EXECUTION OF DUNN, THE BUSHRANGER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 366, 9 April 1866, Page 1

EXECUTION OF DUNN, THE BUSHRANGER.

A'sadder scene was never enacted in that arena of suffering, , ami sin, cotnprised within the walls of Dari inghurst Gaol, : than when John Dunh—the last of tbenotorioustrto who, setting religion. and law at defiaacej .excited ; feelings, of indignation, insecurity .and terror throughout the colony—died an ignominious death upon tbe scatfold: Sad it ; to'see a youhg maui cut off in the 'very flower of his youth, before /twenty summers had, passed -over his head, and-steeped todher eyes/in crimes at which c bautanity may' shudder; and yet it was evident fnim ; the' calm fortitude' displayed by the young .outlaw.when the awful hour of execution came, that, with proper, training, he would have proved himself: worthy of a better fate.' More fortunate* than his two quondam , friends. Hall and .Gilbert, who fell by the avenging' bullet, Duhu bad the advantage of a trial.i witb all ihe solemn fonns of Jaw; and with a lenity which be- accorded notlto his victims, he was allowed time 'to prepare for his appearance before the Great Judge : he was permitted; moreover, to avail himself of the services of a clergyman of the faith which he professed, to instruct and direct hia in kts appeals for .mercy to an ever. merciful God. Between seven and eight o’clock the- two clergymen who, were ' with bint oyer-night, again presented tbem--1 selres.andeudeavored by the osual religious exercises to prepare the mind of lbfe wretched man forhis approaching end, and at a few minutes to nine o’clock the Sheriff proceeded' to the cell, and with the customary formality demanded Bubo’s- body.; Tbe two executioners tbea pinioned the cuiprit, and the mournful..cortege, miored slowly from the wing of the gaol towards the galtows, erected at tb« eastern end- of tta yard. Dima;’who* limped slightly from the effect of the wound 1 In his leg, walked between the two clergymen, aadrrepeated artec them, the- solemn Words of prayer which they uttered. Arrived' at the f<k* of the grim instrament of death, lb« condemned man proeoeded without . sehtineetu meuat

ilie Rev. Mr Dwyer, in }jis clerical robes, and the executioners. Upon the platform the reverend gentleman' read a short prayer, .shook hands with the misguided youth Who was about to pay the penalty of' his crimes .with his life, and left tile scaffold. The fatal rope was speedily adjusted, the white cap was drawn over the condemned man’s face, the holt was withdrawn, and, with the heavy thud which immediately followed, the youn* .outlaw ceased to live. The neck was' evi* xlently broken by the ft«li, for there was not the slightest movement of the muscles to in* dicate that any life remained. After hanging about twenty minutes, the body was cut down, and subsequently delivered to' a Sirs Rickard (who, when the dead man was an innocent infant, stood as bis godmother), for private interment. Thus, perished on the scaffold, by the hinds of the common hang* man, the last at large, and’ the most blood* - thirsty of gang. Of this formidable haml of ; highwaymen, which for so many the colony in awe; it may not be out of place to mention that four still sur* Vive, viz, Gardiner, the chief, who is undergoing a sentence of tlurty*two years’ penal servitude; Vane,who',surrendered, through . the instrumentality of Father M‘Carthy, and was sentenced to fifteen years on the roads; - Bow and Fordye'e, sentenced to death, which was afterwards commuted to fifteen years’ penal servitude. Peisley audManuswere hung; the other five,; namely,. Lowrle, Burke, O’Meally, Ben Hail, and Gilbert, i were shot dead —Burke and O’Mehllyby private hands, and the remainder by the police. The last who joined the gang was. was the “ Old Man,” who gave himself Up to the police, and is now in penal servitude, ' We understand that a. short time before his' execution, Dunn wrote a letter to the governor of the gaol, thanking him and the warders aisj for his and their kindness; There were between sixty and seventy per* sons present to witness the execution.—~ Sydney Mornlng Hcruld, ,20£h March.