THE SUPREME PENALTY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 48, 20 November 1917, Page 6

THE SUPREME PENALTY

MURDERER EXPIATES HIS CRIME IN BATTLE.

Something over twelve years, ajo a Mrs. Gregory was murdered in her bedroom in a Sydney hotel (since closed) by a boy of sixteen, whose cupidity had been aroused by the sight of her jewellery and the evidences of the possession of considerable money. The victim of the crime was one of the pioneer nurses of the sick in the boom day 6 of Coolgardie, a splendid, big-heart-ed ivomau, whose name was known in every camp in the gold-bearing area of the West. Her husband was one of the best-known investors on the field. I'heumarriage was the consequence of the illness of Gregory, and his association, as a patient, with one of tho most charming! women on the field. They went into business and conducted the United Club Hotel, in which tliey did well. With a surplus of the cash, which is effective in all parts of Australia, Mrs.. Gregory loft the mining camp oh a holiday trip to Sydney, and was killed in a most shocking way by the boy—employed as boots in the hotel in which she was stiy-

lug. The murder caused a notable sensation in the West. When the news came through Gregory, almost demented with grief, was for leaving immediately and taking into his own hands the matter of dealing out justice, in open court, in' the manner which would suggest itself to one who had lived for some time in a community in which justice was considered superior to the law. When tho facts were known in detail, and it was learned that tho murderer was still in his early teens, the general opinion was that he must have been a lunatic, and there was little surprise when it was announced that the punishment was imprisonment for life.

Coolgardie is now one of the almost forgotten fields of Austnlia.. TIIO pioneers are scattered over the State, the murder of Mrs. Gregory is possibly nnremembered, and might, not have been recalled in Sydney but that the boymurderer has given his life for his country on the fields in France—and thereby may, in some email measure, have atoned for the awful sin of his youth.

The murderer, Quinlan, served about ten years of his sentence of imprison, ment for life, end the reports of the officials as to his conduct indicated that he had resolved not to stain his soul with another offence. He was reported as a good conduct confinee, and, in course of time, the Teports placed him with the exemplary of the prisoners. The Attorney-General (Mr. D. R, Hall), whose interest' in those paying the price of their lapses in crime is continuous, took a special interest in_.the case of Quinlan. Satisfied that the young man was properly penitent for the great crime of his boyhood, and convinced that, if he were given the opportunity which could bo afforded him he would make good, Mr. Hall took n gambling chance and ordered the liberation of the prisoner, on condition that he enlisted and placed himself in the position whore he could demonstrate the sincerity of his repentance by offering his' life on the altar of his country. It is not necessary to 6ay where he was enrolled iior how he got away. These matters were arranged. He went to the front, fought like a man. was wounded and sent to hospital. He was offered employment on the clerical staff of the home service, of the army of A us. tralians in Englnnd—as it was thought he was not fit for further fighting. But ho had, it is apparent, in view of the final sacrifice, mado up his mind that he would fight to the uttermost. As soon as he recovered he returned to the lines and died fighting. Is it to be said that tho German bullet whioh killed him did ■not carry absolution to him in his last moments?