The Arrest of Penn, and his Story.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1892, 22 October 1886, Page 2

The Arrest of Penn, and his Story.

When the constable arretted Peon (Geffrey’s accomplice in the Oreat Barrier Mar* der) he said he had come from a wreck. Constable MoLellan asked what wreck, and the prisoner replied, " The Sovereign of the Seas.” This was a volantary statement. A female was with Penn. Witness then told the prisoner he would arrest him for the murder of Bobert Taylor, on the Oreat Barrier Island, in New Zealand. The prisoner said. " 1 was there and implicated in the murder." The constable asked him if he had auy4rearms, and Penn handed to him a nickel silver British Bulldog revolver, loaded in all chambers. The girl with Pena was carrying a single barrel fowling piece, unloaded, in a swag, which Penn acknowledged to be bis. The girl is to give important evidence against the prisoners. Lizzie is eighteen years of age, and belongs to Napier, New Zealand, She is rather good looking, and has a clear complexion, and wears her hair cut over her eyebrows. Penn looked dejected in Court when he was brought up. He is 25 years of age. He told the police that be and Lizzie had been living under a tent near Crescent Head for five weeks. When they first touched the coast they lauded near Pert Stephens, and saw some men on the beach. Caffrey then, in reply to questions, said that their vessel was a fishing craft. Prom that time until arrested Penn and Lizzie did net see a single person until Sunday fortnight, when they saw one of the Port Macquarrie police riding along the beach. Penn states the girl Graham had been living with him on board the cutter Sovereign of the Seas for some time prior to the murder. On the day it was committed Caffrey and himself went ashore to Taylor's plaea and be was in the doorway of Taylor’s boose when Caffrey shot Taylor. Penn ao» knowledges that he was carrying a revolver at the time, but in explanation, aaya that it waa his habit always to have a revolver on him. The girl was left on board the cotter while they went ashore, and waa totally unaware of the object of their trip nntil some time after their return, when they told her what had happened. On learning it, and being toll that they intended to make away from the New Zealand coast in consequence, she pleaded hard to be landed, but, under the circumstances, they decided to take her with them. As already stated by Caffrey, Penn says that they tried to reach the American coast, where they thought they oonld be aafa from discovery, but, meeting with five or six severe gales, and the cutter becoming in such a leaky condition as to inspire them with great fears for her safety, they eventually turned back, and snooeeded in fetching the New South Wales Coast. Penn confirmed Oaffrey’s statement that they came as fat south as Sydney Heads, but finding too many crafts abont went northward again in hope of effecting a [ landing on the Queensland coast. Whether they were afterward wrecked or landed and wrecked the cutter afterward, Penn did not say; bat, according to bia account, he and Caffrey commenced to quarrel over the girl almost immediately after they set sail. Caffrey, on the principle that dead people tell no tales, wanted to shoot Grace Graham, but Penn, between whom and the girl there appears to exist a strong affection, objected and he saved her. Alter then the dread of mnrder being ever present, Penn and the girl came to an arrangement by which one of them always remainad awake whilst the other slept, Penn, tbronghent the voyage keeping his revolver haded ready ta use in the event of any cruelty on the part of Caffrey. After they landed, near Bellringer Biver, Caffrey, Penn, and the girl camped together for a fortnight. The same qnarrell about the girl, which had taken plaea uninterruptedly on board, continued on shore, Caffrey arguing that it was necessary for their safety that she should be put out of the way. At last, on the fourteenth day, Caffrey asked Penn to go for a walk with him as he had something particular to talk to him about. Penn made up his mind that Caffrey's only object was to get him away from the girl into the bush, and there shoot him, and on that account he refused to stir from where he was. High words followed, which culminated in Caffrey parting company with them. It waa the intention of Penn and the girl to get married as soon as they could pot* sibly manage it. John Caffrey arrived in Sydney on the 10th iust. Notwithstanding the fact that there was no intimation in the press when Caffrey would arrive, the news got bruited abont, and a thousand persons assembled onteide the wharf gates, hundreds on the tops of numerous roofs, and even on the ’rigging of the vessels lying in the immediate vicinity. After the vessel came alongside a poasa of water police went on hoard, and no time was lost in bringing Caffrey ashore. He was strongly manacled, both by the bands and When outside the gates the polio* had some difficulty in keeping tbs crowd bask, public conveyance, an open two wheeled dog cart was waiting, and into this he was immediately hoisted, & having the shaokleaon he could not freely nse his limbs. Ths driver had difficult work in piloting his way through the surging mass of people, and on the road from the wharf repeated groan* were given by the populace. Caffrey evidently felt bis position very keenly, and h* did not care about thousands of eyes beine focussed on him. Ha pulled bis slonshed wide awske bet as far over his fee* as if we* possible to go, end alio bent bis body in wildly so as to hide himself a* mash tl pseeftis from the public goes. A large crowd followed to the Police Ooert, where be was duly arraigned on the capital charge. The arraign, meat, however, was merely of a fwreeel oharaeter, and he was remanded pending the necessary extradition authority from Xwfc Zealand.