EXECUTION OF WILLIAM SHEEHAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2134, 13 March 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

EXECUTION OF WILLIAM SHEEHAN.

The following is taken from the Frooman's Journal : — To-day Wm. Sheehan paid the penalty of the cruel crime of which he wa« convicted at the last Cork Assizes —the murderer of his mother, brother, and sister, near Castletownroche. The culprit, from the first moment he was charged, acted the hypocrite by indignantly protesting his innocence and threatening dire consequences to his accusers for the inconvenience caused him. During the trial, and even when senteaie of death was passed upon him, he manifested the same thorough insensibility, and apparent absense of any of the feelings of our better nature of which even the moat depraved are not wanting. When he was located in the " condemned cell " after sentence had been pronounced he appeared to be utterly oblivious of his position, remorseless and callous to a degree. Rince then, however, thanks to the benign influence of religion, he was a changed man. The ministration of the prision chaplain reconciled him to his fate, and he faced it in the true spirit of penitence. He always declared Brownes innocence of any participation in the crime, but he did not know the result of his trial, except he learned it from his wife at the interview which he had with her about ten days ago. Sinco his removal to the condemned cell, Sheehan took his meals regularly and well, and slept soundly at night. He ate his supper last night in the usual way, and retired to bed at ten o'clock. He directed his attendant to wake him at three o'clock, which was done, and from that till half- past six o'clock, when the Rev. Father Barrett visited him, he was engaged in prayer. The chaplain and the condemned mau then proceeded to the chapel, and they continued the devotions. The unhappy man then made his last confession, and the Rev. Father Barrett celebrated the sacrifice of the Mass, at which bheehan received the Holy Viaticum. After mass they received the Litanies together, and at ft quarter to eight the chapel bell began to peal forth in slow and melancholy measure the death-knell. The sound of the bell, as it was heard in the chapel, was like a Bummons from the grave, and the victim heaved a long deep sigh as it fell upon his ear. At six nunutei to eight the chief warder appeared at the chapel door and gave the order to move. The culprit was scarcely able to walk, and he leaned on the left arm of the prieit, a warder walking abreast on the left. Then followed the sub-sheriff (Mr Gale), the gorernor of the goal (Major Roberto), the deputy governor (Mr Patterson), and three warders. From the chapel to the execution chamber is about forty yards. The scaffold platform is level with the ground outvdc, so that the first idea which the condemned prisoner receives of the use of the room is when he sees the rope hanging from an iron beam overhead. The procession haviug arrived opposite the door of the chamber, the executioner made his appearance, and at once proceeded to pinion the man. This operation was performed with some tediousuess, and then the executioneer took the place of the warder at the left of the culprit, and they stepped in on the trap. On the route from the chapel to the scaffold, the Rev. Father Barrett recited the Litany, Sheehan pronouncing the responses with a firm voice. Precisely at eight o'clock the bolt was drawn, and the unhappy man was launched into eternity. Before the trap fell he, in an audible tone, begged God's pardon for the murden he bad com. mitted. He recited an Act of Contrition, and the chaplain gave his absolution, and then breathed into hin ear several picus aspirations such as "Jesus, hare mercy on me,' 1 " God be merciful to me a sinner," "Holy Mary pray forme." The bolt was no sooner drawn than the black flag was hoisted over the battlements of the prison, thus announcing to the group of about fifty persons who had gathered together on the Gaol-road that the law's stern vengeance hod been satisfied. Berry was tho executioner. The drop was fix feet, and death was instantaneous. The body was kept suspended for an hour, and then cut down and removed to an outer yard, where it wa« viewed by a coroner's jury previous to its consignment to an unhallowed grave within the precincts of the goal. The face, an he l»y in the rude coffin, presented the usual appearance of death from strangulation. The skin turned a livid bine, the mouth was dis. tended, and the eyes only half closed. He wore the same raiment which he wore at the trials. The black flag was hauled down at one o'clock. Sheehan was only thirty-two years of age ; his height was sft4in, and his weight 1461b.