More Murders at Kimberley.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 190, 5 February 1887, Page 5

More Murders at Kimberley.

Particulars have been published of more terrible murders oa the norlh-weet coant of Western Australia recently. On January 4 a man who had been mates with a certain Captain Pyton arrived at Derby from the Robinson River, and informed the police authorities that the captain had been foully murdered by blacks belonging to one of the coast tribes. A police party at once proceeded to the place whore the outrage was eaid to have been committed for the purpose of making an investigation, but on doing this they failed to discover any traces of Pyton't? remainß. Signs of blacks and tiacks of blood were met with in the search, and that was all. There was pomething very suspicious about the atory told to the police, and in consequence of this the dead man's mate was arrested and charged with the wilfal murder of Captain Pyton. Information has reached Adelaide relating to the death of the two Northern Teiritory pro?pectors, Fogan and Abearne, in the Kimberley. This couple, after doing a good spoil of prospecting in the Northern Territory, moved out towards Kimberley, leaving Pine Creek just about the time that Phil Saunders and Adam Johns had turned round to come back from Western Australia. They had four horses when they started, but added nome more to the number on the way out. Saunders at.d Johns, on their homeward trip, somehow or other iniseed them, and, as no tidings were ever heard of their having arrived at any settlement witbin reasonable time, it was concluded that they had perished. It remained for Phil tiaunrters's party to obtain verification of this conclusion, and to find out that the mem had been most cruelly murdered. While Saunders and his mate 3 were at one place in the St. George Ranges they were interviewed by some blacks, a few of whom could speak o little English, and these savages confessed to having murdered Fogan and Ahearne, the identity of the victims being further assisted by a tree discovered by the party, which was marked with the unfortunate men's initials. The natives explained that the prospectors had started to go to the De Grey River, but were unable to force their horses through the long desert stretch which existed on the route, and eventually returned to a point on the Fitzroy about SO miles from Derby, with only one horse loft. While camped here, the blacks came upon them, and one evening when the whites were having supper the niggers threw a shower of spears at them. Unfortunately for themselves, the two prospectors had made their camp in a narrow gorge between two precipitous cliffs, so that while the natives could get at them easily they were unable to retaliate by using their firearms with any effect. After throwing the ppearp, which did no harm, the blacks began to roll great stones down on the white mon, and they continued this until both the poor unlucky fellows were killed. The blacks promised td show Saunders the spot where the bones of the murdered men are lying, and he has determined to make all necessary enquires in order to fully satisfy himself as to the identity of the men.