THE EYRETON MURDER.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4395, 28 June 1901, Page 5

THE EYRETON MURDER.

ARREST OF McLEAN. CONFESSION OF THE PRISONER. PEESS ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, June 27. Early this morning Constable Eade, of Ashburton, discovered that the man Alexander McLean, who was wanted in connection with the Eyreton murder, was in tho vicinity. At Tiuwal'l, two miles south of Ashburton, he found accused and arrested him. It appears that AlcLean walked into Lagan’s Hotel, at Tinwald, this morning, at about half-past .seven o’clock, and, putting down a sovereign, called for some whisky, which was given him. He then asked to be allowed to go into a room where there was a fire, and he was invited into the kitchen, whore he was .sitting when Air Lagan came downstairs From a description ho had received he suspected that this was the man wanted, and ordered his servants to keep AlcLean under close surveillance. Lagan then ranir up the constable, who proceeded to Tinwald, and McLean, on being taxed with the murder, admitted tne charge, saying that he must have been mad. He was then conveyed to the lock-up, in Ashburton. A horse on which accused reached Tinwald, together with a saddle and bridle, was found in a paddock adjoining Lagan’s Hotel, and about £7 was found on accused. He was brought before the Court and remanded to Christchurch. A largo crowd assembled at the station as the prisoner loft Ashburton, in charge of the police, and hooted him. To get to Ashburton AlcLean must have travelled a round-about way. Leaving Eyreton he had evidently gone straight to Oxford, having dined there last Saturday. Ho left there the same day with the horse' and trap. He had inquired the way to the AVest Coast, but had, instead, come south to Sheffield, whore he stayed on Saturday night. There seems some mystery as to how he reached Tinwald. He had inquired for Gresndale and the Rangitata Bridge road, hut was seen to turn to the left at AYaddington, instead of going over the Hororata Bridge, as directed. From there he must have gone down somewhere near Alethvon, and thus to Tinwald.

AlcLean was born in AUctorla, Australia. in .8, and has friends residing at Bendigo, in that colony. He has a heavy type of countenance, with low eyebrows, a broad nose, and prominent ears, and is of active, athletic build. It is believed that his mind is deranged as he has been depressed for some time, and had threatened to shoot himself. His aimless wandering about the country also points to this conclusion. Ho has been long known to- the police, and his name is’recorded in the “Police Gazette” for housebreaking in 1897. It is also recorded that on May 2Sth, ef last year, he was sentenced at Christchurch to twelve nionts’ imprisonment with hard labour, in j-.vttelton Gaol, for breaking and entering and theft. COURT PROCEEDINGS. ' JBy Telegraph—Own Correspondent.' CHRISTCHURCH, June 27. The following particulars of the arrest of McLean are taken from the account forwarded by the Ashburton correspondent of “Truth” ; —As soon as it became generally known that AlcLean, the supposed perpetrator of the brutal tragedies which took place at East Eyreton, had been arrested at Tinwald, and would be brought up at the Ashburton Police Court this morning, people began to assemble in East street, and when the doors of the Courthouse were thrown open at eleven o’clock every inch of space allotted to a curious public was immediately taken up by members of tho male sex of all ages, from eight and ten years upwards.

The accused, who is a big, powerfully built man, with a low case of features, and a countenance behind which there is an infinite amount of dangerous reserve, came into the Court with the utmost composure, and took his stand in the dock with remarkable calmness. As McLean had coollv confessed to having committed the horrible crime, no evidence was asked for, and the civ.ht days’ remand requested hy Sergeant Barlow was immediately granted. Tb e prisoner, when questioned as to whether he had any objection to the remand, replied “No, sir.” This ended the Court proceedings. Chatting afterwards with Mr AI. Lagan, I gleaned that AlcLean had reached Rakaia with the trap he took from Eyreton, and, finding the wheeled convey ance an encumbrance, he by some means got a saddle and rode the horse on a distance of about twenty miles, to Lagan’s Hotel, arriving there at seven o’clock this morning. It was then bitterly cold. AVhen the man walked into the hotel he asked for a whisky, and put down a sovereign. Air Lagan then gave him some breakfast. The hotel keeper instantly recognised this man as McLean, and the latter was soon mid.'" lock and key. Mr Lagan is deserving pf great credit for his prompt action.