EXECUTION OF STACK.

New Zealander, Volume XXIV, Issue 2619, 11 April 1866, Page 3

EXECUTION OF STACK.

James Stack, [lie murderer of Mrs. Finnegan and her three sons, was executed at the gaol, Mount Eden, at seven o’clock on Saturday morning, without having made any public confession. Father Walter McDonald arrived at the gaol at seven o’clock on Friday evening, and remained all night in the cell with the prisoner. Mr. Tuckwell sent over comfortable bedding for the Rev. gentleman, but it was not used, as the rev. Father only lay down for a short time in Stack’s bed. At dawn some breakfast was sent to the con doomed cell, and Stack drank a cup of tea. To Mr. Tuckwell, who asked him what sort of a night he had spent, he stiid it bad been one of the happiest nights of his life, and said how thankful lie was to Father McDonald. Although the morning was wet and gusty, a large number of people had collected on the higher parts of the scoria around the gaol, from which a glimpse of any part of the prison yard could be had. The crowd was mostly composed of young lads ; and wo noticed only one female. While the sheriff, the medical attendant of the gaol, and the few others who were admitted to the prison were arriving, the voices of the condemned man and the priest could lie heard repeating the prayers of the Romish Church. About a quarter-past six. Stack was directed to come to the entrance of the passage into which his cell opened, to have his irons unrivitled. lie took off his hoots and stood before those in the prison, apparently unmoved, while Mr. Seotter, of Newmarket, struck olf the irons. He then went back into the cell, and recommenced the praters. The person who was to perform the office of executioner then appeared, and made a final inspection of the gallows, which was erected at the north-west corner of the prison yard. The windows of the cells commanding a view of the scaffold had been carefully closed, and none of the prisoners were lot out. The usual labour at stone-breaking and quarrying was not engaged in all day on Saturday. The person who undertook the the office of hangman was undergoing a short sentence of imprisonment, which, wo believe, was within a few months of having expired, so that his object was not so much the liberty to he granted to him, as the £lO he was to receive. He is said to have had considerable practice in the horrid work in another part of the world. The officials to be present at the execution had all arrived by half-past six o’clock. They were—the Sheriff (Colonel Balneavis), the medical attendant of the gaol (Dr. Philson), a Justice of the peace (Dr. Horne), and the Coaler (Mr. Tuckwell). One peculiarly painful feature which usually precedes executions was absent at that of Stack. There were no last adienx of father, or mother, or wife. It is seldom that even the blackest criminal is without someone who shows Hie interest of a friend, hut in this case it was not so. From the comm mcement of his imprisonment no one came to sec him but Alexander Finnegan, whose object was to learn where the body of his youngest brother had been thrust, and this information the criminal denied. At seven o’clock, to a second, (ho Sheriff went to the cell, and made the formal demand on Mr. Tuckwell that James Stack should ho given up to him. Stack hastily put on his boots, put his cap on the peg, and came out into the corridor, repeating the words of the prayer recited by the priest. The latter, after kissing Stack, placed a black crufix to His lips, which was eagerly kissed. The executioner then came up behind, and pinioned the criminal’s arms, who all the while repeated in a low tone, while listening to the words of the prayer, “ Lord have mercy upon mo ! Christ have mercy upon me!” Just at this time the clouds, which had been black overhead, discharged a vety heavy shower, in the midst of which the criminal, as soon as the pinioning was finished, walked to the scaffold, the priest close to his side, praying, while Stack continued the iuvocations for mercy. Ho walked across the yard with short and hurried steps, ascended the stairs, and placed himself exactly in position. The priest continued to pray while the executioner was strapping the logs and adjusting the rope, operations which seemed (o take longer than flie usual lime. When all had been finished, the priest, was silent, and the Sheriff, taking off His hat, wont close to Stack, and said, “James Stack, have yon any statement to make?” “No,” was the answer, quickly given, and then, as the Sheet IF was turning away, “Yes; will you give up my body to be buried in the Catholic Cemetery?” “ I will,” answered the Sheriff. The priest stepped forward again, spoke a few words of prayer, and pressed the crucifix lo Stack’s lips. ’Flic bolt was then drawn, and the body hung quite still for some seconds, when there was a slight drawing up of the knees, and twitching of the arms. It was clear, however, that the vertebral column had been broken with the first jerk, ami that death must have been almost instantaneous. After Father McDonald had retired from the yard, Mr. Tuckvell put the question plainly, “ Has Stack confessed his crime to you?” The reply was, “I am a minister of God, and cannot answer your question. Stack is in the hand of God.” As explanatory of Stack’s last request to the Sheriff, wo may mention, that on Friday that gentleman saw the criminal, who begged that his body might he buried in the Catholic Cemetery, and not in tho unconsecrated ground of a prison yard. The Sheriff, after ascertaining that the Catholics were willing so to dispose of the body, promised that this should he done, and it shows what importance flic wretched man attached - to this that he made a reiteration of the request his last words. One wonders, when he was so particular about himself, if he gave a thought to tho remains of Johnny Finnegan, now lying in some ditch. On the wall of Stack’s cell, close by his bed, was a melancholy record. He had (licit) made a scratch wjtli his thumb nail for every day and night

Giice lie was condemned. A long scratch divided the marks, those to the right being for the days, and those to left foi fhe nights. The body bung till eight o’clock, and was then let down by the executioner into the coffin, which had lain below the scaffold since the preceding day. Dr. Fliilson then examined the body, and pronounced life to bo extinct. The executioner then signed a receipt for £lO “ for services rendered us executioner of James Stack,’’ the Sheriff’ banded to Hr. Tuckwell his pardon, and he left the prison. At seven o’clock in the evening the body of Stack was conveyed to the Catholic Cemetry, and there interred in cccordance with his last wishes.