THE PARRAMATTA MURDERS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1225, 2 July 1872, Page 3

THE PARRAMATTA MURDERS.

EXECUTION OF NICHOLS AND LESTER. The Sydney Morning Herald furnishes us with the following account of the execution of Nichols and Lester :— The closing scene of the Parramatta River tragedy was enacted at Darlinghurst gaol this morning, when the criminals Nichols and Lester underwent the extreme penalty of the law. The circumstances attending the commission of the crimes by the unfortunate and misguided men are too recent to have faded from the memory ; but it may be remarked that in very few instances in the history of the colony has deliberately planned and executed crime met with such speedy detection. After the discovery of the bodies of the victims in the Parramatta River, comparatively few hours elapsed before the officers of justice were upon the track of the perpetrators of the crimes, and the chain of evidence was gathered link by link until the whole proceedings takeu by the murderers were laid open, and the murderers themselves in the hands of justice. There could have been no doubt of the guilt of the men from the first, but it must be a consolation to all right-feeling persons that Nichols and Lester have iUK|Ladmitted their crimes. Since their conviction and sentence both men have been assiduously attended by the Rev. Canon Rich (gaol' chaplain) and the Rev. T. Gainsford, who succeeded in bringing thewretched culprits to a proper sense of their awful position. Latterly the Rev. Thomas Smith, of St. Barnabas', has also been administering the consolation of religion to Nichols, who, with his companion Lester, earnestly sought for Divine forgiveness for their sins. The excite-

which has, all through, pervaded mind in reference to the Parramatta River murders, culminated, as was expected, in a rush of applicants for admission to witness the execution, and in the sheriff's office the clerks were engaged for several days in dealing with the importunities of persons who would not be denied. As early as half-past sevon o'clook this morning a crowd began to assemble in front of the gaol gate, but no one waß admitted until nine o'clock. The result of ibis arrangemeut was that a most unseemly and disgraceful scramble took place, and as visitors were admitted singly through tho wicket, there was a constant struggle to get near the gate. This might have been obviated if those who possessed orders had been admitted as they applied at the gate. At nine o'clock the condemned men left the cell, preceded by the Rey. Canon Rich, and accompanied by the Rev. T. Gainsforth and the Rev. Thomas Smith. Nichols appeared the firmer of the two men, but both were evidently resigned to and prepared for death. Upon reaching the scaffold they engaged in fervent prayer, after which Nichols stepped forward, and with great composure, and in a dear and distinct voice, said to the people assembled in the yard, "My friends, I think it is only right that I should acknowledge the justice of tho sentence passed upon me. I thank God for bringing me to a state that I can see I ought to suffer for my crimes. I never thought I should come to this, and I hope it will be a warning to you. Once I was an innocent child, but I was led into temptation, and fell into evil ways. I once resolved to be good, but I did not pray to God to assist me. I now ask Bis forgiveness, and trust in Him." Nichols then repeated a portion of the 117 th Psalm—" O, praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise Him, all ye people; for His mercy is great towards us, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever ; praise ye the Lord." Ho then bade them good-bye, and after a brief paiise, Lester advanced, and in a voice broken by emotion said that he felt the justice of his sonteuce, and that he should suffer for what he had done. Ho said he hoped what had happened to him would be a warning to young men, particularly those who had Christian parents. He was proceeding to speak of his mother, when he was overcome by emotion, and after several attempts to speak, said, « I cannot express my feelings ; good-bye, my friends.*' The executioner then proceeded to adjust the rope round Lester's neck, and while doing so he appeared to tighten it somewhat roughly, and an expression of pain appeared to pass over the unfortunate young man's features. The assistant performed the necessary office upon Nichols, and shortly afterwards the drop fell, and the murderers of Walker and Bridger paid the penalty for their crimes. Death on the part of the young man Lester was instantaneous, but life did not appear to be extinct, in the case of Nichols, for fairy ten minutes. He, however, appeared to be quite insensible to pain, and only gave evidence of vitality by spasmodic movements of the arms. The usual time having elapsed, and certificate of death having been given, the bodies were removed, placed in shells, and removed to the deadhouse preparatory to interment. Tho prisoners were executed in the usual prison dress. Both prisoners retired to rest at tho Usual hour last night, but Lester did not sleep until a late hour. This morning they ate a hearty breakfast, after which they gave themselves up to religious devotion, with the Rev. Canon Rich and the Rev. Thomas Smith, who were in . their company from an early hour. Mr John Rogers, of Sydney, has written a letter to the Sydney MonUmj Hemltl, in which he gives the following particulars relativo to the antecedents of the convict Alfred Lester, ,who was executed in Sydney yesterday, with his accomplice Nicholls, for the Parramatta murders :— "Probably lam the only person in the colonies who was acquainted with him in England. He was appointed by the London and South-Western Railway Telegraph Company when 14 years of age to the charge of that department at ouacountry railway station, and which, ha was conducting when I left England, about two years afterwards, in,,t&» year 3864. My business necessitated daily contact with him. He. discharged his duties at the station, very efficiently, though only quite a youth, and was nniversauy respected by the whole neighborhood, his character during that period being that of a meek, placid, obliging, honest, and intelligent youth. He arrived hare m the ship Middlesex, on the 14*h November, 1869, calling many times upon me, and was apparently the same mild, placid youth as formerly, when, of course, I felt considerable interest in him. On the 14th January, 1870, he obtained a situation, in which he remained till the 23rd of February following. In March he appears to have formed bad associations, which resulted in his obtaining articles in his employer's name from several large establishments, for which he was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Bis utter want of experience in crime appears apparent from the fact that the above offences were the work of several weeks, and were therefore absolutely certain of detection, the evidence of which can be seen upon reference to the Central Police Court proceedings of the 30th of March, 1870. The day after his release, early in January last, he called upon me, repenting, with shewers of tear&.; his greatest anxiety appearing,, tp .be a heart-felt hope that I had not mentioned his misfortune in any of "my communications home, wtych li assured him I had not. He expressed a wish to return to England, and I strongly advised him wdo So. He decided upon trying to get a passage home, in the accomplishment of which, in case he failed, I promised 1 my assistance. H» was to have called in a day or two and acquainted me of his success, but appears to have called «pon Nichols, and what followed is well known. The next time he called' was on the Friday, the day before his arrest (Nichols being with him), to know if I had received any letters for, him froni home. I remarked, • Why, Alfred, where have you been I I thought you were on your way to England.' Bis reply was (pointing to Nichols), 'That is my master, and I have been working for him for the last six weeks.'"

For continuation of Jbews see 4th Page.)