MURDERS ON THE WEST COAST.

West Coast Times, Issue 254, 16 July 1866, Page 3

MURDERS ON THE WEST COAST.

In our last summary we mentioned the circumstance that Mr George Dobson, a young gentleman in the service of the Government as a member of the survey stan; and son of Mr Dobson of Clmstchurch, the Provincial Engineer, had been missing for some weeks, having been out on the Arnold River (where ho was laet scon on the 24th May) engaged in an exploring excursien. At the time of our writing the mo3t serious apprehensions were beginning to be entertained that the unfortunate gentleman had been murdered. Rewards for the discovery of his body, or for any information respecting him, were proclaimed by the Government, and various search parties mo6t minutely inspected the country through which he was supposed (o have passed. All was in vain, however, and no discovery was made until the confession made by a man named Sullivan, one of a gang of suspected murderers in custody at Nelson, disclosed (if his statements be true) one of the most astounding series of crimes ever perpetrated by a crew of desperados in any'country. According to Sullivan's statement, twenty or thirty murders have been committed within the last two or three months, chiefly on the coast between HoMtika and Greymouth. Certain it is that poor George Dobson has been murdered, for his body was found on Friday week last in tho spot pointed out by Sullivan's confession. He had been first rendered insensible by blows on the head, either from stone 3or from the buttend of a gun, and then strangled by the prossure of a hand upon the throat. He was not robbed — his watch, albert guard, field-book, and other articles which would have been easily identified, being found upon his person. Tho statement of Sullivan coincides with tho conjecture that had been formed by the public, that he was mistaken by his murderers for a gold-buyer named Fox, who escaped by returning from the Arnold by a different route from tho one ho was expected to follow. "Tho latter was, however, unfortunately selected by Mr Dobson for his return to G-reymouth, with what fatal consequences we have said. In several other points Sullivan's confession has been corroborated. He declared on his turning Queen's evidence, that tho gang had concealed revolvers and a bottle of strychnine in a hedge near Nelson, and on due search being made of the Bpot as pointed out by him, tho articles were found. He declared that one of the gang, who is a Jew named Levy, had "conscientious" scruples as to the shedding of blood, , and used to despatch hia own special victims by strangulation. Mr Dobson and other murdered men whose bodies have been discovered in consequence of Sullivan's information, are proved to liave been killed by strangulation. Tho crime, on suspicion of which these wretches were first apprehended, was the supposed murder of four travellers, named Mathieu, Keinpthbrno, Dudley, and Pontius, on their way from the Deep Creek to Nelson. It was believed from various circumstances, that they had been killed whilst crossing the Maungatapu. In this case, as in that of Mr-Dobson, tho'Government offered a large reward to any accomplice who should confess — not being the actual murderer. Private rewards were also offered, especially one of L2OO by Mr.Kempthorno, the brother of one of tho victims; and a largo volunteer search party was organised. Their efforts were, however, for a time, fruitless. Sullivan (supposed to be ." planner" of the murders, and tho scout of the party), Levy (the strangler), and two other men named Kelly and Burgess being arrested as suspicious characters, tho first volunteered a confession, and by folio wing up his directions, the several parties succeeded in finding the mutilated remains of the murdered men. The body of another man (an old whaler named James Battle) was also found. It was now that Sullivan appears to have made his extraordinary statement about the " twenty to thirty" murders having been committed in all; about the design of the gang to effect' a bank robbery, and then effect their oscape by sea ; and other details of a terrible story. Without accepting too implicitly this confession, it must be admitted that Sullivan's allegations have been confirmed wherever there has been

an opportunity of testing them. Tho wliolc of the men are notorious criminals. With tho exception of tho -informer, they stand commit t.'d for the murder of Battle, the whuler. Tho examination on (he other charges will coma off during the week, and Sullivan's statement in court is looked forward to with great interest. Meanwhile, a man named Wilson, alias Murray, is in custody in tho Hokitika gaol, on suspicion of complicity in the murder of Mr Dobson. It is understood to be tho present desire of the General Government to have the Nelson prisoners removed to Wellington for trial, in consequence of tho very excited state of public feeling in Nelson. Tho profoundeßt commiseration is felt throughout this district for tho fate of Mr Dobson, and the utmoßt sympathy with his family. It is understood that a memorial will bo erected at Qreymouth over the remains of this unfortunate gentleman, and of others who havo perished in the publio service, although under circumstancas less melancholy. It is also expected that a memorial will be erected in Christchurch, the capital city of the Province. The inhabitants of Hokitika (where Mr Dobson was best known), and especially his brother officers in tho Civil Service, whose friendship he most enjoyed, have evinced their desire to put up some lasting memorial in a conspicuous part of the town ; and at a meeting held to take the necessary preliminary steps, a committee was appointed for tho'purpose. It was also determined to forward an 1 "address of condolence to his family. Mr F. Dobson, his father, ' is Provincial Engineer. • Tho document has been prepared and signed by tho committeo, and will bo forwarded to Christchurch by to-day's post. The following statement with reference to the unfortunate and lamented gentleman, and to his companions in misfortune, was given by Mr Browning, of the Survey Department, in W>ly to an enquiry made from the chair. Mr~C. Browing said : — Messrs. Townsend, Whnv\ combe, and Howitt had been known to a few only who were then in Westland. He wished to explain who they were, and in what manner they had met their fate, but could not abstain from a few remarks on Mr G. Dobson as well. Mr Dobson began his career in 1859, in Canterbury, and belonged to the same department as himself, which was the one over which Mr Dobson, sen., presided. His son gave early promise of no mean ability, and subsequontly was connected with some of the largest engineering undertakings in the Province. Ho was the man who had explored the present Wcßt Coast road, which was proving such a benefit to the community on both sides of the range. Mr G. Dobson was a good colonial »man, having left England when very young, and was thoroughly accustomed to bush life, and took a delight in his profession. His loss was, therefore, the more severe, as such men could ill be spared. He very much resembled his father, as he possessed a quiet determination of character, for which the latter was noted, and which had on more than one occasion carried him safely through great difficulties. Tho West Coast hod drained Canterbury of some of her best men, who had lost then' lives in attempting to explore its recesses. In 1859 the coast was but little known, although a rush was setting steadily in, in the 'direction of the Brunner ; and a small staimf surveyors were sent to pioneer the way. Whiteombe, who was a pupil of the celebrated Brunei, was one of them, .and succeeded in penetrating the snowy ranges, and stiiking the Hokitika river, down which accompanied by a Swiss named Lubing, he proceeded. The sea was reached, and the beach followed up towards the Grey, but in attempting to cross the Teremakau in a rotten old canoe, they were both washed out to sea. Whitcombejsoon lost his hold and was drowned, but the Swies^ managed to cling to the canoe, and, after five hours' buffeting with the surf, was cast ashore on the beach, only to find the dead body of his unfortunate companion there before him. Townsend was also in the survey department, and was also drowned at the mouth of either tho Teremakan or Grey river. Mr Howitt was drowned in Lake Brunner. He was well known in Victoria, being either tho son or nephew of Dr. Howitt, and brother to Alfred Howitt, the Gipps Land explorer, aud who afterwards was despatched to recover the remains- of Burke and Wills. Such were,the men to do honor to whose memory they were that evening assembled, and he felt certain that nothing need be said to arouse public sympathy which would be spontaneously rendered as soon as the object of the present meeting was made known.

A singular instance of somnambulism is reported by the " Lauuceston Examiner,*' which says :— " On Sunday night last a case occurred to the son of awidow, residing in the vicinity of tho Cataract. Some hours after the family had retired to rest the lad, about twelve years of ago, arose from his bed, and, without awakening any one aud in his nightdress only, left the house. He walked to a neighboiu-'s house in Margaret-street, and wont into tho yard, calling out at the top of his voice The inmates were, soon aroused, but were unable to distinguish any object in the yard. The lad then ran some 200 or 800 yards further down the street until he came to a house occupied by his aunt. Here he sung out lustily, ' Fire ! Fire ! ' When his aunt had got over the fright Jof seeing the boy in that plight, he told her that -his mother's house was on fivo, and that there was a man in the balcony setting it alight. This was, of course, found to bo incorrect, the position of the house being plainly observable. However, tho boy was still clinging to his assertion, and repeating the tale, when he suddenly awoke, dreadfully terrified."

With reference to the defalcations of Mr Sparkes, the manager in Melbourne of tho Peninsular and Oriental Company, we gather the following particulars : — Mr Sparkes' deficiency is said to amount to about £12,000 ; and but for the timely arrival of Captain Blacks the company's representative, there appears to be every probability that the sums unaccounted for would have gone on in an increasing ratio. It appears that Captain Black wont to the Company's bankers in Melbourne, where he expected to find a balance of some two thousand pounds, but where, to his great surprise, he learned that tho account was on the wrong side of the ledger, being, in fact, overdrawn for about the amount which he had expected to find to the Company's credit. This discovery, of course, led to further inquiry ; and Captain Black requested to see Mr Sparkes' books. He then learned that no propor set of books had been kept at the office ; and, not long after, he discovered that large sums, amounting in the aggregate to twelve thousand pounds , wei*e missing. It is said that an offer of six thousand^pounds, by way of compromise, was made by some wealthy relatives of the defaulter, but refused. Mr Sparkes lias since absconded, and it is rumored that ho has succeeded in getting away from the colony. It is sjiid that it wa3 an unfortunate propensity for gambling and mining speculations which led to his abusing his trust in so shameful a manner.