THE BARRABA MURDER.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVI, Issue 2275, 3 August 1894, Page 3

THE BARRABA MURDER.

CONFESSION OF LEE,

Some days ago Lee expressed a wish, to mako a full confession of the crime, and the following statement was made by him and taken down in writing in the presence of Mr W. F. Tribe and Mr A. J. Crowe, solicitors, and Detective Qoulder: — At about dusk on 28th or 29th March last I was standing at tbe entrance to Flanagan’s billiard-room, Oxford street, Sydney, when a man tapped me on tho shoulder and said, "HuUoa, Aleck.” I did not recognise him, and told him so. He then said, “My name is Campbell, and I know you in Goulburn Gaol.” He then said, “ Do you know of any job we could do together ?” I said, “ I know of a dead gift if you care to do it; a branch of tho Union Bank at St. Peter’s.” Campbell, his mate, and I had a drink together, and I arranged to see Campbell tbe next day at 10 o’clock outside tho Town Hall. The next morning, before 10 o’clock, I saw Campbell’s mate in King street. He said, “ Hava you seen Alf?” I said, “ What Alf ?” He said, " Alf Johnson -, the bloke, my mate, you had a drink with last night.” I told him no, and kept my appointment with Campbell at tho Town Hall, and we went together to view

tho bank at St. Peter’s. We then discovered that the manager was in the habit of transferring the money to and from the bank on the Newtown Bridge. We then came to the conclusion that it was not worth the risk. Campbell then said, "Do you know of anything else ?” I said I knew of two dead gifts, two banks, one at Deepwater, and the other it Barraba; but we would require horses and arms; and as I did not know anyone at Deepwater it would be difficult to get horses, but if we decided on doing Barraba I knew someone wo could get horses from. Campbell fell in with my proposal, and said, “ I have a rifle and revolver, and will get you the additional rifle.” I said, “I have a revolver,” and arranged to see him on the following Sunday, when we went into the Domain, where Campbell informed me he had the additional rifle, and asked me if I was ready to go. I told him I was, and arranged to see him at 6 o’clock the next day at the Eedfern Eailway Station. I met him there tho next day with our swags, and we both took tickets for Gunnedah Campbell had two rifles and a revolver in his swag. We arrived in Gunnedah next morning, and we arranged for Campbell to walk to Boggabri, and I to go to the same place hy rail. Campbell and I were seen together at Bowen’s hotel by the publican’s son, and then we parted. Istayed at Bowen’s on Tuesday night, and left by train for Boggabri the next morning. On arrival I went straight to Jack Lye’s. The next day (Thursday) I saw Campbell at a hut about four miles from Boggabri, where I had previously directed him. I told him Jack Cummins would lend me a horse and saddle, but that the horse was not good enough, and that we should have to get better horses. I then said, “ A publican named Jones, in Boggabri, has a racehorse named Derby, which he is going to race at the Boggabri races on Saturday next. I have it spotted, and you had better go into Boggabri and see if you can spot another.” I saw him at the hut the next day, and asked him if he had got the saddle I left for him at the Government boat at Boggabri, and he replied in the affirmative, and that ho had noticed a suitable horse named Tyson. I told Campbell to go into Boggabri and purchase a saddle. I know he purchased a second-hand one, • but I don’t know who from. I next saw Campbell at the Government boat, and he informed he had found the owner of Tyson, and it was running in Turner’s paddock. I next saw Campbell at the same hut, and remained with him until the following Friday, when I returned to Lye’s. I saw the horse Derby in the paddock, and I said to Cummins, “ I want the horse you promised.” Cummins replied, “All right, you know where it is ; but what do you want it for ?” I said, “ Well, I will tell you. I have a mate, and we are going to rob tho bank at Barraba on Wednesday next, and if you like, as you may be. of service to ns, you can meet us on the way and you will get your cut.” Cummins then said in a jocular way, “Well, I might.” I stayed at Lye’s until after dinner on Sunday, when I joined Campbell at the hut. At dusk we caught and saddled Tyson, and rode him up to Derby in Lye’s paddock. We saddled him, and rode them, away to a spot about one and a half miles from Willeroy station, and camped in the scrub to the right of the road, where we stayed until dusk on Monday, and saw an old man on a white horse coming from Willeroy station. We next camped at Hawkins Creek, at about 9 o’clock. I then left the camp and come into Barraba, had a drink at Wilkinson’s, measured the distance between bank and police station, and returned to camp. Next day we rode to the bank, tied up our horses, and entered the bank. I called to the banker, “ Bail up!” The banker held up his hands over his head, and I jumped over tho counter, my mate having him covered with a revolver. I went towards the safe, when tho hanker ran towards me, crying “ No, no.” I then fired over his head, and he ran back to the dining-room door. I then put out the money from tho safe on to the table, when he came towards me again, and I again fired oyer his head. He then rushed me, and forced me over the counter, with his right hand at my throat and with his left clutched at my revolver, which ■ caused it to go off and shoot him dead. We then decamped and rode to about 20 miles from Barraba and met Cummins. We then rode away all together to where wo killed the horses. My mate refused to get off Derby unless he got Cummins’ bay horse. It was given to him, and he rode away. I stayed with Cummins until the next day, when we parted. On the following Saturday I met Campbell in the hush between Narrabri and Boggabri. He was lying on the ground with his saddle and rifle. He said ho had let his horse go. We stayed together, and on Sunday I went to McGregor’s, and the next day we parted, Campbell taking the main road over the bridge after having planted the saddle and rifles under the roots of a fallen tree. —Sydney Morning Herald.