THE MOUNT RENNIE OUTRAGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1460, 19 January 1887, Page 3

THE MOUNT RENNIE OUTRAGE

HORRIBLE SCENE AT THE EXECUTION. The special correspondent of the Lyitelton Times publisbas the followiug horrifying del ails r.f th 6 cane at the execution at Darlinghuret on the morn-^ ing of the 7th inst.— The liangine: «•■ 6xß-1 to take place at nino o'clock, butler g before th*t hour a large crowd o men and wome assembled out side the p 01. At least 140 ppreonfl, including doc era and scientific pa en, members of the Bar and representatives pf the Pre«B, we o famisbed with t'ekets of admispjon, an;} a gre*t deil of unseemly orowding and confuuon tcol; place before tht fie wero all ushered into the gaol cortidor where tbo txaouti >n wa& to take piftoe. A new gallows had b^cn specially erected for tha purpose of this execution, clcbb to th -■ condemned c?llf, the old gallows not bein:* large enough to I admit of (he simuliinrous execution of] more <h*n two persona. Shortly a-'ter nine o'c^c'* the condpmned men were conducted t.n th» galk\y3. The fksfc to en'er- the corridor was Martiu, a prJoat boipg by his side, who waß praying earnestly Tho > cams Bead, followed S> the J?rcgojj:etian chaplain and two other FreßbyJerian oleri-ymon, ona of whom had been with the prisoner all through the nigh* It ia tfc»ted ihr.t the condemned youih was ia a very religloua frame <f mind and quite resicjneil 10 his-fatp. The other tyro ynntha Doffy and Boyle, followed, Attended by Rev Father Byrne, Chaplain to the gaol, and another Rev Father from St. Mary's Cathedral. All the four prisoners were pinioned, their ar job being bound tightly do*n to their ■Ide, but their hands were loose. The £loj«an Catholic palprita wore ao r o(|s over the^r prhon garb. Boylo waa deathly pale, bdt the others were no-, and all four had apparently T^-Vnfl themselves up to face death brave'.y. iiefore the ropes Vere adjusted the Sheriff eaid that Head had ] handed him a loDg writton sta'ement to be held secret until after the execution. *' He solemnly declares his innooonce," aal^l the Sheriff, "trastiug In the Lord Jesus Christ and Saviour, but h» s blear conscience as t> his inno'cenc i. " Robert Raad wihea also to say that so far 5* bji small knowledge of tie affair oxl^pdt, and fyom &U he |>aB heard from the Other' condemned wen, he believes thai those who have been reprieved, saving Donnelan, are also innocent. The other prisoners said nothing at all, and no statement was made on their behalf. The exeeutioneer then covered each h<*ad with a oanvas bsg, and adjusted the ropea for a drop of Sit 6in. Ail being ready, there yere a few seeouds t( painful pause. The aissffttan't hangman (hen sei'ieed'th* lever with a despe'rete grip, and pulled it A dull c'hokii g thud followed, and all wae over. The four bodies were eeen hanging m the gulf below. Then a horrible scene occurred, Evidently the ropes wore ipo tbipjf, or the length of the atop was riot long enough to diaUokte (heir neck* at 6nce, for' after "a few etcoads the^ jrretched youths commerced to struggle »nd Jsjck violently,' thus slowing thai sirangplation and not dis'eciiji on was killSog thejp Read struggled Jaatt of all. Puffy violtntly ehiyered and ccramencod to twitch hi* handß and Ic^s aud kick conclusively, Martin'p etrnggjes wore specially pairjfnj to witnetij. Ho vras the li hrest, and kloked violently ar.d made fmn|ictffo te t'> free his arms, fisting his right forearm aim out behind his bask, endeavoring t*> ondo the rope whloh bout.d him. Ia the violence of his f truggl. she •overal limes contracted bis body until it was at an angle of thirty degree with the rope that suspended him. For several minutes he struggled, »nd then his Agoaii b were drawn to an end beneath. Boyle also iufftred terribly. Ho kicked^ and tried to jerk hla head away from tho tope. For thtee mibntee this lad nruggled vi'.len'tly btfore dea'h releaaod hita. $)ich of tht> ißds kicked eg one shoe. The white cup over Duffj's head was stained with blood |rcm hiß'rnouUi, Bojlo wbb also stained with blood from rij's r'gbt cor. r ( • c cxc cutlon w«sar»utal l>u'choiy, and wrb a terrb'e &$Ar. It is stated that Martin breßthed for tan minutes after he fell. Dvffir, m falling, bit through his tingue go horrifying was the aoene that rome ipegtators fainted, while plhers tyrtpd pajoand trembled, At the inquest the doctors testified I^»t death resulted, m the caee of Duffy, . from di»]ooation of the npek, and, m the oaßcs of the othe r tbrpe, from strangulation. Ovt r ( ne thousapd perspna aeeembled outuide the gaol, bqt all remained quiet.

His Excellency the Governor gave per mission for the bodies of i he men executed to be handed over to their friends, for privets inte/mnnt, euV ject to the funerals befog under official eupervio'cn. Tlutteriffltat.. ..re Ur too raaiyperaora on the ec; ffold &t the last nwrnnnt, whrge presencn interfered considerably with. Che hanpnian m the perfirmatide of hs Wiik. There were no Ibbs lhan seven clergyman on the to, ffold, all of them remaining while the men wer» being hanced. This so upset the hangman that ha had a' mo difficulty m placing the noose round Martin's neck, and hli fall vu broken m consequence: t>.. i n

Quiet nerve and balmy" Bleep m Hoy Bifters, for sleepless' ladies and invalids* Co. make the genuine. Notice.