THE GLENBROOK MURDERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 17

THE GLENBROOK MURDERS.

+ THE SWANHILDA'S CREW A "HAKD LOT." New Yobk, January 27. Tbe steamer Australia, which has arrived afc San Francisco from Honolulu, reports that when the Taupo signalled tbe Swanhilda. that Butler was on board, the Swanhilda responded " All right." This is taken as an indication that Butler was a prisoner. San Francisco, January 27. I In anticipation of the arrival of the Swanhilda detectives are cruising off the Golden Gate, Washington. Jaonary 30. j The ship Burmah, which left Newcastle j on November 17, has arrived at San Fran- | cisco. The members of tbe crew state that tbe Swunhilda'a crew are a hard lot. Four were imprisoned while the vessel was lying at Newcastle, and were only released in time ; to join ber before sailing. One was sent to gaol for striking Captain Fraaer in tbe street. ; The majority of the crow state that a mutiny raged moat of the time the Swan- • bilda was in port, the police having to quell • numerous disturbances on the decks between tbe officers and men. Ttie Burmah's crew allege that It only needed a leader to make ' the Swanhilda a floating hell. j Sydney, January 28. i The coroner's jury returned a verdiot that i Burgess had been wilfully murdered by ! Batler. i With reference to the Swanhilda cable j message, the Sydney Morning Herald j suggests that the passing veaeel had been | informed by the captain of tbe Swanhilda : that he had Butler in irons as ths result of the information given him by Captain M'Beth, of the Taupo. January 29. The doubts attending tbe whereabouts of j Lesagh have been set at rest by bis di»- j covery at Graf ton, where he is employed as a cook under an assumed name. He states that he never had anything to do with Butler. ' j Lesagh'o proper name is Lescheit. He has ■ been oo the Clarence Biv«r for the past three j years. He never read the newspaper?, and , knew nothing about his supposed disappearance. The question now is who the individual was who met Bntler and whom Lescheit : was taistaken for. J January 30. Lee Weller's sea chest, containing a quantity of his and his late wife's belongings, has I been die covered in a second-hand shop in the city. Tbe owner of the shop stated that he purchased them from a man, whom he recognised as Butler, eight or ten weeks ago. A man who refuses to give hie name states that he advertised for a partner to go prospecting, and Butler answered the advertisement, and they left Sydney together on the 15th September and went to Graf ton, where a party of five w»b formed for a prospecting ezpedition. On the second day out Butler, on the strength of an alleged discovery of good stone, tried to induce him to ' leave bis companions, who, on learning tbe overtures, compelled Batler to leave the camp. Before Butler went he again tried to ! induce him (tbe informant) to go on a shooting ezpedition. Butler boasted that he had just returned from tbe back range, where he had made important discoveries, and bad refused L2OOO for his share of the mine. February 1. The statements in regard to the mutinous ! conduct of the crew of the Snaohilda have { been greatly exaggerated. Several men j deserted at Newcastle, bat they informed the police that they did so in order that they might Bhip, again under the higher rates ruling in the colonies. One sailor assaulted Captain Fraser in the street in order to get away from the ship, and tbe plan proved successful. Captain Fraser is spoken of as a good captain, but some men are inclined to regard the first mate as a bully. The cable message from New York with regard to the report given by the Australia has evidently been mutilated in some way. Tho meaning probably is that after tbe Stranhilda was communicated with by the Taupo she was spoken by the Australia and signalled that Butler was "all right." The time is drawing near when the Swanhilda should reach San Franciico. Inquiries have been made in Sydney from shipmasters as to their opinion of tbe length of passage the vessel would make at this time of the year. The ship Blairgowrie left San Francisco on December 2, which is just nine days after the Sfv&ndhilda left Newcutle. The Blairgowiie made a fast run of 48 or 49 days to Sydney, and the favourable winds which she experienced would, of course, be oontrary to a ship bound in an opposite direction. The j American vessel Mary Winkleman, from a port ' just north of San Francisco, which arrived at Sydney on the 21st January, left Humboldt Bay on 27th November, or four days after the all-absorbing ship left Newcastle, and the passage of the Mary Winkleman to Sydney occupied 55 days. Taking these good passages into account there appears to be something in favour of the opinion expressed that the Swanhilda will be from 70 to 80 days on the voyage across. She is now out about 70 days.