THE NELSON MURDERS. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

West Coast Times, Issue 252, 13 July 1866, Page 2

THE NELSON MURDERS.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

(feoji oue own cobeeseondents.)

DREADFUL DISCLOSURES OF SULLIVAN.

WHOLESALE MURDERS ON THE WEST COAST.

Nelson, Thursday, 3 p.m. Yesterday the town was startled by an announcement in the Nelson Colonist that Sullivan had confessed to over twenty murders committed on the West Coast. That paper stated that the most shocking part of .Sullivan's confession (which we only learnt late last night), is the number of murders which have been coirmitted by this infernal set. „ Sullivan has acknowledged that more than twenty people have been murdered on the West Coast, and robbed and buried by the crew to which he belonged. He can certify to more than twenty, but how many more it appears he cannot say, as he cannot remember the exact number. The blood runs cold at this confession of sanguinary deeds.

The same prisoner has also stated that Levy, who had conscientious scruples agajnst shedding blood, was the man who used the • rope and strangled the men whom it was his business to kill.

Burgess and Kelly (says the same authority) had no such scruples. They employed the pistol or any other means that killed their man.

Doubts were entertained regarding the accuracy of the statements that Sullivan had made such a confession, but an enquiry made to-day not only established the statement, but shows that the numbers are under the mark.

It appears that the number of victims is nearer thirty than twenty, and that the greatest part of them were killed on the road between Hokitika and the Grey, and generally buried in the sand.

Great excitement is felt throughout Nelson.