The Great Barrier Murder.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1895, 11 October 1886, Page 2

The Great Barrier Murder.

Information baa been received from New Booth Wales, by the Defence Department, which leads to the supposition that Caflrey’e accomplice Peon and the girl Lizzie Qraham may have been murdered. A man’s felt hat and a woman’s straw hat have been found on the beach (praanmably in tbs vicinity of the wrecked cotter Sovereign of the Seas), and the woman’s hat had three cuts on the crown as if inflicted with a tomahawk or similar sbarp instrument.

CAFFREY CONFESSES HIS QUILT. John Caflrey who is charged with the murder of Robert Taylor, at Tryphena Harbour, Great laland, on the 18th of June, and who was arrtfkted at Fernmoant, a small town on the Bellringer river, N.B.W. was brought np on remand before the Magistrate at Boat Harbour, the principal town of the district, recently, when he acknowledged his guilt. The prisoner was then remanded, pending the arrival of a police officer from Mew Zealand with necessary extradition papers. After narrating the particulars of the murder to the constable who arrested him Caflrey oontinned ; “We cleared ont of Now Zealand in the Cutter Sovereign of the Seee and made for the Coast of America. Wo encountered some severe gales, and bad to laykto for some days. Finding it impossible to reach America we made for Australia, and after being three month* at sea we sighted land near Brisbane. We then made down coast for Sydney, but finding it too hot there (meaning to say too many ships about) wa then made for Queensland. The vessel wa* leaking and was in a sinking state, and w* had to make for shore the best way we could. I succeeded in landing some things in the dingy which wcj had with us, and then went hack to the veaael for Penn and the woman. When lauding, the dingy oapaized and threw us into the surf. I was washed ashore bol Penn and the woman were drowned. « dark at the time, I never caught sight of them after. I remained where I landed until tha second day, but could not find any trace of them. It is now between three aad fona weeks since it happened, and the plane wea the first point north of Port Macqurrie. The female was Penn's paramour, and her name was Lizzie Graham She was 20 years of age, and brought on board against her will, and on the voyage she fretted very much: We encountered a great many gales, and at one time would have not given mnefa for oar chance. Wa sighted seyeral veeaela, but always kept out of their way, and never spoke a vessel the whole time we were at sea. Had plenty ot provisions, but ran abort of water but were successful in catching soma from rain that fell. The vessel belongs to Hen* dereon, and Bproggon of Auckland, and 1 was master of her. The woman has relatives in New Zealand, and so has Penn who Is • married muo. I am a single man and a native of Mew Zealand.”