THE EXECUTION OF WOODGATE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 26, 30 January 1877, Page 2

THE EXECUTION OF WOODGATE.

; (Marlhorough Express January 27). "W"e shall hot say how or by what means a person wag , who wai willing to take the place vacated by one who undoubtedly . undertook to do the duty. (Suffice it to say; that; the police, or somebody did discoversuqb^a person, and that in. the e4rly moaning* the; Sheriff, accompanied by the Inspector of Police, drove^ through' again t6 Pjcton. Tihere they called on the Ke>. Mr RoaaldsonV who went to the gaol and informed' th(i coft;deriined prisoner' of the imminence •- of |his>fate at about 4 a.m., and remained with him. to the lasj;. At about . 6.20. a;ini; alprdceaf ion i was formed froni the condemned cell, where the pri^oner-had^^lready^been pinioned, "to^the i ' scaffold. "The 1 Minister' ' came r fifs^?'r'Miti£ r: the service for the deadi Wbodgate caihe neit, followed by the hangman, 'gaoler, wardens, &c. The other persona present were the Sheriff, MrAUen, R.M;; Br. Tripe, - Mr Caute, Gaoler, the wardens, and the polfceY -The moment' the, if inister ceased speaking,'he tuehed to Woodgatd, and appeared to say something, aj» it might be, -'NbW is your time if youwant ttf speak." -Woodgatethea turned rpuridjjuad addressed the gaol officials,' giving them his best thanka for their kindness to him during tiis stay in gaol, adding f{ and- 1 thank yoa; : gentlemen, for using; y<jmc utmost endesivors to get my- life aparediby^ trying to ge,ta reprieve.- I thank you I all very much indeed, and I die in peace with' all; men. I have nothing more to say." ! He sedmed a little affected as he. spoke, bat he/ 'ascended^the'scaffold with ( a firm step. Now" comes, the. most disgu^tihg feature of the' whole business. The hangman, While ' ad^ ? justing the cap, said, to the .prisoner, . " Good ' bye, old fellow, I Syish.yjoii a pieasaht journey. You're only going a few.'daya before us j perhaps I, mightfollow you to-morroV, ' or next day myself." " He then adjusted' the '! rope, and again said, "Well, how do you feel ? Is it comfortable, or, is it too tight ?" Wood- ' gate replied, "No." He vras. still looking' upwards. The hangman again said, <* Well, goodbye! T wish you a pleasant journey," at the same moment kicking the bolt with his foot, and the drop fellj Wbodgate dying without a struggle, his legs below the knee and his hande just twitching twice at an interval of a few seconds. The hangman then faced round, and, addressing the spectators, said, " Well, gentlemen, are you satisfled ?" There was no reply, and hie again asked, " Are you satisfied that I have done my duty •?••' Dr Tripe ! said there was rip doubt that no man could have ' done it more efficiently, as the neck waa quite 'dislocated;' 1 The fall was about five feet. There was considerable speculation ! in Picton as to who the gentleman was who performed the loathsome duty, and it was confidently asserted that he had come from Nelson, but we have every: reason to believe that he was a swagsraan, who came into Blenheim on Wednesday from the southward, and offered, his services, which were accepted as before recorded: He stated that he had been in the navy as a seaman, and boasted of having served a3 an artillery-mau at the time of the Indian Mutiny/ when : ha "slung them up in dozens." Sobnafte'r 10 a.m. the gaoler let him out at the back of the gaol, 'and he succeeded, :by making his way ' quietly and quite unobserved 'along* the line, ■ in getting down to the Hinemoa, at the wfaarfi "which steamed away afc- once as soon as 'he came aboard, and before the Pictonians were aware of the circumstance. • ' ' ;'< ■ ' ■:'■-■.