MURDEROUS ATTACK ON FOUR MEN AT THE UPPER HUTT, WELLINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2430, 6 January 1876, Page 3

MURDEROUS ATTACK ON FOUR MEN AT THE UPPER HUTT, WELLINGTON.

The New Zealand Time* of Deo, 28 eon* tains the following aooount of a morderoaa attack upon four men, two of whom it will bo seen from a telegram in another colama cannot possibly •orriTe :•—

Yesterday morning the town wm thrown into a state of excitement, by the arrival of • telegram from the Upper Hatt, to the effect that daring the prenoas night, * Qtm'wi named Sapphire M»j (or Smat), bad attempted to kill four men. The Inspector of Ffctfoe (Sir Atehiton) at ooee took steps fa the matter, and after receiving the telegram from Constable Lyster, who v in charge of the Upper Hatt station, kept the wire* boey in making arrangements for the oaptara of the> perpetrator of the outrage. Bj the mid*dey train, the three men were brought into town and taken to the hospital, whew they wen attended by Dr Johnson (the Premneial Hoe* pital surgeon), Dr DoOe, and Dr Bradford. All the men were found to be ia a very pre)carioos oondition, and such epprebeDsieas) were felt that death would eneaevtha* it we* ' considered desirable thatdepoeitiowahoddA* taken. Colonel Beader (a Joetie* of the Pe»oe) , with Mr Baker (ekrk of the Bendent Magistrate's Court), were in attaodancv, and the etatemento of two of the men—Barry Young and William Panl— were taken t hot the other man— William Leedle—wat mte««

flible, and nothing oould be got out of him. Indeed, it was with very great difficulty that bo muoh oould be obtained from the other poor fellows. The oircunostanoes attending the occurrence, v far as can be gathered so far, are as follows : —-Harry Young, a fireman on board the steamer Stormbird, some four or five months ago was staying at Peterson's boarding-house, Willis-street, in this city, and at the same time a German, who was best known as " Philliper, the gardener," but whose real name is Sapphire Mai or Sraat, was also staying there, till he robbed Young of £8 or £9 and bolted up country. His whereabouts was unknown till some time ago, when Young learned that he was employed on the railway lino about four miles above the Silverstream, and was living in M'Kirdy's camp about a quarter of a mile from WaldenV Accordingly just before Christmas he obtained leave of absence for three days in order to visit the camp, and arrived there on Christmas Day or on Sunday, Smat received him in a very friendly manner, and when asked to pay over the money promised to do so, and showed a book to prove that the money was in the bank. They remained friendly all the day, and about 7 o'clock went with a number of other men to Martin's public-house and staved till 10, a •light quarrel occurring in the meantime. This was settled, and then they returned to the camp, probably all more or less tho worse for liquor, although Young stated to tho magistrates that Smat only had throe pints of beer the whole . evening. Nothing transpired (ill 1 o'elook, and then it would appear the German went out and shortly afterwards called Young out. On bis going outside, Smut said "Is that you Harry P" Young replied " Yes," and Smat then struck him with a ldngthandled American axe across tho head. Young states that Smat held the axe as if he was about to fell a tree. When struck he immediately fell to the ground but, strangely enough, it appears he was still sensible, for ho states that he saw the other men come out, and saw Smat strike them down. William Paul, in his statement, said nothing about hearing any noise, but said he wont out* •ide for some trivial purpose, and a man unknown knooked him down, but with what instrument he does not know. Of oourso everything hsd to be drawn from the man by questions, to whioh he merely answered " yes" or " no |" and in his condition he can scarcely be expected to give an intelligible oooonnt of fche matter j while the third man can say nothing. The fourth man, who was not sufficiently injured to render it neoessary to bring him into town, will probably give all particulars V but the information brought in by stragglers leads to the conclusion that tho men were struok down one after another as eaoh went out to see what had booome of his predecessor. Immediately after the dreadful occurrence fimat rushed off, and subsequently took to the bush with the axe.

The wounded men were oared for, and Dr Wilford brought at soon as possible. He tewed the wounds up and did all it was possible to do. and then ordered the removal to the Hospital of Young, Paul, and Leedlo, and as before stated they arrived shortly after midday. All the men are out on the head, •nd in each case the skull is fraotured. Paul's brain protrudes. Young is also cut on the tide of the head, the out running dawn into the nook and severing the jugular vein, but this has since been caught up and drawn together again. Leedle, In addition to outs across the head, has received outs abross the right leg and buttock, eight in all, and is frightfully mutilated. Eaoh man is in a very preoariouroondition, and though the doctors do not care to express the 'opinion that reoovery is hopeless, still,, there is too muoh reason io fear that in the cases of Young and Paul death will immediately follow. Dr Johnston , stayed in the Hospital with the sufferers all last night, but up to the time of latest inquiry no change in their condition had taken place. Early yesterday morning Constable Lyster set out in pursuit, taking with him a number of volunteers, for everyone who had heard of the diabolical ontrage was willing to render assistance. A hundred men from the railway works offered themselves, and were distributed into small parties and sent in different directions, About three or four p.m., some Maoris gave information whioh led Constable Lystor, with whom were Messrs Cruikshank and Winks, and a man named Black Jack, to ride into the Maori pah on the other side of the river, and there found Smat. Ho ran for about half-a-mile, and then took to the river, where he was caught. He offered no resistance whatever, and was put into a oarfc and brought into town by Constable Lyster, and Constables Smart and M'WiUiams, who wore on their way from Wellington when they met the trap j and ho was lodged in the watoh* house about 9 o'clock. Constable Lyster deserves very great credit for the promptitude with which he took the matter in hand, and had his man in Wellington. Smat is a square-built man, about sft lOin, and when residing in Wellington, was known as the Swiss gardener. He arrived in Canterbury about fifteen months ago, but shortly afterwards came to Wellington. He will be brought up at the Besident Magistrate's Court this morning and remanded. We hear that something of this sort has been almost anticipated, for amongst the foreigners up-country there are somo very undesirable colonists, and the knife is rathor 6 too frequent requisition.