EXECUTION OF OFARRELL.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 363, 12 May 1868, Page 3

EXECUTION OF OFARRELL.

The following appeared in an extraordinary edition of the Sydney Herald on Tuesday : — The terrible penalty of the law for the crime committed by the assassin O'Farrell upon the person of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, at Clontarf, on 12th March, was exacted at Darlinghurst Gaol this morning, and the convicted felon died an ignominoua death upon the scaffold. The authorities not knowing what desperate deeds might be attempted made arrangements for any outbreak that could possibly occur, and in addition to a large number of police, who. were stationed in the Lunatic Receiving House, opposite the western wall of the g.-vol, they had a large body of soldiers of the 50th Regiment posted in the Court House. It is hardly necessary to say that although large crowds of people congregated in the vicinity of the gaol, the utmost decorum and good order prevailed. A large number of gentlemen, including members of the legislature, Justices of the Peace, and well known private citizen?, were admitted into the gaol by order ot the Sheriff, and when the execution took place there were upwards of a hundred persons present. We understand that O'Farrell slept soundly all night, and has been accustomed to do so since his incarceration, and up to the last he preserved that cheerfulness of manner that he has exhibited ever since his arrest. It is so far satisfactory to know that within the last few days he several times expressed gladness that the shot fired by him at the Prince did not inflict a mortal wound ; and he stated, moreover, that if he was liberated he would not attempt it again, but should consider the life of his Royal Highness sacred. He also gave expression to a feeling of satisfaction that the Duke did not go to New Zealand, as he feared that another attempt upon his life would have been made there. O'Farrell rose about six o'clock this morning, and conducted himself as he has been accustomed to do since his conviction, but as the hour for his execution approached he shook hands with the officers of the gaol who had been in attendance upon him, and thanked them for the kindness and consideration with which they had treated him. Shortly after eight o'clock, the Rev. J. Dwyer, Roman Catholic Chaplain of the gaol, arrived, and remained some time in conversation with the prisoner. As the sound of the bell striking nine died away, the two executioners, Elliot and Ward, entered the wing in which the prisoner was confined, and commenced to ; pinion him. At the termination of this process, a procession was formed, and the solemn cortege began to move towards the gallows, which was erected in the usual place, in the corner of the yard, near the workshop and kitchen. The prisoner, who walked by the side of the Rev. Mr Dwyer, was preceded by two of the" officers of the gaol, and followed by the Sheriff (Mr M'Lean), the Governor of the Gaol (Mr Read), the Under-Sheriff, the Visiting Magistrate, and other officials. The spectators looked in vain up«n the face of the culprit for any indication of emotion, but it was observed that Ins lips moved in response to the prayers which were being offered by his rev., attendant. On arrival at the foot of the gallows, the prisoner and attendant priest knelt a few moments in prayer, and then O'Farrell rose and mounted with a quick stey — which might almost be called a run— the steps of the scaffold. One of the executioners took hold of his arm with the view of assisting the pinioned man up the steps, but the latter spurned the proffered help, and appeared to regard the touch of the grim functionary as an insult. On reaching the platform, the minister of religion offered another Bhort prayer, which was inaudible to the spectators, and then finally shaking hands with the condemned culprit, left him to his fate. It was confidently expected by many persons that the prisoner would make a statement on the scaffold^ but no word did he utter after he had shaken hands with the clergyman who had been attending him. The adjustment of the rope, and drawing the white cap over the unhappy man's head were but the work of a few seconds, and barely had these preparations been made by the executioner than the other withdrew the bolt, and O'Farrell fell a lifeless mass, his neck having evidently been broken by the sudden jerk. The only motion obserable in the body was a slight drawing up of the feet, but this was simply the action of the muscles without conscious pain. It will be seen from the foregoing, that while there was an absence of everything like bravado in the demeanor of the prisoner in the last hours of life, he met his richly-merited doom in the most calm, cool, and collected manner. It was evident that he was entirely self-possessed to the last moment. After hanging about half-an-hour, the body was cut down, and, it ia understood, handed over to the order of his sister for interment.