Burns.—But I will never consent to im brue my hands in innocent blood. Duder.—There is only little Mary, and I will manage that; but it must be done to-night; if you don't like to come, I shall do it myself.
Burns.—Where shall we put the stuff. Duder.—We can bury it under the flag staff, there will be no suspicion there. Reardon then went on to state that Bums returned into the house, and lit the fire ; he afterwards went to bed ; but whether he got up again during the night, she could not tell.
Such was the substance of the state ment that she made on the first instance, privately to the Magistrates. Burns also had made confession somewhat similar, only implicating besides Duder, Oliver, Duder's brother-in-law.
On Saturday last, Duder being placed at the bar, Margaret Reardon was brought in and requested to state in the presence of the assembled bench, what she had befoie stated to the Magistrate. She did so, her second tale tallying pretty well with the first.. Just at this time, however, an alarm was given, that the convict Bums had cut his throat, and was bleeding to death. The Colonial Surgeon, who was in Court, hastened to the gaol' and after an absence of considerable dura tion, returned and imformed the Court that the wound was not mortal, and that Burns was not in immediate danger. He added, however, that Burns now denied what lie had stated relative to the mur der.
