THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1849, 25 June 1886, Page 2

THE GREAT BARRIER MURDER.

The steamer Bowens with the polios offieen on board have not succeeded in capturing the cutter Sovereign of the Seas with the murderers. At Tiyphena harbor the police landed and found poor Taylor’s body lying in a room in the house where be was shot, just as it had dropped at death. Death had evidently been caused by pistol shots, the bullets having lodged in the bead on the left side adjacent to the temporal bona. The floor and door leading from the kitchen to the room where they found the body were bespattered with hi oi, and so also were the bedclothes, towels, dishes, and almost everything else in the house. Sergeant Clarke espied a white flag flying across the harbour at the Post Office, where Mrs Taylor was supposed to have taken refuge, and it was decided that soma of the party shonld return to the steamer and go tor Mrs Taylor and her daughters, who were necessary witnesses, it being intended to hold the inquest in Taylor's home. From the evidence of Taylor's wife taken at the inquest it appears that Penn earns into the House and asked for a pound of batter. Pena had been ia the home only a taw minutes when Gallery rnshed in. On seeing him my hmbtnd ran beck into the bedroom. Penn then followed my husband. Caflsry also followed him into the bedroom, balding a revolver in each hand. Caffery said to my husband, “ Hold up your bands” end filed two shots. My husband said, " Oh, Johnnie, Johnnie, don’t shoot me I” Then 1 ran towards them, into my hmband’s bedroom, which is off the kitchen. I saw Pann bolding my husband, having his left arm aronnd my husband’s neck, and the revolver pointed at me. My husband then went into my bedroom, and I followed him. Before I could reach him two more shots were fired. It was then 1 sew Peon with my husband in hia arms. My husband was dead, 1 then ran to save mr own life. I did not hear my husband eall out after the shots were fire I. Pena followed me to the stockyard Be kept loading the revolver, and said, “ Don’t you stir, or I will blow your brains out. ’ Penn askad me where the girls were, meaning Mrs Seymour and Sar«u Jane. I told him I did not know. He said I w.is telling stories, and that they w*rt hidden under the bed. Pena kept me bailed up at the stockyard for about half an hour. Caffery then came out of ilia bouse, running towards mo. His hsmla were daul«d with blood 1 cried out, ” Lord have meicy on us, Johnnie, don’t shoot me.” Caffery said to Penn, "Don't me Idle with the old woman. She never ei I me v>y barm." Caffery and Penn then loft. They went towards Sandy Bay m Tiyphena harbor. Caffery never made auy threats to Mrs Taylor at aay time. Three years before this occurrence Caffery asked the daughter KLiztbeth to marry him but she declined as she said their tempers would not agree. Upon iatving Mrs Taylor at the stockyard ha sai 1 ha hid finished Taylor, and was going outside to do lor the lot, meaning the daughter, Mrs Seymour (another daughter), and her hatband.

Id his evidence, the bod of Taylor, about 15 ytaje of age, said he saw Csffrey fire the first shut his father; the second was aimed >1 him, hat missed, he then jumped through a window and esoapea, hiding with his sister, Mrs Seymour, in some scrab. Elizabeth Aon Seymour, wifejof Frede ick Seymour, settler at llarwtungu. eorroboiated the foregoing evidence. Mu- added that two ytais ago her father and he'seif wore passengers from Auckland to Mercury Bay in the Ooean schooner; C dre> wis a passenger by the same vessel. When the Ooean was beating up .Mercury liav Caffiey went into the forecastle and returned with two revolvers find a dagger. lie stood in the bow of the achoouer and pointed the levoivor at the mate and cook, who whsic the only persona on deck at the time, except myself. fi« ordered them to lower the boat, calling out, "Out with that boat hoys." Mrs Seymour then ran up to him, and asked bim wbst be meant ? He said she knew well enough, b« was going to carry oat what be intended. She pleaded with him for half an hour, and induced him to throw both revolvers over, ooard. tier father came on deck before tin revolvers were thrown overboard, and Caflery demanded that bt should stand where they were. Taylor nod Gallery had aotne vary angry words ou that oo auon, and Taylot called Oaflsry a coward and ordered him f« throw the dogger after the pistols, which hi lid. Caflery and Taylere (iaeeocdiag to Mr Seymour's naeoant) have bean bad frieode Mace that time. She had calf known them to speak once tinea. The jury returned a verdiot of Wilfel Murder against John Caflery and Haary Penn, and recommended that a warrant bo issued for their arrest. The warrant f.; tsiaed shortly afterwards.