THE SUTHERLAND MURDER. EXECUTION OF MORRISON.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 400, 7 September 1889, Page 4

THE SUTHERLAND MURDER. EXECUTION OF MORRISON.

The convict James Morrison, who was sentenced to death for the murder of Constable David Sutherland, a native of New Zealand, at Potts Point, on June 5 last, was executed ot Darlinghurst gaol on the morning of Tuesday, the 20th ult. The hour of the execution had been fixed for 9 a.m., but it did not take placo till five minutes- past that hour. The morning was beautifully fine. Besides the gaol officials thore were present four representatives of the press, several j*oung doctors, one or two justices of the peace, one member of the Assembly, and a few others. After being condemned to death Morrison applied for pormio&ion to be attended by a Koman Catholic priest. After receiving instructions in the iaith from Father Glashern and the Sisters of Charity, he was received into the Church, and on Friday received his first Holy Communion. He was afterwards confirmed by His Eminence Cardinal Moran. He gave instructions that no communications should be handed to him from the outer world. On Sunday morning he attended mass, and the Sisters spent the greater part of the day with him. On Monday they again spent nearly all day in the condemned cell. The doomed man was so reconciled to his fate that when Mr Lovett, the governor of the gaol, entered his coll on Monday morning, and informed Morrison it was decided that the last dread sentence of the law was to be carried out at the time originally

fixed, he merely aaid, 'Thank you, sir,' in a calm, firm tone of voice. Father Glashern was early at prison on Tuesday morning, and celebrated mass, at which Morrii son received the Holy Communion, which, according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, necessitated a fast beforehand ; consequently the condemned man had not any breaktaet before mass, and if he had any food afterwards it must have been very trifling. Hardly had tho group of visitors gathered in front of the scaffold than the condemned man, dressed in convict garb with pinioned arms and bared head, accompanied by a young priest, clad in a surplice nnd stole, and reciting the litany for the dying, entered the fatal platform. Morrison repeated the responses in a low clear tone with his faco to the priest. In a few minutes the litany was finished, and then, with his eyes fixed on a small crucifix clasped in his pinioned hand, a last prayer to Heaven oßered by the prie3t was repeated by the condemned man. Tho hangman succeeded the priest, as tho latter stepped back and murmured a last appeal for the dying man. Morrison then kissed the crucifix and shook hands with the priest and the head gaoler. Deftly the white cap was drawn over the head of Morrison, the rope fixed around his neck, the signal to tho assistant executioner was given and the body dropped down a drop of about 12ft. Whether it was want of length, or the hugeness of the terribly awkward-looking knot on the rope, it was fully two minutes before the signs of life bocamo apparently absent from the body. Instantly the fall occurred the body appeared to be still, but after the lapse of many seconds, to the horror of the onlookers, one of the legs was &een to raise itself, while the body quivered and absolutely appeared to writhe. This, according to the medical gentletren present, was merely the contraction of the muscles* usual in such cases, but the movements of the body and the raising of the leg continued until after the lapse of two minutes from the time of the drop. The rope was a thick one, about three quarters of an inch, and the weight of the condemned man was 1521b. The prisoner made no speech on tho scaffold, but went fearlessly to his doom. Sutherland was born in New Zealand, and lived in this colony till many years ago, and the sketch given above will readily be recognised by some of his former acquaintances who are now in Auckland. The life of the unfortunate constable possesses but few salient features. It was that of an honest, straightforward young policeman, humbly striving to perform his duty to the best of his ability. He was in the prime of life when he fell a victim to the burglar's revolver, being but 26 years of age at the time of his death, and was a man greatly liked and esteemed by his comrades and his superiors. He was especially energetic, and the method of his, untimely death denotes that he was fearless in the execution of his duty. He had only served in the force for about 20 months, and was unmarried. He leaves u mother and other relatives, and it is a sign of the young man's careful disposition that he possessed a small estate, amassed from thrifty saving, which he haB left to his mother.