It was arranged the night previously that it would be best to choke them, in case the report of the arms might be heard from the road, and if they were missed they never would be found.
So we tied a handkerchief over his eyes, when Sullivan took the sash off his waist, put it round his neck, and so strangled him.
Sullivan, after I had killed the old laboring man, found fault with the way he was choked.

He said, 'The next we do I'll show you my way.' I said, 'I have never done such a thing before.

I have shot a man, but never choked one.' We returned to the others, when Kempthorne said, 'What noise was that ?' I said it was caused by breaking through the scrub.

This was taking too much time, so it was agreed to shoot them.

With that I said, 'We'll take you no further, but separate you, and then loose one of you, and he can relieve the others.' So with that, Sullivan took De Pontius to the left of where Kempthorne was sitting.