THE GLENBROOK MURDERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5762, 5 January 1897, Page 2

THE GLENBROOK MURDERS.

Captain M'Beth, of the Union Company's steamer Taupo, who returned to Auckland from the Islands on Thursday, gave a representative of the New Zealand Herald some particulars of his communication with the Swanhilda, the vessel in which Butler, who is " wanted " in connection with the Glonbrook murders, is supposed to have made his escape from Newcastle. It has been stated that the New South Wales police disapprove of the action taken' by Captain M'Beth and upon this being represented to themasterof the Taupo heeaid. " Well, what occurred' was this: I knew very little or nothing about these murders or the particulars at the time. We sighted a ship which showed her numbers, but she was too far away for us to make them out. I altered the course of my steamer so as to come within range, and found she was the Swanhilda, bound from Newcastle to' San Francisco, and wished to be reported all well. As the vessel's name was made out the second officer mentioned to me; that she was the ship in which the supposed murderer, Butler, had shipped, producing a newspaper containing a few particulars regarding the tragedy. I at once decided to communicate with the master and signalled, ' Heave to; have important communications to make.' My signal was observed, and the ship was brought up, and I took the Taupo within a reasonable distance of her. In the meantime a boat was got in readiness to take a message on board. On coming up with the ship I despatched tlie second officer with a verbal message to Captain Fraser along with a file of Auckland papers containing particulars of the tragedy. I gave explicit instructions that he was to take hiß communication privately -to Captain Fraser." Captain M'Beth states that his instructions were scrupulously carried out, and that although several of the crew of the Swanhilda displayed a good deal of curiosity as tothe object of the visit they failed to elicit any information from the boat's crew. The second officer was, in fact, the only man who could have satisfied their cuyiosity, and he went straight to a private cabin and delivered his message to Captain Fraser there. It is now tolerably certain* that Butler shipped for San Francisco by the Swanhilda, and there is little > doubt that the man was on board when Captain M'Beth sent his message to the vessel. The boatswain of the Taupo, who was one of tho boat's crew, and was questioned by the captain in the presence of the Herald reporter, said that one man who was well forward in the ship at the time of the visit displayed some excitement.. Ho spoke quickly to two or three others, and then came aft where the boat was and said, " What the hell do you fellows want? You must be after something ?" The boat's crew, however, could only repeat what they had said in reply to previous inquiries, that their officer was merely .making a friendly visit to the captain pf the vessel. When asked for a description of the man who had addressed the crew in such forcible language, the boatswain said he was of stoutish build, with a heavy ginger - coloured moustache. Captain M'Beth has no fear that Butler -will now escape the clutches of the law. "If Captain Fraser is the sensible man I tako him for," he told tho reporter, " Butler, or whatever his name may be, would be in irons in a very short timo after we left tho ship, for having been placed, on his guard ho would naturally want to project himself and his ship against any possibility of having any trouble. You see if you get a man with the character Butler bears on board your ship in the forecastle he is bound to make mischief. Besides, if the crew wero of the ordinary class of men they would not care to be associated with such a scoundrel as Butler appears to be, and would probably take the matter into their own hands." Captain M'Beth declared that if he had been, returning to New Zealand at the time he fell in with the Swanhilda he would have boarded the vessel and, if Captain Fraser approved, arrested tho man believed to be Butler and taken him to Auckland. I This would have been a rather highhanded proceeding ; but people who know the master of the Taupo are inclined to think that he would have carried it out, and if ho had been lucky enough to get hold of tho right man, thero is no doubt the authorities, as well as the public, would havo applauded his promptitude and courage.