NEW SOUTH WALES.

West Coast Times, Issue 153, 15 March 1866, Page 3

NEW SOUTH WALES.

The Pbisonek John M'Cormaok. — Statement of Dunn. — A prisoner, named John M'Corinack, who was at one time a companion cf Dunn, the outlaw, is now in Darlinghurst gaol, serving a sentence of ten years for robbing, shooting, and wounding a Chinamau, near Wombat, about five miles from Murrumburrah ; and Dunn, the outlaw, has recently made a statement for the purpose of exonerating M'Cormack from the crime for which he is suffering. . This statement, which is appended, was dictated and signed by Dunn, and was addressed in the form of a letter to the Roman Catholic chaplain of the gaol, the llev. J. Dwyer, who visits the convict with the view of affording him spiritual consolation. This statement is as follows :—": — " As I know know that M'Cormack is totally innocent of the crime for which he is suffering, I believe it my duty before I leave this world to give the following testimony for you to make what use of it you may deem best conducive to him About five o'clock one day, I forget the date, I was asked by a man to join him in a robbery of a Chinese camp, for which M'Cormack is convicted. The perpetrator of this robbery is a tall man, and I mention this because M'Cormack is a tall mau. I declined having anything to do with the robbery and then this said man got another who joined him, who is also known to me. Tfie robbery was sworn to have been committed about seven o'clock, and at this time or near it, M'Cormack was in my company at Murrumburrah, and knew nothing whatever of such a robbory being contemplated or perpetrated. Jeremiah Ryan, Daniel and George Barnes, John Kennedy, M'Cormack, and myself, and about eight others were engaged mustering horses at Mr James Roberts', Currawang Station. On the day the robbery took place Jeremiah Ryan, George Barnes, with some of the others, are in "a position to prove that M'Cormack could not have been taking part in the act. They, moreover, can bear testimony that there was not one amongst them less likely to be guilty of such a crime than M'Cormack. About ten o'clock on the night of the robbery, the man who committed the deed returned and told me that he, with a certain other had committed |th© deeds,

and that, moreover, a Chinaman was wounded by him. Subsequent to M'Connack receiving his sentence, I had a conversation with tho person who committed the robbery, which turned upon his own guilt and M'Cormack's innocence. T had intended to be present at the Court-house, in Goulburn, at M'Cormack's trial, to givo evidence, but in the meantime I became abushrangor. Trusting that this my declaration may have the effect of procuring the release of the prisoner, an innocent man, is the prayer of one who desires to die the death of a repentant sinner. John JDunn."

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