THE LYTTELTON MURDER.

Evening Star, Issue 3807, 7 May 1875, Page 2

THE LYTTELTON MURDER.

[Bt Telegraph.] . . Christchurch, May 7. The execution of John Mercer for the murder of Isabella Thompson took place at eight o’clock this morning, within the precincts of the Lyttelton gaol. Ho slept very soundly met night, and took a good breakfast. The Rev. J. Ferguson (Presbyterian minister) was with him at a very early hour this morning; but he paid very little attention to religious matters, and appeared thoroughly careless of his approaching fate. He was exhorted to make a confession, but protested his innocence throughout. Before leaving the cell for the scaffold, he wrote in a firm hand on a paper referring _ to the murder, ‘‘l am innocent of this crime.” He walked with a firm tread to the scaffold, attended by the Kev. J. Fergusson. After the rope had been adjusted he said in a very firm voice, “ Farewell, gentlemen, may God have mercy on my soul, and while the cap was being drawn down he was heard to say, “lam an innocent man.” Up to the last moment of being visible hie features wore a kind of half smile, which, however, some said wae natural to him. He died very easy, only one or two faint spasms being perceptible after the drop fell. After hanging twenty minutes the body was taken down and removed to the 1 dead house. The features of the corpse worn a firm ealm look, and were in no way distorted. The medical examination proved that the neck was not dislocated, and that he died of suffocate If bo had been released two minutes after the drop fell ha would have survived Fourteen persons were present at the execution, ihe hangman was the same person who hung Caedeno, and resides at Raugiora. Yesterday evening Meroer said to one of the jailors, “ ft will be deuced cold work hanging at eight o clock in the morning. I hope! shall be pUca,” aU hoU^*Walk 0r a '***' befor * [t tak#s {From, our own Correspondents.) Mercer was perfectly callous up to the last moment. When on the drop he asked to be allowed to speak, but all he said was, “ Good bye, gentlemen, I never did that crime.” He took four minutes to die, and though the drop was four feet his neck was not broken.