DOOMED MAN'S SPEECH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21305, 5 October 1932, Page 8

DOOMED MAN'S SPEECH

'ADDRESS FROM GALLOWS - AMAZING COOLNESS SHOWN ' DRAMATIC MELBOURNE SCENE pFROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] MELBOUBNE, Sup;. 28 'Amazing coolness on (he gallown was displayed by David Bennett just before he was executed at the Metropolitan Gaol, Melbourne, on Monday morning. For nine minutes he/delivered a speech in which he discussed various aspects of 1: is case. 'All the tirrie there was not a Ir/ico of tremor in his voice. The fact. that the hangman acid his assistant stood ut his «obow did not i;eem to concern hirn in the least, and lie was true to his promise, made to Canon Davies tho day before, tljat he would "die game." i'A strange circumstance was that s, week o Bennett made an almost identical statement of his case to the gaol olficials, and on Sunday he appealed to the officials to destroy that statement, a full rote of which had been taken. The officials assumed that the last had been heard of it, and they were surprised when Bennett, without warning, began to traverse all the poipts again as he stood in the shadow of death. Ho left no written con- / J . fission. R«nnett had been condemned to death for an assault on a four-year-old girl. For more than a week ho had speken to no one but Canon Davies and his relatives who called to see him the day before he was hanged. When ho stood on the scaffold on Monday morriirg the tjheriff addressed him in the usuid terms: " David Bennett, have you anything to Bay." Bennett, at once stood erect and replied: "Yes, I have never dore anything in my Jiifo to deserve thii!» I have done wrongs, I will admit. Anyone I have injured I ask to forgive me, as I forgive those who have injured me." Bennett pjiused, and "the hi.ngman stepped closer to him, but. he h;id by no means finished what he wanted lo say. The noose Was already around his neck, but in a voice that was firm aind calm, he began to analyse and dissect the case which the Crown had brought agfiinst him. He still contended, ho said, that his case was never properly or adequately put before the various tribunals. In the trial Court false evidence was sworn against him. He made an endeavour to get counsel to obtain certain informatioi, but he failed. After the jury trial he tried again to get certain information, but lie failed. The condemned man, who spoke at further length, referred to matters connected with his unsuccessful appeal against his sentence and also to certain aspects of the evidence. He claimed that neither the Appeal nor the Executive Council had considered his case properly. spoke for r.ine minutes, and after he had finished he permitted tho hangman to adjust the white cap over his head. The hangman stood back,, sind the execution proceeded.