The evening times., 1897-02-12

After landing in Sydney, Butler looked
about for something to do. He gave out
that he was prospeCtOr, and people could
easily see that he had something of the
mariner about him He did nothing to at
tract attention and he lived as he pleased
Now and then he left town and was gene
for few days, returning as if from pros
pecting trip in the mountains. Early last
April he matured the design by which he
enCompassed the death of many men. The
number of his victims is not known. IL may
be fifteen; it may be forty. But the police
have positive knowledge that five dead men
are to be placed to his account. His plan
was hideous in its simplicity. He adver-
tised in a Sunday paper for partner to
exploit a valuable mining claim. The Wis
tim was invited to proceed with Butler to
the property. which he said was locatedin
the Blue Mountains, forty miles from Sgd
ney When in the wilderness Butler set the
victim to work digging, and when the ex-
cavation was Of size sufficient the muir
derer shot his man in the head, despoiled
the body and buriedit the grave prepared
for itself with it's own hands.
1t was during last October that Butler
made one of his trips into the mountains
from Sidney On>his return he assumed the
name OF Frank Z Harwood, who had dis
appeare ed short time before, and OF whose
whereabouts no one seemed to know Har-
wood W as lastseenin the company OF Butler,
but his disappearance had not attracted spe-
cial attention. The man had no friends, and
as his absence did not concern any one es-
pecially. no inquiries were made for him
Soon after Butler reappearance in ydney
theadvertisenentf for a mining partner again
appeared, and Arthur o. Preston, young
Englishman in attendance at the University
Of Sydney responded Butler explained To
Preston that he had discovered good pros
pect in the mountains, and the two set out
for Emu Plains on the train. Arriving at
the station near the foothills, the two men
made their way into the mountains. A few
DAYS afterward Butler returned to Sydney.
and told his that he had split
with Preston, because the student was too
soft Within q few days after his re-
turn from the trip with Preston, Butler
again advertised for prospecting partner.
This time Lee Weller, well-known sea
captain, fell into the trap, and called on
Butler The address the murderer gave on
this occasion was different from that of
his former lodgings 1t was on November
7 that Butler and Weller left for Emu
Plains At the end OF week Butler re-
turned without Weller, telling story OF
how the sea captain had fallen ill.
Weller friends were by no means pleased
with the account Butler gave of him, and
determined to institute q search for the
missing sea captain. A party was organ
Ized. and, going to Emu Plains by train,
struck out for the mountains. The party |
was divided and agreed to meet at GER |
tain place. On November 25 Capt Weller's !
coat was found and the fragments OF his |
were found. Other belongings |
of the seaman were discovered near the |
remains of camp fire. Near this site |
was also found pair of trousers and |
black leather leggi1g belonging to Butler, |
also coat bearing Buffers name. News
Of this success reached Sydney and was |
spread throughout all OF southern Aus |
ralia Volunteers added their strength |
20 the searching party and hundreds of |
nen helped to swell the number of the peO
pie who were searching the mountains. BY |
his time suspicion became well defined and |
{ was now believed that Butter had made |
away with the other men who had answered |
his advertisements. On December 1 an /
later identified es the property |
,f young Preston, was S4ithin half |
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