11

THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

(united ekes* association. ) Auckland, November 4. It is stated that Mr Hudson Williamson, Crown Prosecutor, has obtained an interview with the girl Sarah Cleary, alias Grace Graham, now in Mount Eden Gaol charged with being accessory after the fact in me Great Barrier murder case. Mr Napier, counsel for Penn and the girl, has sent a highly indignant telegram to the Minister of Justice, drawing his attention to the The Bteamer lona left for the Great Barrier this morning, to bring back the witnesses required in Caffrey and Penn s trial, which takes place to-morrow. Amongst those who went down by the lona were Mr Hudson Williamson, Crown Prosecutor : Detective Tuohy, representing the police of Sydney; and Mr Weetman, surveyor sent by the Survey Department at the request of the Crown Prosecutor, to make a survey of the house and land at Tryphena, where the murder was committed, and to make a survey of the cliff over which Penn is said to have travelled in order to reach the house.

PRELIMINARY INQUIRY. Auckland, November 5. The preliminary inquiry into the Great Barrier tragedy, in which Caffrey and Penn are charged with the murder of Robert Taylor, began to-day at the Police Court, Mr Seth Smith, R.M., presiding. Owing to excessive crowding in Court, the room had to be cleared. Mr Hudson Williamson, Crown Prosecutor, at the outset asked the permission of the Bench for the governor of the gaol, Mr Reston, to make a statement respecting the alleged “ interviewing ” of the accused, and the pnblished statements in certain papers alleged to have been obtained at such interviews. Mr Reston emphatically denied that any .“interviewing” had taken place, and at the time no one had access to the prisoners but their counsel and the gaol officials. Sergeant Pratt, on behalf of the police authorities, gave a similar denial as to any interviewing of the having . taken place while they were in/-the custody of the police. A special guard had been placed over them. The first witness was the girl Grace , Cleary, alias Graham, who gave her evidence clearly and unhesitatingly.. Much of it has already been published. Her examination, which lasted all day, was damaging to Caffrey, but tended to exculpate Penn of laving a share in the actual deed. From her -evidence it appears she heard on board she cutter on the night before leaving Auckland what wag proposed to be done, while the men were drinking. On going into the cabin she saw them looking at a black satin flag. She asked Caffrey what the black flag was for, and he said it was for the death of.“ Old Tusky.” She knew that was Taylor, for she had heard Jack call him by. that name before. Heard Caffrey say he was going to shoot Taylor. This was at that “time in the cabin. A fellow called Jim asked Caffrey to put the girl out of the way for him. He meant Mrs Seymour. He said he had been in tow with the girl, and that she had fooled him. This talk did not continue very long. It was said seriously, not as a joke. Two of the men were sitting beside Caffrey and two beside her and Penn, on deck at the time. Caffrey said he would go ashore and try to get the girls, andif he did not get them there would be some shooting done. Me said he would go ashore and take some cord with him to tie the father up, and that he would cut a piece either out of his car or his tongue, so that he could tell no tales. He «aid he would force the girl down to the boat, and if she did not go he would shoot her. . , After an adjournment the girl was again placed in the box, and stated that since the adjournment she had twice seen Mr Napier, the solicitor. On being asked by the Crown \ Prosecutor who steered the vessel down the - harbor, she declined to answer the question, and the following passage-at-arms ensued : Mr Williamson : Is that a result of your interview with Mr Napier? i Witness : I think you might ÜBe it against 1 ae in the ease. Mr Williamson : Is that the result of the interview ? Mr Napier i If on have no right to ask such a question. She has been advised, and well advised. Mr Williamson said that no doubt Mr Napier always gave the best advice. Mr Napier said that Mr Williamson had no right to make those remarks. He contended that every answer given by her could be given against her in evidence. If not, they should withdraw the charge against her. and then she could be compelled to answer. The examination was resumed, the Court holding that the qnestion was relevant. She then said that Penn steered the vessel, and that she was on deck with him, and Caffrey was below asleep. She saw three new revolvers on board. After giving the details of the trip down to the Barrier she said that on the morning they got there they dropped anchor. They pulled the sails down, but did not tie them up. They left them loose, as Caffrey Baid, “Soas to be ready to get out of the Bay quickly,” after they had done the murder. Something was said about a murder, for Caflrey said he would try to get the girls, and if he could not get them he would shoot the father for revenge. Before they went ashore Caffrey loaded the revolvers in the cabin, Penn was then on deck. Caffrey had some brandy—about three glasses. Penn did not have anything to drink. She saw Caffrey put the revolvers in his pockets. He did not give any to Penn. She then described Caffrey and Penn leaving the

vessel for Taylor’s with new sheath knives in their belts, and Caffrey with a cord in his pocket to tie up Taylor if he got the girl. Heard Penn tell Caffrey that he would go up to Taylor’s and ask for some butter, and Caffrey said “All right.” He was to get the girls while the father was procuring the butter. The girl then lost sight of the men on their landing. In describing their return she said that Caffrey had blood on his clothing and hat, and a revolver in his hand. When he came on deck he showed the revolvers, and she said, “ Oh, Jack, what have you done,” and he said he had put the out of the way. She asked him where the girls where, and he said they had jumped out of the bedroom window. She asked him if B arry had anything to do with it. The words said to her were that he had told him to fire, but “the fool fired at a picture high, but not at a man.” The blood on his right arm was above the elbow, and looked as if Taylor had caught hold of him, On examining Caffrey’s revolver she saw that four shots had been fired. Saw no blood on Penn’s clothing or anything unusual about him. Afterward saw a second revolver in the cabin, but did not know who placed it there. The girl then described the voyage to Australia pretty much a u already published, Caffrey regretting that he had done the deed. She knew that Caffrey had feelings against Taylor, for he used to talk about him. He said he was engaged to Taylor’s daughter, and when she came up to be married Taylor had put it off; that he got on the spree, and wa3 run in for three months, and while there Taylor persuaded her to marry Seymour. She heard him say that he would shoot Taylor at the first chance he [got. Penn knew what Caffrey’s intentions were when they were on board, for Penn told her that Caffrey got him drunk and got him to promise to go with him to get the girl. Had heard Caffrey Bay on the voyage to Australia that if he had got the girls he would have made Mrs Seymour slavey, and thrown both overboard on reaching the Australian coast. When the examination-in*ohief of the witness closed, the Crown Prosecutor withdrew the charge against her, and she left the Court in company with Mr Napier. Mr Napier will cross-examine her tomorrow.* Caffrey and Penn were then taken back to the Mount Eden Gaol, a large crowd surrounding the courthouse as they were driven away. Penn seemed less defiant and jaunty than hitherto, and seemed to realise more distinctly the gravity of his position, while Caffrey, on the other hand, was more cheerful and less depressed, smiling to the crowd as he left the Police Court. Auckland, November 10.

The Great Barrier murder inquiry was resumed at the Police Court this morning. Sydney Weightman, surveyor, deposed to making a drawing and plans of the house and surroundings as formerly occupied by Taylor. Mrs Taylor, widow of the murdered man, said that on the morning of the 19th June they had just got out of bed when Penn came along the beach to the house, and said he was from the cutter Leviot, and wanted butter. Witness and her husband were going for the butter when Caffrey sprang in with a revolver in each hand, and shouted, “ Hold' your hands up, Taylor.” He repeated these words three times, and then presented a revolver and fired. Penn had sat down, and till then had kept both hands in his pockets. Taylor called •ut. “Ob, Johnny, don’t shoot me.” That was before a shot was fired. Witness heard three shots fired one after the other, and her husband then ran into the bedroom and closed the door behind him. Caffrey rushed up to the door and thrust it open, Penn fol. lowing him. Witness was rushing about the kitchen screaming, and went to the door to see if anyone was about. Heard one more shot, fired apparently in the bedroom. Ran in and saw Penn with his left arm around her husband’s neck. Penn pointed his revolver at her with his right hand to prevent her going further. She did not observe Caffrey at that time, and could not say whether Taylor was alive or dead. Witness ran out when Penn pointed the revolver at her, and ran in the direction of the stockyard. Penn followed, overtook her, and told her to stop, saying, “If you don’t stop I’ll blow your brains out! ” He had a revolver pointed at her, and she clasped her hands and prayed him not to shoot her. On the examination being continued this afternoon, the witness Mrs Taylor said she saw Caffrey coming out of the house, and called on him for help. Caffrey came toward her carrying a revolver in one hand. He had a piece of rope round his wrist, and said to Penn—“ Don’t harm the old woman.” Witness said to Caffrey, who showed blood stains, “Oh, Johnny, what have you done?” he said, “I’ve done it, I’ve done it.” He added that he was going to Seymour’s, and would “do for the lot.” Both men then went away, and witness returned to the house, and found her husband sitting on the bedroom floor quite dead. This was the bedroom by her daughter, Mrs Seymour, who had fled in , her nightdress, leaving her baby in the bed, and she found the infant unarmed. The counsel for the prisoners reserved their cross-examination. Mrs Taylor’s evidence was given in a clear voice, which only trembled when describing the minute details of the terrible scene. During the proceedings Penn kept his eyes fixed on the witness’s face.

The evidence of Lincoln Taylor, son of the deceased, Mr Blair, Detective Tuohy, and Agnes Austin was taken. The only fresh evidence was that of the girl Austin. She stated that she saw Caffrey on the night before the Sovereign of the Seas sailed. He proposed to her to go with him on the cutter and she refused. Caffrey said that she would not see him again, but would read or hear of him. The prisoners were formally remanded till the 19th instant.