Maungatapu Murders - The Murders

The Murders

The murders occurred on the 12 and 13 June 1866. A few days before, Levy had learned from locals that four businessmen were moving all their gold and money to the bank in Nelson. The four businessmen all knew each other and planned to make the journey together on 12 June. The gang planned to hold up the group with a large number of weapons so they would surrender without resistance, and then rob and kill them. They estimated that the group could have a total of 1000 pounds of money and gold.

The gang stationed themselves on a suitable site along the Maungatapu track, a place now called Murders Rock. On 12 June, James Battle, a flax grower, had terminated his employment and was returning to Nelson via the Maungatapu track. At first the gang let him pass, but later caught up to Battle and robbed him of three pounds and 16 shillings; afterward they strangled him and buried him in a shallow grave.

The following day at approximately 1:00PM, Dudley, Kempthorne, de Pontius, and Mathieu (accompanied by a horse with a pack) were held up by the gang. The victims immediately surrendered and were bound and moved off the track. After they were robbed (the winnings were only 80 pounds per gang member), they were all killed, first Dudley, by strangulation. Kempthorne was shot along with de Pontius. Mathieu was shot, then stabbed, then shot again. Three of the bodies were hidden, but that of de Pontius was covered with rocks: if the bodies were ever found, they reasoned, de Pontius would be missing and the first conclusion would be that de Pontius committed the crime. The gang then shot the horse through the head and let the animal slide down off a bank into vegetation. Other belongings such as clothes were burnt in a derelict house, and the gang returned to Nelson that night.