THE EYRETON TRAGEDY.

Evening Star, Issue 11642, 31 August 1901, Page 6

THE EYRETON TRAGEDY.

EXECUTION OP MACLEAN. THE PRESSIixOLUDED. . [SPBOUt. TO TH* STAB.] CHRISTCHTDRCH, August 81 The representatives of the Press were denied admission to' Mac Lean's execution. Both the morning papers' condemn the sheriff's action severely. The 'Timei' says: "The public have a right to learn the facts from witnesses whose evidence can.be trusted implicitly, and in the public interest wo think it neoessarv to protest against the exclusion of the Press representatives from executions. No man will willingly look on while a fellow-being is being done to death, and only a sense of duty would lead a pressman to seek admittance to Lyttelton Gaol this morning. Mr Bloxam, however, relieves an individual from the performance of a painful task, but the newspaper itself is left in the unsatisfactory position of having to learn the facts second-hand. In the majority of cases, no doubt, no harm results from the exclusion of reporters, but in the event of some unusual development the newspapers, and consequently the public, would be placed at an immense disadvantage bv having to depend on amateur reports. We know of no occasion on which it was more necessary to have the proceedings bv a trained and conscientious journalist, andMr Bloxam would be consulting his own interests and those of the gaol officials if he permitted the presence of an observer who could be relied upon to see and record facts only." The 'Press' says: "What reasons utav have influenced Mr Bloxam in his decision it is not for us to say. If he wishes to imply that the newspapers of this'district are not to be trusted to report proceedings without infringing the canons of good taste we should it'is needless impertinence on his part. We venture to say that no newspapers in the world are conducted with a greater sense of responsibility as regards what is admitted into their columns than arc the leading papers of New Zealand. Besides, the idea that by excluding the reporters it is possible to exclude details from the newspapers is a very silly one. The sheriff could nob exclude a journalist who happened to be also a J.P., and, failing this resource, it is always possible to get particulars at second-hand from some of those, present. The only difference is that the trained journalist is more likely to give an accurate account of what takes place than the casual spectator, whose nerves may be unstrung by the trying ordeal. The more important point is that if the authorised representatives of the Press are present, the public have some guarantee that, if the arrangements for the execution are bungled or mismanaged, as has happened on more than one occasion; the facts will not be slurred over nor hidden. The circumstance that the sheriff is responsible for those arrangements makes his exclusion of the Press mere invidious and open to censure." fPiB Uhttkd Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 31. Alexander Stewart MLean, who was sentenced to death at the last' sittings of the Supreme Court here, was executed in Lyttelton Gaol this morning in the presence of the sheriff, the governor of the gaol, two justices of the peace, a medical man, Mr Smail (a lay evangelist, who spent the night with the condemned man). Adjutant Flanagan (of the Salvation Army), two warders, .and a constable. No reporters were admitted. At five minutes past eight o'clock the execution took place, M'Lean being calm and cool, and showing no signs of fear on the scaffold. He said: "Lord have mercy on me. lam all right; lam ready." Death was instantaneous. From all that can be ascertained the execution was carried out without the slightest hitch. The governor of the gaol states that the condemned man slept ■well the previous night. Mr Smail prayed with him, and had breakfast with. him. The condemned man expressed penitence, sang hymns, and read his Bible prior to being led to the gallows. On Friday he sent a letter to the governor of the gaol thanking him and the warders for their kindness to him during the nine weeks he was under their care. At the inquest the usual verdict was returned. Our parliamentary reporter wires:— "Though Milan's confession is unobtainable, I have authority for saying that it was complete as to the murders having been committed by liim. Tie condemned man also desired, in respect to the murdered girl's memory, to clear her absolutchof his imputations of unchastity."