Mr Kelly makes a Correction

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 301, 21 May 1889, Page 3

Mr Kelly makes a Correction

[to vbe editob.] Sib,—ln reference to the report of the Mabia murder which I read in the Gisborne Standard of the 25th ult,, I wish to make a correction. In the first place McQuarrie is not related in any way to Mrs Kelly, as stated, and he was never employed as a permanent barman by me; only when suited for the occasion, He was employed by me for about two years as interpreter in trading with natives, and during that period I found him to be trustworthy and goad, and I am not aware that his character wgs had, as represented in ygur paper ol the 25th. Give the devil his due. He has been away from me for about 12 years. He must have altered in his ways very much during that period, I ;ot a very great surprise when I heard of ilcQnarria beirg suspected of being guilty of such a dreadful act. He would bs one of the last of his race that I would think would dp gueb a go|dbtopded business. The following are particulars of McQuarrie, as far as I know. Some years ago, when the Thames gold fields opened, he was one of some 20 natives who entered into a contract in some mining business with Mr John London, of Auckland. He was a married man, and some trouble arose between his wife and himself. He then left for Gisborne, where he remained with me for about two years, until he left for the Mahia, where he gqt acquainted with a ypung native woman, qnd has been residing there ever since. I have been told that his wife, who, I read, died a few months back, together with her mother, had a large interest in the peninsula about the locality whore he lived.

Yon oan take thia for what it is worth, as I am informed that MoQuarrie’s mother-in-law lives at th* Waimate, Bay of Islands. McQuarrie is a full-blooded Maori, and is well known in Auckland. His native home is Monganul North.—Yours faithfully, Bicbabd Kntmr. Sydney, May 9th, 1889.

’The statement that the suspect was related to Mrs Kelly has since been corrected, b.qt it was the general belief in Gisborne that such was th* case when in tbs earlier days McQuarrie was employed by Mr Kelly, Although Mr Kelly may not have been awar* of it—probably if he had he would not have Continued to employ him—McQuarrie was always looked upon in an unfavorable light. According to Mr Lundon’s version McQuarrie ran away with another man's wife, but she subsequently died, and he married again. Mr Lundon himself gives the suspect a very bad character. —Ed. Standard, j