EXECUTION OF SEARLE AND BALLAN.

West Coast Times, Issue 598, 24 August 1867, Page 4

EXECUTION OF SEARLE AND BALLAN.

(ballabat post, atjoust 7.)

The murderers of Mr Thonvis UHok BurUe. suffered the extreme peaalty of the law, at nine o'clock this morning. It is scarcely three months aince the date of the crime, and yet all the claims of justice have been fully satisfied. Iv this case moreover there is not the sli > htest shawdow of reas *n for supposing i hat others than the guilty have been sacrificed to appease the requirements of au unbending law. From the period they were sentenced they have had no hope of escape from death held out to them, and a petition to the Executive Council, from Searle, praying for clemency, on the ground that the information given by him was with the expectation of his life being spared, received prompt and careful consideration, but there was nothing to -warrant any favor being displayed.* to either of the criminals. After the receipt of the final answer from the Executive, Searle listened attentively to the admonition of the reverend and other gentlemen who have visited him, and seemed to discard all thought of worldly matters. Searle has from the first given evidence of want of firmness and purpose, but Ballan has proved himself throughout to be a man of tremendous nerve and a taciturn nature. On the subject of the crime for which he to-day suffered, he made no disclosures, save to the Rev. J. Potter, and that gentleman has informed us that such is the nature of the statement that he feels bound to decline to give it publicity. "We believe, however, that we are correct when stating that he has made no denial of his guilt during the last few days. Other statements he has made regarding acts in his life, but these are also such that Mr Potter feels bound to decline to state what they are. Searle, on the other hand, has all along shown himself to be more communicative, and to the Rev R. T. Cummins he has, during the last day or two, made a statement. What the nature of this may be we cannot say, for Mr Cummins informs us that, until he has consulted his superiors, or at all events at present, he is not prepared to repeat what he has been informed. Seeing however how clearly the guilt of both men has been established, their statements to the reverend gentlemen, if connected with the case, can amount to little more than is already known. If they relate to other subjects they can be of but slight consequence. Yesterday Searle was removed from the* condemned cell opening out on to the scaffold. This no doubt was done with an impression that he would not be in a state to ascend the staircase when the j time for his execution arrived. Searle appears to have regarded the matter in the same light, and observed that it ■was unnecessary, for lie would be well able to get up the stairs when the time for doing so arrived. Ballan was kept on the ground floor, and both men were attended during yesterday and last night by the reverend gentlemen before referred to, and by a layman to whose appeals Searle is stated to have paid particular attention. Both slumbered fitfully, but were upon the whole more calm, although they viewed their fast approaching and dreadful fate with a becoming seriousness. This morning they "partook of a slight repast, and devoted their attention solely to prayers in which they were aided by the clergymen, and by the layman previously mentioned, who all earnestly prayed for forgiveness from the Almighty for this and other crimes of the men so soon to be launched into eternity. At a little before nine o'clock about fifty persons, principally officials, were admitted into the gaol and a sufficient number of police were present to preserve that order befitting so solemn an occasion. Outside the gaol two or three score of people were gathered, but for what purpose it is difficult to conceive. If their purpose was to have caught a glimpse of the scene within they must have failed, for the place of execution is far removed from the main entrance, and is very properly as distant as possible from the busy and curious world without. At a few moments before nine o'clock the ominous tolling of the gaol bell indicated that the earthly career of the condemed men had nearly closed. The sheriff of the district then entered the cell of Ballan, who was firmly pinioned around the body by Bamford, the hangman, As the sheriff entered the gaol, Ballan, who was paying attention to the observations of the Rev. Mr Potter, looked up quickly, and observed, " All right; I'm ready." Upon being removed from the cell; he walked resolutely along the corridor, and mounted the staircase very collectedly. He, as directed, halted near the door of Searle's cell, and while Searle was being pinioned, listened attentively but calmly to Mr Potter. Searle was conducted directly from his cell on to the drop. His actions did not betray a great amount of emotion — certainly not so much as was expected of him, judging from the actions of the man since his incarceration. As the rope was being adjusted around his neck, he looked around him somewhat wildly and remarked to the hangman, " Don't choke me yet." Ballan, with that self-posses-sion which has been all along so characteristic of the man, betrayed no sign of fear as the noose was passed over his head, and he gazed coolly at the persons in front and beside him. Before the caps were drawn over their eyes, Searle, after clearing his throat, said : " Gentlemen — All as I have to say is, before I clear out of this world, that I will .not go with a lie on my tongue. lam brought to this horrible position innocently, and in a disgraceful manner. lam not going out of this life telling a lie. J have divulged the facts to this gentleman here (the Rev. Mr Cummins), and I hope and trust that this gentleman alongside of me (Ballan) will tell the truth." Ballan said nothing, but listened attentively to :ill the exhortations of the Rev. Mr Potter, Searle also listened with equal

attention to the Rev. Mr Cummins, and after him repeated various prayers for forgiveness. The executioner then adjusted the rope on Searle's neck, and having pulled the cap over his head, made a motion as if to shake hands. Searle asked. " Who are you ? " aud then responded by shaking hands with the executioner. Searle then, in an impassioned manner, cried out, " Good bye, good bye, God blesa you all. Good bye to all men here. I'm innocent. God bless my poor, poor wife and family. Oh, what a death,' 1 Then turning to Ballan he exclaimed in a similar tone of voice, " Will you shake hands — will you shake hands before we go out of the world?" Ballan was in the act of turning round and had partially raised his hand as if to comply with the request when the executioner, who evidently did not notice what Ballan had one, pulled the bolt, and both men fell with a dull thud. Ballan fell nearly a foot lower than Searle and to nearly an inch of the ground. This appears to have been the result of an unlooked-for stretching of the rope, for both ropes were of the same measurement yesterday. Ballan's body quivered considerably, and Searle's heaved more convulsively ; but in the case of both men pulsation did not entirely cease until a quarter of an hour after the fall of the drop. Opinions differ as to whether this arose from the fact of both men being possessed of slrong frames and constitutions, or from a bungling arrangement of the rope. At the expiration of a quarter of an hour, Drs Bunce and Butler, the medical gentlemen in attend ance, pronounced life to be quite extinct. A formal inquest took place, and the bodies having been suspended for an hour, were cut down and removed to the rotunda, where casts of the heads of the criminals were taken by Mr Wright. The bodies were subsequently dissected and then buried in the graves prepared for their reception in the grave-yard. Such is the ignominious ending of the lives of George Searle and Joseph Ballan. All inclined to evil doing would do well to take the advice of his Honor Mr Justice Barry, to let the example of the career of these men deter them from further crime.