THE EXECUTION OF DONOHUE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2489, 11 June 1884, Page 2

THE EXECUTION OF DONOHUE.

WRITTEN STATEMENT. The execution of John Donohue, who was tried and convicted, and sentenced to death on the 13th March for the murder of James Gifford on the night of the sth January, took place within the Hokitika Gaol, at eight o'clock this morning. There were very few persons present, and these consisted chiefly of the principal officers of the Courts of Justice, and a strong body of police. A brother of Gifford, the murdered man, was also present, and several representatives of the Press. Only some six to eight persons stood outside the gaol iu order to chance gaining admissioD, which was not allowed. The scaffold, about ten feet high, was erected between two of the gaol buildings in the interior part of the gaol and barricaded at the back and front. Shortly before eight o'clock, the appointed hour for the execution, the sound of the unloosening of the rivets of the chains by which the condemned man had been bound, could be distinctly heard, and the culprit was led forth from his cell accompanied by the Rev. Father Martin, into the gaol yard, where he was asked if he had any statement to make.

lb appears that three days previously Donohue had asked for paper and pencil, and, probably at intervals, the condemned man wrote out a statement, which he this morning read out with a firm voice, and unfaltering till he came near to the end. Before reading it he said—" Let no man ask me questions; I will not answer questions to any man." He then proceeded to read as follows:

"About the conduct of the juiy in Court I will say a few words. I know that they were put there not to try me but to convict me.

" Had I been an Englishman or a Scotchman I would never have been convicted on such evidence as I was; but I was Irish, and that was enough to hang me. "Bub let the jury that found me guilty on such evidence remember that they will not be long after me, if I am murdered, for murder it must be.

"As for Mr Perkins, the lawyer, that brought so much wrong against me in the summing up : oh, my God ! mark this man ! and rank him among the jury ! " As for Sergeant O'Grady, he is a second Norbeary; he would hang me to-day and try me to-morrow.

" Constable Nash did me justice in one respect, but in many others he is a perjured man.

" As for M'Pherson, M'Fee, Poyntin, Tuckey, Thomas Collins, and any of the witnesses that bore anything false against me or that were the cause of others doing so, they will suffer very sore; for it I hold them all to their God for justice. " There is one man in particular that I would wish to draw the notice of the public to, and that is Patrick Hickey. He is a perjured man. Oh, ray God ! mark this man, and rank him among the jury ! " Mr Todd is the only man that did me justice. He said that no man could swear to an umbrella unless he had a private mark on it.

" 1 know that the people all believe niH gn'vu of the murder of James Giff'ord • Inn the day will come when they will believe otherwise; the sacrifice that will be required by ray God will lull wlictbiu I am or not. " Much has been said about me writ-

ing letters to Father Roland. I never wrote him a letter in my life. I was at his place once; he was not at home. I wrote a few lines and left it for him. I have written letters to send to Father Roland, bat did not send them ; so if he has any more letters from me, they must have been taken out of my hut, and given to him. " If my body is claimed, I wish to be buried in Greymouth; but I would advise no man to have anything to do with it, or any portion of it. "To my brothers in Ireland and America I send my best love; and do ye be faithful to your creed and your country, and if necessary die for them. "The men of Maori Creek, they have wronged me very much for the last eight or nine years. Catell North, Pat Sheeley, John Sullivan, John Collins, "William Glashan, and Kelly and M'Guire, from Maori Gully—these men, with Father Roland, have done for me.

" And now as I am going to be murdered I will ask one request from my God, and that is: Oh, my good God ! if yon ever send a mao into this world a second time, let it be me, and arm me with all you have now gifted me, with all you have bestowed on me, and all that is due to me by your holy law! and oh, my God! if this is not granted to me, arm me with your ao 'y> your charitable, your divine sword, that was never drawn only in a good cause. And let the spirit of the O'Donohue fly around my starving, but yet faithful and brave couutrymen in their struggle for liberty. "And, oh my God, if this murder takes place, let my agony in :he struggles of death be aa short as my wrong has been in this world great. "Father Roland has wronged me very much for the eight or nine years I went into the chapel to him in Maori Creek. I told him that the blood of my honoured sisters of my native land, the tears of the widows and orphans, and the men of my starving, but yet faithful and brave country will descend from the heavens on your head if anything happen to mo. [The last few lines are unintelligible, but the statement concluded as follows :—] "God save Ireland; Lord Jesus, have mercy on my poor soul! " John Donohue." The prisoner's arms were pinioned at the elbows behind ; and when he was being led by the executioner up the steps to the scaffold, he said " Til go first; I want no one to assist me." He seemed very firm and resolute, a little tremulousness only in the hands being observable. Before placing the white cap over his head, the doomed man was asked if he had anything to say. He replied in a loud voice—- " God save Ireland !" " God save Ireland !" " God save Ireland !"

The prisoner stood quite motionless and composed whilst the fatal noose was being" adjusted, and the executioner then motioning those who were on the scaffold near to the drop to stand back, the bolt was drawn and the wretched man launched into eternity.