EXECUTION OF THE WANTABADGERY BUSHRANGERS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 112, 31 January 1880, Page 2

EXECUTION OF THE WANTABADGERY BUSHRANGERS.

(Condensed from Sydney Evening UTewsh The fioa\ incidents of^ the Wnnft&aiJLgpief tragedy are. thus described : — " ~ ''*~~- ' T^K ihiBROO.ATIYE' OF HBSCT? ' '" " " The Exi?ci<liTfe: bestowed th.o.most.anxionS; ; consideration on the Ws'e, when ii was. left . fo^.them; to say whethW the last dreaH'seh* '-.-, tence. of the -font „ehou,lsL ppro r carried into • effect, or whe+heY sentence of the, „wr,etehed men east for death should be. commAite.d. Everthing ascertainable . re-. ■ ; garding the previous history of the condemned men was perused. "For t#b "days tho matt&'vtas before'the. ; <3oyernmenfc, and ijfc . . Was nrtaljy determined that the reebmmen- .. datibti i'tp.. mercy, pf; thj|JnryCiho^ld.be»dis- ' regardiftdj, apd that the four men should be. left to'the. course of justice. , It was felt by;. 1 the members. o£ the' Ministry th'a£ »n,'ex-_ ample was needed tp t chqclt ' the ; gifowin^. crime, of birthranging. ' .Lojd; ? Augustus. • ' v Loftus, however, m the." exercise _ 'of His! power of pardon, roprieTed "Williamt and' Betniett. The^ sentences of these men-. were, : commuted- to Imprifrnhient for life.". liliey, . are. tip w in Berrima. The exercise of the. . Royal prerogative bjiltp^Altgustus^Qfc . : tua^ opposition to thejady^e^^bl^hii^'rei.,.; • spomible advisers is/ ji.he' sbcop4 i's3?!?^ ( rh < V • course had been par wed, since the.'e^iblisn-. ."., menfc of responsible. Government m Is9^ ' &ujth Wales. . . .- .- ' '"".'.' "! "'.'. ,-,- '.. ' ,' THK SCENE OUTSIDE THE OAOS. . , „ - : At an unusually early hour m the mom-, ing the various avenues to Darlinghursfc GtiUiX' were traversed 6y peopje' Tfendingj.. ' thither, and long before tjhe. time fixed for. ' the execution had arrived 1 the prfciriots f '6iE; ■*? that penal establishment '^«aj "iuied. :^itli ppople. The gathering comprised^ meni vrotnan and children of VaribßS" shades of. : the community. The reason for *tbe. r pre-. sence of an assemblage nnnibj? rjng ;400Q.;i5. . - inexplicable. Nothing could, be heard, pr. seen, although mofjt ingenious, Absurd^.! Mii, sonjev^hat amusing attempt fco^ do -both, ' -were made. Many of the larrikins srnlod tlie adjacent ttees, vainly hopfog.ini "ascend-: .' ing that they would bVof~sujf^!e.ht;' 'height, to^albw them to look ojet;. tife. wtjilsof the. ;. '. gnpl m the. direction ofthe kjkit whrnw some. * well-informed persons rhjcUrea: *he 7 gallows • | to be ; but on reaching^ ;^he ;Bumn?i.l|ithey-' i were disappointed ■ One periprf afirmeik-'- ' that from his position .ona/treo' life coffld We.- '; the ropes, and hd'was"'l66Eed;n^ylwM.: ;" enyy vjnf'ti he was, t& ■ evident) -f^llsfab-..":? nion of thoift wbp.-hj^l_faile4^tftjgb^nui. similar nu>de.^o |le9cent ? imost;ex^ •< ppdit iously- 'bv a policeman.*;, Ths",vh%hesfe YV. of the. : o'effs of the •<•'•■ were so led, while sl^^^Qen^etdlfßetfpnt; . ftandin 1 %roof fully a anarter.of * mila,«. . awa/.-fjudgiog^rbiaabilih^Wi&iiyhiiteiflL the different positions takea : up; were, helut'. . no view coßld.be. obfcained.;- - ■„■• ■ •.%•=; -.. .- BOOftT*B'.pi9O.BAPHI, IMD FEWAZ.B . WUBSJ^j. Scoit » 8o)d io hate written tk full apa\ -

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giving the chief incidents of his career.-from his boyhood, and has dedicated ttie nirtjCr txre to the respectable woman -who had somysteriously, yet withal derotedly, . l&r&L him, and whom he has. enjoined to do-all, m her power for the early release of the reprieved young men, Williams ami Bennett.. This woman left her home, relatives,- and friends m Victoria,. and since her wriyal m. Sydney has been working might and main night and day m behalE of Scott and Itogah, the former of whom, it " i*. her ..e'bnTiotibn' was quite a different man to whhfc ' lie i» deemed and represented to- be, and'tHat his eharaeter is only thoroughly known and understood by herself. She is ' hdw- borne' Up with the hope that, sooner or-later; some remarkable circumstances will .be> brought' to light which will- removo ranch, if not tha whole, of the stigma of Scott's :> Jife;nn acriminal and death at the hands of a common hangman. Scott communicated with most of his friends and relation^ while m his condemned cell, and requested the person referred to procure him,* iittraher of" bibles, prayer, hymn, and other boots. These were furnished, and he has inscribed and .addressed one to each "of hi« relativeV* and principal acquaintances m different parts of ustralia, to whom they wero forwarded 'to-' day. His physical condition improved whilfHao was condemned, and that -haggard spnenrqin^e which he presented- at. the close of the trial was completely removed. He -would chat incessantly with-: those, who visited him, and often places; his cell m the merriest of hnmor«, .whifa he 'ipdke of. his' approaching death with astounding oampla*ency. There were tim^s Jw.fteoL,.lii^ -;Y? U W. fly, without appare'at cause,' * ipf . o . violent roge, particularly at one time" tjp°n the ireceint of what, is said . .to' have been .an annoyiiytTClelter, m which he was described as a coto|hJ who hud attempted to place' the blame of the bushranging e*ploi£ on the shoulders of his confederates, The^contents pf this letter for a" time.reWqvod maiiy, of the good impressions made upon* Ma' mm.d J»y Canon "Rich and Mrs. Gregory. 1 *; .. SCOTT'S LABT MOMBNTS;/ Scott to the last failed to^roMise'KU deep criminality, and cannot : hp sftid ; to-h*ve died penitent. Forty -eight hours before a man is going to die he q light to-lMfo# the inner working of his mind sncl soul, r- IJst pecialiy a man like Scott, who. was 1 posr se^ed of more than ordinarr intelligence and education, it may bVpr«sunje4. that he knew what he was saying when he tjeU'eped his views last Saturday -or the. efttcaoy ; Qf prayer, and his views on religion 'gifing at tbo'same rime a retrospect' of hjs pa»t life. On the subject of Jirayer he •ilenthourof night-i when i( upbbsei\Y«i. bythe gaoler,.! would go down onjm.v-kn'ees trying to pray but all •efforts failed m^>. Jt^iecl, ■nreral times but, 1 found % could not pray with the.^tanw (uvpn^nesn and ferrour with which I used to pwiy when a boy. I tried to convince myself of the powerof prayer but did nqt aurceed. J sornp; times tried to pro j for Rogan, and ' found that my heart was more qcceqsibhv % know that his religion iq diflkmnt tq mine. He is.ji Roman Catholic an.d I belong \& th.c pliurch,' of England ; «nd yet I often ih'vtfi that jf " I could believe m Catholiojsm J could pray for Rognn." He was n.at afraid to die. ? '|Herc," h« iatd " Icoqld. go into the yard and ouimand a company pCj<oldirrjj to fire at me, but £ cannot hear to die an ignominious death on the gnllows.' ' Besides \'tii& hangman might ppt f|o >js '■•jrqrk w«;Jl, as m case of Mann* Why shbnlrt they pinion me nnd why place over my head t<hat abomin-. able garment the-white Cap? I should like to see how I am. dyifl'g'fdri .&& rviot afraid pf death:": Ab,an* religion hoJe^preMed' his • belief t nnf there was iminort-^ity. ,He believed m Christianity, bn^^pi;- m the manner m whicti it waspriicti'»ki* I M.Uth>:«^r'K)urid. ings irijg^oj showed that ihore was very little of* that phristiHij^gratxof wbyjii he. heard 80 niuch but vorßSji>ldonl fqujiiq. He spoke b|,tho life bejoiid ihe.grajje^wid shid a mnn need not be>-plir^t^.n. to- belief m it. Thcwsep^aUages-J^pVyfonini^Ericp, irho wa«. a Qrpek, livirtg.'long-.befowf ih? rise of phristaoity— speaks of afutui^ life m the Ilhaedrus. He en rod a great denl about the opinions of men' affer'-his dpnth. He desired to appear hpFqt* the wprltf '■•iV a man-Trhohad been grcn6H*lylhjt\r{yl hy %he guardians of (the law; '■' JTqt adinjtt«t jinTihg coinmittcd fraud, (or w^iehhe bad been imprisoned, hut averrejl. thaP when at' Egerton he led nn honest life- %as: then sitit'dre m his religion, hut nately, ihjp hj^nk rqbWy ccciirred, nnd the blame was put on him. Ha dk-iarod'that he ms innocent of the robbery, and the cridfnre oh which ho had hceu coii.T^c(ed. Tv Tague. :.. ,;, ... •■ „, At baif-pftsj, 7 p>loek a.mj pn \h* 90*h inst., tho u?ua^ prison breakfast wa« ser-ved . to the m.en i»rhose lives wew sp,s.pp,n,- tPrterminate. On the previoiuj -, uight the prison o%inls TtJhdiy allowed the aulanred, of \bs . to remain ,far beyond the appoin^d^ Ijo.u>. ~ Whjfti |^r«. Amess left, Scott Resumed i.fiis writing and epjtmued inciting f'lettf jf9' «?^i f» m fln ' •.penUlbe remainder of the morninig"' flilg'cting uneasy m his hnmmock. Kogan took things quite eoolv, a^d,- .^ept oa iW-efully as a child the wHp^nightr AVha)f-pastß ■.m. tho dreaded' intimation wns conveyed :t|l 'he. doomed mpnthnt "tHey hnd onify ht.'f an hour to lire. TJjie men attemptp^ to improve their appearance, ns m,uch ns po3 ible. At ft o'clock Scott's, 'irprii were knocked off by tha prison ; b^ksmith: These irons weigh 6lk/apa'Scd^tVemrirkVd II Well t )m l t a relief :*? t 'lMgat, .Ipokecl very miiprnhle trben his "irons were kriocjicd off! He said nojhjng b^f; b^f ~h^«i head o^ his Y east - When the twp^bonwl^'i^tefed the comdor of death, a change cartieibver them. Bogan forgpj^ 4.he eo^nrdJlc^ *K>WJ" y^ffh he. had.heaa chafgiar!, and^Htnittcd |() the pinio.^frb^ ther Kiu^tnan "with f ivglia^Uy joke. Sco.tt who looked haggard evident lyfrAin.'ti'P^an.fc pflhe/previous night's sleep wns herf biifi %$& Mgrty. C«iJlich att end wV Scott aitd y^ted with •flim from the condemned cell 'to the giiyoxy* reading theb(>ri»l service QfjtJjfChi^i of England^ Father Ryan if tendea B^ogaw. At five winutes past p.'ciock Andrew Qeorge Scotf a^ Roam stood on the fatal trap-door. Bpgan displnyed greater Courage than ho had previously shown. I)isth evidently )jji4 no* terrors for him for he. walked through the pa^SAge bol:l.ly arid #itl)out the •' fligh'te«fc .'t»«nior. bj>in}r irisibld'iivlus. } frame. Father * Ryj>n vvas^ ffijiduo^s h,is attention at thisjtime^ nsV jninisterin^ the, l:wt rite.? of (ho Chnw'i of Brotne. Scott w:w. v.cry nervous and, >|\ftid vary. wiMly wiieri.'he' guafil Jvii», last «|^ ; tbtf. When saw the aSsj^nbiage he: ninttered " Wfint do aU v the#e;piß>ple .',- *r*A fc ?" Neitlier of.J.Jie .m«n .atleinjtite/l tomake a apeeah. Scot t/. it nviy, be t bu^nenpromi^tl Canoii Rich Vliat.hV'.pw>3Jt' ■ay nothing on tho g/Uluws. The. Haiigiu.in known .v " Nosey &&S' aupeft^.toibAjtej made hij arwngonienT; well. •' J GOO IVBYBj 'VW. Whon- the whife cspi-'^Sfa ''diritvft over ' their foj'3, an'l 'ho.-ti^o 4^pmad nj,en, .stood pn^ t'ne*fjiiil plut^.u, .a hope' m , th^: world anifT, fjM^^ *M^Sii^4shVt Btretched out-his UmjU "^• r l^in.^hdV : *»i||j m monrnffll touching ttyteii^i 'f'^Ood-Hy^i' ,«4lv". - W$ ma;l«'a'^tljnjst'i:k;piV- 'ii'iiy • Wli,was drawn, and fcTrd^J^w wtts vitiilic'Aed*.^ 1 WMV:diiVd iiUnpst jnitnntaflfortSljri -Rtigm

buried m the unsconecrMftl gKiwi^st Haslem's Greek.v ■■-. 1 *Abont 4i9 individuals witnessed the exreujtion;. Of these, between 15 and 20 wbre gentlemen who ebtHined special order? from .the sheriff to be present, the remainder were prison and police officials. ■'•■■ ;"■■' MESSAGE PHOM BOGAST TO SCOTT. The reason ;Scott made .ho speech, it is thought, by^sonie, .was m consequenne of the Press hot being;adthittfd. The real reason is., that Rogan sent last night, a message "t;fihotigh Fattier "Rynn- fo Scott begging of him that he should i not tnake a- speech as it ' would unman him, 1 and Scott yielded to Rogan's re.9,uest. ; THE TTTICBBAIi.' It was announced that Mrs. Ames? was gning to claim the body of Scott, and have him. buried at Gundagai, and that Mrs. 'Rogan \rot|ld defray the expenses of her' son's fuperal. Mrs. Rogan and her daughter, who is. a barmaid m Vii'toria, however, left no provision for the' burial, and the work. was done by tho Government. lira. : Amess provided a superior coffih for Scott to the ones provided by the gaol. A few minutes after 12 a "mourning coach took up a position midday between the gnnl ana cab-stand. Sitting m the coach was the mysterious lady m black, snd she was accompanied by a female friend. In the private porch of Johnstone's was seen a dark-haired ' and bearded gentleman, dressed m n suit of black, with blnok kid glovpi. This turned out to be the Rev. Jo'm Alexander Dowie, !who partly shadpd his face'from'observa■tion behind a well-known umbrella. So soon as the hearse came out pf. the 'gaol, at twenty-Qre minutes past 12, he left ofE peering, and tried to hail tho mourning ooacli. The driver would not respond, and Dowie had to precipitately scramble into the mourning coach; faking his spat opposite -the ltdy amid -the audible chaff of some "persohsj who recognised " the mercy agitator," f'-XPE lADT IJJ BLACK." MtJch hhan a boon sat'l nbont "the mrsterious lady." Canon Ru-hjstatcs that Mrs. Ame?s, >vho wns eni, r agod to Scott, is a clever, well-informed, and highly respeel able lady. She iwsides rcH.-les m Victoria, and has a so.i nine years of agt'. She keenly feels the inuendoes sought to be cast upon hor. nnd her letter to the Eoening News shows-tbat. she is po?so«Aed, of tact nnd ability. "Sbe is a teacher by profession, and has expellent references from* some of thp most- influenlwl families in' Melbourne.