THE EXECUTION OF BURNS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3622, 20 February 1883, Page 4

THE EXECUTION OF BURNS.

(South Australian Register, January 19.) William Burns, who was convicted at the last Criminal Sessions of the murder of the second mate of the ship Douglas, suffered the extreme penalty of the law on Thursday morning, at 8 o'clock, ivithin the Avails of 'Adelaide' gaol. The particulars of the trajredv wliieli east Burns and his Y'ictim their lives Avill be fresh in our_ readers' memory, and do not require recapitulation. The oifence as disclosed by the evidence Avas one of those occasioned by a hasty use of the knife in a moment, of passion, and it is satisfactory to record that the murderer since his conviction has acknoAY'ledgcd and expressed penitence for liis crime, and admitted tho justice of his punishment. Since his trial Burns, avllo never entertained a hope of being respited, has dcA-oted nearly the whole of his time to religious duties, and in all respects conducted himself Yvith the greatest propriety, his quiet resigned demeanor having Avon him the respect of those inAvhosc keeping he has been. During- the past day or two the prisoner wrote to Iris mother in Devonshire, and also to his brother, to both of Avhom he confided his belief of future pardon and his soitoav for the wicked deed. He has paid great attention to the reverend gentlemen Avho visited him. and on more than one occasion during the day and night prior to his execution stated bis confident belief in the Almighty's forgii-eness: one of his last remarks, made to a prison official, being, ' When you walk over mv grave you can say. " Poor Bums isn't dead; he's gone.' " 'the condemned man, who had signified to the gaoler his intention of not iroiug to sleep at all, saying, " Why should I sleep; I shall have enough sleep to-morrow," retired to _ rest about nine o'clock on AVednesday night, but was unable to repose before 3 a.m., when he enjoyed a short slumber, lasting about an hour and a half. He then got up and dressed, after ivhich he continued in prayer, occasionally singing snatches of hymns, until the arrival of the Rev. .1. Lyall at seven o'clock. During the night lie often spoke to the warder, mentioning the deep gratitude he felt towards Air and Airs Howell for their Mndncss to him, and reiterating his readiness to meet his doom in the belief of after forgiveness. He i>uvtook of breakfast, consisting of eggs and coffee, at six o'clock-, after ivhich he smoked a pipe, seeming to enjoy both. lie remained in prayer AY-ith"Air Lyall until five minutes to eight, when he was taken from his cell and pinioned. As the clock struck eight the prison bell commenced to 1011, and the unhappA- man, accompanied by the Rev. J. Lyall and Air Berry (city missionary), and followed by two or three Avarders, left the corridor, and proceeded through the courtyard to the big iron gate, AY-here the procession ivas joined by'the sheriff and under sheriffs, the governor of the gaol, the medical men and the reporters, no one else else except a few officials being present. The prisoner walked with a firm step, and recpiired no assistance AY'hatever, his lips niOA'ing as he repeated the Lord's Prayer while progressing. When the procession reached the reserve Avhere the galknys Avas erected, the unhappy man upon viewing the ghastly instrument of death suddculy tuvned his eyes upwards and changed color, and a shudder seemed to pass over his frame ; but recovering himself almost immediately, ho walked unassisted to tho steps of the scaffold. Here he shook hands Avith the ministers, ivho Averc considerably a fleeted as he bade them good-bye. He then rpuckly ascended to the drop, Avhere the hangman Avas Avaiting. Air Howell stepped up to see that the preparations ivere complete, and Burns having kissed his hand, the white cap Avas draAvn oatt his face, and the rope adjusted round his neck. Air HoAvell defended immediately after, and at a signal from the sheriff the bolt ivas drawn, and in another moment the wretched man Ai'fis sAvung into eternity. Except for a few muscular twitching* tlic body never moved alter the drop fell, and death must have been instantaneous. The knot used Avas the one ini-cntcd by Afarwood, and _ kuoivn as "the thimble," an article of that description being placed behind the ear to facilitate dislocation of the neck. The drop Avas about 4 feet G inches in depth. The prisoner's demeanor up_ to the lust Avas very composed, and he evidently died without'a struggle. After hanging for an hour, the body Avas cut doivn, and the usual inquest, having been held, it was subsequently buried AYithin the precincts of the gaol. As soon as the execution ivas over one of the Avarders produced a young sparrow, AY'hich had been given to the prisoner shortly afterhisincarccration, nndAvhiehhehadmadc a great pet of. The little bird had lived in his cell and been a companion to thcunhappyman in his last moments, and AY'hen it Avas taken from him on Thursday morning he seemed greatly affected. The'feathery prisoner ivas released later on, andfleAv about the gaol for some time as if looking for its protector, apparently expecting him to bring its morning crumbs. Some further particulars as to the career of Bums have been supplied to us by AVilliam Reed, first mate of the ship Barunga, iioav lying at Port Adelaide. It appears that in 1876 he came out to Alelbourne from Liverpool as a seaman in the ship Thomas Bell, of AY-hich Reed ivas mate. During the voyage he Ai'as exceedingly troublesome and violent, and had to be put iv iron no less than seven times. On one occasion, Avhen all hands were called out, Burns did not make his appearance. The captain (Gru/elier) went into the forecastle to order him on deck at once, but he had hardly spoken when Burns felled him to the ground ivith a scraper. Tho mate rushed up to Burns, and presenting a reA-olvcr at him threatened to shoot him if he AY-ere not quiet. Burns merely said "fire away" in an offhand manner, and he Avasthen placed in irons. At another time ivhen the men were reefing the mainsail Burns spoke iv ■mi impertinent manner to Reed, who thereupon knocked him down. The other drcAvhis knife, and Avas only prevented from attacking' the mate/with it by some of the other sailors. A day or two after the ship arrived in Alelbourne Bums stabbed a man with a knife in a public-house, and got IS months'imprisonment for it. He also received an additional term of incarceration for his previous assault on Captain Gruzelier.