The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-12-29

A Man Supposed to Have
Committed Murders.
Leaves Newcastle Under Name of
Capt. Lee WelIer-DeteCtiVe
on the CA. SIS. MioWera.

The Miowera, which arrived on Sun
through passengers Messrs. Carly and
Conroy two detectives of the Sydney
police force, who are now on their way
to San Francisco, by way of Vancou-
yer, after a murderer by the name of
Butler, who is known to have sailed
on the British bark Swanhilda from
Newcastle, N. S. W., November oath,
under the name of Capt. Lee Weller,
one of the men whom he is supposed
to have murdered.
Messrs. Carly and Conroy expect to
be in San Francisco nearly two weeks
before the arrival of the Swanhilda at
that port, ready to arrest Butler upon
his arrival.
Another detective, who was sent 10
London after the famous Mountain
Mystery" had been committed to OBJ
tain the necessary authority from the
London Foreign Office for extraditing
the supposed murderer, will also be IN
San Francisco before the arrival of the
Swanhilda, so that Butler will have
three of the most determined and best
of the Sydney detectives awaiting him.
1t is thought that the Swanhilda
might call in at this port before going
on to San Francisco. In such an event
Butler will receive just as warm a well
come, for the police authorities will
cause his arrest as soon as the vessel
enters port.
The Mountain Mystery is the name
given by the people of Australia to the
crimes that Butler is supposed to have
committed.
In October Capt. Lee Weller was re-
ported missing in Glenbrook, N. s. w.
Shortly after this Arthur T. o. Pres
ton, student of minerOlOgy, and an
other man who went with him on a
prospecting tour to Glenbrook, were
likewise reported missing. Part of the
clothing of Weller and Preston was
found near an abandoned mining shaft
at Glenbrook. More remnants were
found at Linden, a station near by,
little later.
A thorough search was made, and on
December Sd, Preston's body was found
at the bottom of a narrow gully, where
he had been working with pick and
shovel Rocks had been piled upon
the body, MASKING it badly. On the
following day Capt. Weller's body was
found in Glenbrook Greek.
A reward was offered for the capture
of HARDWOOD, alias Butler, with whom
Capt. Weller left Sydney on October
9th, ostensibly for the purpose Of
prospecting in Glenwood. This was
the last seen of him.
Butler is supposed to have commit
! ted more than the two murders al
| ready referred to; in fact, it is believed
that he made a practice of enticing
men into isolated spots, such as those
| where the bodies of the two unfOrtu-
nate victims were found, and there
numbering them for what articles Of
value they happened to have with
| them. In the case of Weller and Pres
| ton, each are known to have possessed
money when they left on their pros
| pecting trips.
Butler is supposed to have fed 20
| Sydney after the murders, and from
| that place to Newcastle, where he
! shipped on the Swanhilda under the
name of Capt. Lee Weller. He had
with him. a quantity of clothing
marked Lee Weller"
Messrs. Carly and COnrOy are sure
that their man is on the Swanhilda,
and feel as if they already had him in
! their custody.