THE LARRY'S CREEK TRAGEDY.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 20 April 1881, Page 2

THE LARRY'S CREEK TRAGEDY.

♦ ARBEST OF M'GAHEY. Since the murder of Bell at Larry's <~Yeek became known, ererj exertion has been made by the police to capture M'Gabey, upon whom grave suspicion rested, owing to the powerful motive he was supposed to have for committing the deed. These suspicions became stronger, as it transpired that M'Gahey had on several occasions and to various people expressed his determination to take sum* mary vengeance on Bell and Mrs M'Gabey, from whom he considered himself having received and suffered unpardonable injury. We need not here recapitulate the unfortunate circumstances, which are supposed to have led to the horrible finale, ss they have been frequently before the public in various forms, but merely mention the matter to show that the police had a clue to follow. On the day of the murder, M'Gahey bad left Gallagher's in the morning hay» ing stayed there overnight. He was seen going towards Boatman's— that is to say in a different direction from Bell's place. After that no trace of him could be found. Mr Neville, the officer in charge 'of the Keefton station, on receipt of the startling intelligence on Saturday evena ing, immediately placed himself in com* tnunication with the various stations'on the coast, and the wisdom of the course was demonstrated by the arrival here of several men at an early hour on Sunday morning. They were immediately despatched down the Inangahua Valley and towards the Buller, where all possible measures were adopted to find a trace of M'Gahey, but without any success. The flooded river and the wet bush was found to offer a great impediment to their search in that direction. However, during . Monday information was received that M'Gahey had been in Squaretown at M'Geedy's placet and as all the men under orders were oat of town, noessen* gers were immediately despatched down the valley, with instructions to convey the information to Sergeant O'Malley. and .Detective Qainn, who after receiving the communication immediately started for Beefton, and arrived at the station at about 11 o'clock p.m., and after a halt, sufficient only to receive insl ruction from the local officer, proceeded towards Squaretown, where the trail of M'Gahey was lost, but subsequently, in a very creditable manner, picked up and followed to Antonio's Flat, where their man was found and arrested in Bees' Hotel at one o'clock in the morning. He was in bed at the time having arrived during the evening and asked for refreshment and a night's lodging, which was supplied to him, as no news of the Larry's Creek tragedy by that time had reached the place. la the meantime, two men had been detailed with instructions to scour the country along the Maruia track to intercept the suspected man in that direction, as it was known that be had a horse at the Haupiri, and it was pro« bable that he would make for that place. However, this expedition was not neces* sary, for just as the men were about

[mounting at 7 o'clock, the prisoner wai j brought into Eeefton. ! He was lodged in the losk-np, and will be carefully looked after. When brought into Reefton the accused had a wretched, wan appearance, as though he had beea without food or rest for many hours. It lis also said that unmistakeable blood marks are easily traceable on his coat | trousers, and also on his neck and arms, but this is merely giren as matter of eossip, as we hare not been able to as* certain its absolute correctness. The prisoner maintains a dogged silenoe, refusing to speak to anyone. It is ratlier difficult to reconcile the accused's calling at M'Geedy'a Hotel, on the Grey road, with a desire to avoid detection upon such a grave crime as that of murder; the hotel it only a few miles from Reefton. and on a main thoroughfare where people are constantly passing and reusing, and it is hardly less singular that the man after speaking with the hoteUkeeper should proceed for miles along the road and take the main track up to Antonioa flat, and put up at an hotel there. But ?s* *N tbi*-*runin»J history farnisbe* duct on the part of fugitive offenders, and it may be that the accused seeing the impossibility of escape and difficult? of living in the bush at the present season of the year, he became resigned to his fate and adopted that method of yielding him • self up to justice. However, it is thewhim of the sensaton-mon^er and the penny*a«lin,er to torture details of this character and it is therefore unnecessary for us to follow the tubject further. "The capture of the accused has caused a great feeling of relief throughout tne district, particularly in the outlying localities, where the inhabitants have hardly slept sinoo the murder. The body of Bell was conveyed to the cemetery yes* terday. ' The inquest upou the body will be resumed at I o'clock to»dav.