The Mount Rennie Outrage

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 79, 8 January 1887, Page 3

The Mount Rennie Outrage

PARTICULARS OF THE PRISONERS.

Sypnky, December 20. All the members of the executive 1 mot on Thursday lust to consider the i case of the young men condemned to I death for the Mount Rennie outrage The Council sat from 11 a.m. till past 6 o'clock p.m., ihe greater part of the day being occupied in reading the evidence in the case. Mr Justice 1 Windoyer was in attendance in the

morning and answered several questions. The result of the deliberations was that in the case of Michael Connell and Hugh Miller and George

Regan the death sentence was corni muted to imprisonment for life, the first three years to be spent in irons, and that in the case of the remainder • of the culprits — William Hill, George Duffy, William Newman, Joseph Martin, William Boyce, and George Read — it was decided that the death sentence should be carried out. When the decision of the Executive was communicated to the unhappy men, most of them received it in silence, but shortly afterwards some gave way to grief and tears. The following are particulars of the three men who have been respited: — Michael Donnell was born in Woolloomooloo. He is aged seventeen, is a Roman Catholic, and had no occupation. Hugh Miller was ! born in Sydney. He is nineteen years old, a Presbyterian, and by trade an engine-cleaner. George Reegan is aged nineteen ; was born at Mittagwng is a Roman Catholic, and a laborer by trade. According to the records at Darlingliurst Court, Reegan had been convicted twice and Miller once previously for minor offences. The following particulars relate to the men vrho are to suffer the extreme penalty of the law : — William Hill was born at Redfern, is aged twenty-two, is a Presbyterian, and an engine cleaner. George Duffy was born at Dapto, is seventeen years old, a Catholic, and a woolwasher by trade. William Newman is a native of Sydney, and aged eighteen. He was a dealer, and belongs to the Church of England. J. Martin was born at Waterloo. He is aged seventeen, is a Roman Catholic by faith, and a woolwasher by trade. Wm. Boyce was born at Redfern ; he is nineteen years old. Robert George Reid was born in Victoria ; he is aged nineteen, a Presbyterian, and a laborer by trade. The records of Darlinghurst show that Boyce has been thrice, and Newman, once previously convicted of minor offences. Sweetman, the cabman, who was sentenced to fourteen years' imprisonment and two floggings for participation in the outrage is in delicate health, and on the recommendation of the Government medical officer the floggings have been remitted. Public subscriptions are to be raised for the purpose of presenting a gold watch and address to Wm. Stanley, the chief witness in the case, who made a gallant attempt to rescue the girl from her assailants.