THE PENALTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1920, Page 5

THE PENALTY.

EXECUTION OF THORN.

PROTESTED HIS INNOCENCE.

IGNORANCE OF MURDERER,: , By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. , For the murder of Sidney Seymour Eyre, a farmer, on August 24, at JPukekawa, Samuel John Thorn died on the scaffold in Mt. Eden gaol this morning. The moment before the drop fell he protested his innocence and his ignorance of the identity of the murderer.

Ho aJept well throughout the night, woke of his own accord at six'o'clock, breakfasted well, and walked to: and up the scaffold without a tremor, The execution took place promptly at 8 o'clock. There was no one about the gaol precincts when Press representatives were admitted half-an-hour earlier. The morbid public curiosity which was so marked a feature of some previoua hangings was fortunately absent in the present case. Thorn was confined in a little cell off an iron guarded hall lead' ing to the gaol yard. At first, it is understood, he did not desire to see a clergyman, but nearer the executiofi date he asked for one of the Presbyv tcrian denomination. The Rev. F. R. Jeffries attended, read the scriptures', and prayed with him. Just a few minutes fyefore eight o'clock the sheriff (Mr. A. Stubbs), the Inspector of Prisons (Mr. M. Hawkins), the superintendent of the gaol (Mr. T. Vincent), the deputy-superintendent (Mr. W. T. Leggett), Dr. D. W. N. Murray (gaol surgeon), the Rev. E. C. Bndd (gaol chaplain), ChieT Detective McMahon, and Constable Kelly (police photographer), together with the newspaper representatives and warders, mads their way along the passages from the officials' rooms to a hall off which was the condemned cell. Here the sheriff stopped and demanded "the body of Samuel John Thorn." Instantly the cell door opened, and attended by th» Rev. Mr. Jeffries and several warders, Thorn came forth. His arms were fas-tened-to his sides with leathern straps, and he wore a pair of wUite canvas, trousers, a brown shirt 6*pen at the neck, and low heeled shoes.

Falling in between the warders, and with the rest of the pa^ty.bringing up ' the rear, he walked firnily a' fewisteps. i from the hall to the'bpejt ihj« paved jn. a high-willed aii<l peqtltftt ' ed ; the 'prison,. :whero -the^Sfi. ■■' fold was erected. ' Thorn" inouiyea'.tjii ' steps firmly, and witft'.him went the" chaplain, reciting the office for the dead, the principal prison officials, and, a second later, the executioner. The others, bareheaded, stood "in a little group in the yard below and wajched,' in the ' brilliant sunlight which streamed from overhead, leaving the platform in gloom. Thorn stood on the trap-door firmly Then the sheriff/in a loud roice, called: "Samuel John Thorn—Have you anything to say?" Thorn, speaking, tor a word or two, indistinctly to those below, but gathering vigor as" he went on, said: "Yes. I want to thank the gaol officials, especially the warders who attended on me. for their kindness, but. it is very unjust of the police the way they have treated me. lam prepared to meet my God. lam not guilty. 1 do not know who did it. Inm prepared to meet my Gr.<i; I have made my peace with Him." The signal to the executioner was given, and Thorn paid the full penalty for the crime.

Thorn was described in the prison record as aged 39, married, and his re ligion -was given as Presbyterian.

SUICIDE OF GRANVILLE. VERDICT AT THE INQUEST. Auckland, Last Night. At the inquest into *.he death of William James Granville, the former employer of Thorn, who was executed today, a verdict was returned that deceased died from, a gunshot wound self-' inflicted while under the influence of liquor, and mental strain due to financial worry. The evidence showed that deceased had tried to commit 9uicide on former occasions^