HORRIBLE MURDER AT LARRY'S CREEK.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 18 April 1881, Page 2

HORRIBLE MURDER AT LARRY'S CREEK.

— _ — 4 The wu6le of ileefton was thrown into a state of intense excitement on Satur« day afternoon last by the arrival in town of Mr Samuel Barr, bringing the intelligence of the murder of Mr John Bell, settler, at Larry's Creek, on the West* port road. The particulars of the tragic .occurrence will be best conveyed in the form of a narrative. It appears that Mr A. Gereseto left Eeefton in a spring cart early on Saturday morning, for the Landing. He reached the Larry's Crossing at about 10 a.m., and oalled in at Belt's accommodation>hoase. Mr BelLwas then mastering the cows fpr milking. Mrs M'Gahey was there at the tims, and after a short conversation on business matters with Bell, Mr Cereseto proceeded on his journey, promising to call in on the way home. When leaving Bell inquired whether Mr Cereseto had seen a man named David M'Gabey on the road, and was answered in the negative; Mr Cereseto then departed for the Landing, At about 3 p.m. he reached Larry's Creek on bin way back, and on pulling up at Bell's house he saw no one?about, but the dors being open, he concluded that Bell could j not be far away, and accordingly called out, but getting no reply he went inside, and seeing no one proceeded to the cow-Bhed,!where he met*with a most horrifying spectacle. One cow was in the bail as if for milking, and Bell , w»s lying on his face close by, dead,swith the back of his head battered in. Mr Cere* seto was natupally very much alarmed, and jumping into bis cart he drove to Gallagher's, three miles away, as fast as his hdrse could go. Meeting some men on the road he informed them of the murder, and requested them to go to the place, while he would come in and re port the matter to the police. At Gallagber's he met Mr Barr, who was on horse-back and just starting for Eeeftun, and he brought the intelligence post-haste to town. The sergeant of police immedi« afely telegraphed to the Inspector of the District and to the police stations at Ahaura, Lyell, and Westport. In the meantime Constable O'Brien, who had been on duty to Boatman's, heard of the murder at Gallagher's on bis way back, and at once started for the scene. Hefound mutters as reported, and after hay. in? made minute observations, and noted all surrounding circumstances, he brought the body to Beefton, and placed >t in the | morgue. Nothing is at present known as to how the crime was done, but the general opinion seems to be that the murderer was concealed in the bush near the house at the time Mr Cereseto went by, and "Mrs M'Gahey having shortly after left, for Beefton, Bell, being then alone, proceeded to the shed to milk the cows, and while sitting down so engaged the murderer stole in and dealt his'vic.-* tira a heavy, though, as it would seem, not a fatal blow on the back of the head, for the floor of the shed is reported to bear evidence of a terrible struggle, portions of male clothing and hair remaining in the deceased's death grip. The lo« cality of the murder i<» one of the most lonely places on the Westport road, be» ing miles away from any *other habitation, and the fact that a man named Cos* tello is supposed to have been murdered in the locality many years ago, has al« ways given to it a weird aspect. The strongest suspicion points to a former resident of the locality as the perpetrator of Saturday's crime, but of course in the absence of any positive evidence it would be premature to give expression to the rumors current. A dozen policemen are however out scouring the bnsh in all directions, and it is more than probable that something definite will be known in the course of the next day or two. Mr Eevell, 8.M., arrived from Westport last night, and an inquest willl be held on the body today. Mrs M'Gahey who intended to return to Bell's on Saturday afternoon, but on receipt of news of the murder she remained in town. .