The Murderer Deeming.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1056, 26 May 1892, Page 33

The Murderer Deeming.

By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. DOCTORS DISAPPOINTED. THE CASE BEFORE THE PRIVY COUNCIL. NO RIGHT OF APPEAL. LORD KNUTSFORD REFUSES RESPITE. (press association.) Melbourne, May 18. The authorities have decided not to allow Deeming’a brain to be examined, and it will bo buried with the body. Lord tiopetouu says ho s.’-es nothing to justify delay in Deeming’s execution, but Mr Lyle is preparing a further petition. London, May 17. Deeming’s petition will bo presented to the Privy Council on Wednesday, and heard on Thursday. Two barristers have been retained to appear in support of the petition which has been sent to Lord Knutsford, and to argue that a respite should be granted the condemned man. London, May 18. When Deeming’s case comes on before the Privy Council Lord Ualsbury, Lord High Chancellor, will preside with a full Court, the House of Lords adjourning for the purpose. If the appeal is granted, the order for respite rests with the Colonial Office. London, May 19. The Privy Council unanimously refus d to allow the right of appeal id Deeming’s case. London, May 20. When Deeming’s case came before the Privy Council hia solicitors urged that evidence was forthcoming to snow that the condemned man was not responsible for his actions. To this Lord Halsbury, tha Lord High Chancellor, replied that the Court had nothing to do with the affidavits that were on their way from Australia, and went on to say that the Council never iaterferod with the business of colonial courts unless the proceedings were irregular, or where injustice, wh ch had not been shown to exist in this case, had been done to the appellant. Six of the Lords concurred with Lord Halsbury. Deeming’s solicitors prayed Lord Kuutsford to order Lord Hopstoun, Governor of Victoria, to atop the execution, but he refused to do so. London, May 20. Lord Knutsford has refused to consider Deeming’a appeal. Melbourne, May 19. The gaol authorities have decided uot to allow Mr Lyle to visit Deeuiiuj without special permission. Melbourne, May 2). Deeming now denies that he confessed to the Windsor crime. His statement is ready, and has boen handed to the Gaol Governor with a request that it may be published after his execution. (SPECIAL.) i ONDON, May 17. ,£The grounds of the petition, which will bo presented to the Privy Council in Deerniug’s case, are the character of the medical evidenco tendered at the trial iu Melbourne and the affidavits made by tha condemned man’s brother au 1 sister-in-law as to hia sanity. London, May IS The Privy Council will Srst deoido ns to the right of appeal in Dcotning’s ease. Two eminent criminal lawyers have been retained on behalf of the appellant. London, May 20.

The Times, referring to Deemiug’s ease, said there had beon a failure to discourago the pestilent medical superstition of the fact that insanity is a mixture of morbid sentiment and false psychology -and physiology. The Execution. DEMEANOUR ON THE SCAFFOLD. HE PROTESTS INNOCENCE TO THE LAST. THE BODY NOT TO BE MUTILATED. A NIGHT OF AGONY. THE QUESTION OF PUBLISHING THE STATEMENT. (PRESS association.) Melbourne, May 23. Deeming was hanged at 10 o’clock this morning, death being instantaneous. There were about 100 parsons present at the execution, including the leading doctors and University professors and representsfives of the English, Australian, and New Zealand press. irt ~ . At a few minutes to 10 the DeputyGovernor of the gaol entered, accompanied by the executioners, and proceeded to the convict's cell. After a prayer by the chaplain, Deeming 1 was pinioned, and punctually at 10 o’clook

he walked to the scaffold. He was slightly nervous, and twitched his head while the noose was being adjusted. In reply to a question as to whether he had anything to sajq Deeming merely replied, “Lord receive my soul.” His face was pale, but otherwise the doomed man seemed calm. After the drop fell there was not the slighteat movement of the body. The Bishop of Melbourne visited Deeming yesterday, at the latter’s request. The convict expressed contrition, and stated that he would not make a speech on the gallows, but would die protesting his innocence. Up to an early hour this morning he continued to protest his innocence of tha Rainhill murders. Deeming has left a statement with the Governor of the Gaol, but it is not believed to contain anything new. A groat concourse of people surrounded th 9 prison where the sentence of the law was to be carried out. When the Deputy-Governor entered the cell the prisoner was repeating the prayer which he uttered on the scaffold. The execution was carried out without the slightest hitch or delay. The Cabinet has refused the request of the Medical Association for Deeming’s head, on the ground that they saw no reason why the body should be treated differently to those of other criminals. The jaunty air which characterised the convict whoa first incarcerated rapidly disappeared after the sentence of death, and he became amenable to prison discipline and respectful to the officials. During the prayer with the clergyman before tha execution Deeming implored pardon for the heinous sin he had committed in sending hia family to their last account without warning. The murderer’s last night was spent in an agony of suspense. He cried bitterly for a long time, but slept heavily towards daylight. The Government is considering whether they will allow the last document handed to the gaoler by Deeming to be published, London, May 23. The newspapers express relief that Deeming has been executed, and that no delay was interposed to tho carrying out of tbe sentenoe, LECTURE ON DEEMING’S HEAD. Although the weather was very incle* ment, there was a number of eager listeners to the phrenological lecture delivered by the Rev J. Crewes last Thursday. The particular subject was “ Deeming’s Head.” A large lantern portrait of the head of the notorious Windsor murderer was exhibited,and several lessons were deduced from it. The lecturer said that Deeming had degraded powers whioh, if properly exercised, would have made of him a shrewd business man, a good mechanic, and a very useful and happy Christian. fitareirg with the contention that there was a time when Deeming’a head was not like it i 3 now, the lecturer went on to say that the head now displays murderous proclivities, rlestructivensGS being disproportionately developed. It is also the head of a dreamer or ghost seer. The lecturer thought it probable that Deeming did see his mother’s form, as he has alleged, and that he was driven by powerful impulses to commit murder. Phrenology indicates that splri tuality and destructiveness were the two faculties on which Deeming would be likely to become insane first of all. But a 3 his head had been gradually degraded and deformed by abuse, if insanity had beeuinduced thereby *he should be held responsible for hL co dujt. The dauger of meddling in spiritualistic experiments or otherwise degrading or endangering the spiritual faculty was illustrated and enforced. The faculty of shrewdness in Deeming had also been degraded until it had become mere animal cunning. A warning was given to young women against hastily entering into matrimonial engagements foe money. But it was also stated that ag eeablone33 was highly developed in the head under examination, and that phrenology iudioated that the man wielded a fiaeinating power, aud intuitively knew over whom to exercise it. Deeming’a head, in fact, was a most striking illustration of the poss bllity of degrading and destroying excellent powers by abuse. a man deserved hanging, said Mr Crewes, Deeming deserves it, and if ever a head presented an illustration of tha importance of moral and religious training and tha danger of neglecting it, his head illustrates it. An interesting discussion followed, and the entertainment concluded with a reading of the heads of living subjects.