A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 2419, 26 July 1900, Page 15

A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

MURDEBED UY BLA.CKS

ON THE TRACK OF T-HE

MURDERERS.

AN OTHER MURDER REPORTED.

SYDNEY, July 21. - A terrible- tragedy has occurred near Gilgandra. The police report thab two aboriginals named Jimmy and Joe Governor attacked a ' family of selectors "named Mawbrey, killing the son Percival, the daughter Hilda, and a boarder (Miss Kerz, a school teacher), and dangerously wounding Mrs Mawbrey, her daughter Grace, and niece Elsie Clark. Other reports state that four aborigines employed by Mawbrey. committed, the murders. They ascertained that Maw-brey -would be sleeping" from home, 'when only the women 'and 'children would be together}" They attacked them after they r had gone to bed. As they rose and attempted to escape, the murderers battered \in their heads and horribly mutilated them with a tomahawk. One little boy escaped by creeping under the bed. There is small hope of the wounded recovering, their injuries being so terrible. A strong force of mounted police and settlers is pursuing the murderers.

' July 22.Grace Mawbrey is. dead. There are faint hopes of the mother and Miss Clarke. One of the "Mawbrey boys, who "escaped, 4 states that he and two brothers were sleeping in the skillion room, adjoining the house. The blacks knocked at the door. Percy, aged 15 years-, opened the door, and was at once knocked down and killed. The boy heard the other blacks outside say: "Sail into them. Kiil all." The second boy escaped by getting under the" bed. The third managed to get out, and

] ran for his father. Mawbrey found the body of Miss Kerz i lying with a nightdress on some distance 'from the house. Hilda's body was "a fewyards away in the creek. He discovered that both front and, back doors were smashed in. 'Mawbrey rushed round to 'the blacks' camp, and found they had all cleared ' out - All the women were sleeping in 'one | room. Hilda and Miss Kerz managed to escape, but were pursued and cut clown by tomahawks. Various reasons are given for the tragedy. One is that Mawbrey owed a little money for work. Aaother is that Mrs Mawbrey tried to get Jimmy Governor's wife, a white woman, to leave him. This woman was arrested making across country. | She told the police that only Jimmy and Joe Governor were engaged in the' tragedy. When they came back Jimmy said they had killed all the Mawbreys. He told ,his wife to clear out, or he would kill her. Joe Porter, a black, and a boy belonging to the gang, have been' arrested hiding in the bush. They stated that they had nothing to do with the murders. The murderers were seen and fired on to-day. They left a tomahawk and provisions, which, oh the previous day they had obtained from the settlersl' 'They are making towards the" ftmgh "country" at the head of the Goulbourrf River.' .""They are known to -have" a rifle "with them. • • - July.23r. With respect to the tragedy, at Gilgandra it" appears Hilda' Ma7wbrey and, Miss Kerz escaped through the bedroom window and, fled, holding each other's hands as they Avenb. 'After tornafiawking " the, others Jimmy Governor pursued and tilled Miss '. Ker?, and overtook Hilda A through her

falling into a creek. Mrs Mawbrey, 'in hef dying depositions, stated that she only saw "Jimmy and another black (Jockey) ' in her room, but she heard the, others outside. The police are following the .tracks of I the three blacks, who are showing great cunning in effacing and. walking' in each, other's footsteps. When fired*, ots some' miles from the scene of the crime, Jimmy raised his rifle, but did not- fire. He is believed to have no ammunition. „_ The two Governors are notorious characters. Jimmy is an ex-tracker. Jimmy's wife states that the tragedy ' had" been con- - templated for some - time past. It was ' intended, to murder the Mawbreys, but the one who was to do the, ' Killing arrived too late. The murderers declared their intention of stealing .the horses' and going to Goulburn River, there to kill three of their own' people, who, the Governors aver, had killed "their father. Jockey and Porter offered great resistance to their ' arrest. Mrs Mawbrey is dead. During a~ conscious interval she stated that Jack Underwood, a third black, v accompanying the Governors, killed Percy. Mawbrey says he was on the best' relations ' with the' blacks, who were fencing. They owed him a few shillings, and lie refused to give them any more money till' they earned it', but allowed "them rations. !-Two little children, who were with Mrs Mawbrey in" the bedroom, were untouched. They- -slept throughout the tragedy. Grace escaped "from- the room, but was cut down just outside. » Mawbrey, who ' was sleeping on another part of the section, arrived 10 lriMites a/fter the murders. The blacks evidently«heard him coming, and cleared. At the inquest on the victims of the murder, by blacks, Albert Mawbrey, aged nine years, gave evidence that he was; awakened by hearing , a -black in the room, who threatened to '- blow^ out his brains. He slipped out 'while Percy was being killed, and ran, and informed his father. George Mawbrey, a cousin, aged 13 years, sleeping in the same room, heard Mrs Mawbrey and the girls screaming. ' He followed Percy into the sitting room, and saw two blacks. One killed Percy. He heard the voice" of another outside. ' He recognised Jimmy Governors itrging to 'dash out their brains ; he had had enough of .Mawbreys. Witness ran into the bedroom, and hid under th' bed till the murderers went. Information reached town late "to-night that, an elderly crippled man named Alex. M'Kay was" killed by two blacks at Sportsman's Hollow, on the road to Cassilis, on the Mudgee. M'Kay's wife was dangerously wounded. ' The murderers a.re described as identical with the Mawbrey murderers. They carried rifles and "tomahawks, and had twc hcrses, supposed to have been stolen. The— scene of the tragedy is hi the direction tht murderers were" l eported to "be making. Great excitement prevails, and a largeparty of armed horsemen are in hot pursuit.