A Ghastly Sight.

NZ Truth, Issue 540, 23 October 1915, Page 6

A Ghastly Sight.

Head Hang* by a Shww. On Monday morning last, James Warton, the murderer of William Munday, paid the extreme] penalty of the law at Brisbane gaoL At =7.45 a.m. the Press representatives and ©them -were collected m a group at the gaol gates, when the sheriff and another official drove up m. a cab. , Immediately the sheriff entered. Captain Plcrson, the superintendent' of the gaol, ! gave the signal for those who had the necessary permit, to enter also. On passing through the main gates each Individual was asked to sign his name m a book. This occupied some ton mlnutea Then the second gate wtfs opened and those about to witness, the execution were formed into a procession and marched to tho corridor In which tho scaffold ia located. After a wait of some few mlnutos the solemn tolling of tho gaol bell signalled the early arrival of THE CONDEMNED MAN. . Almost before the echo had died away James Warton, looking! somewhat palo, appeared at the entrance-door, and inarched upstairs, to tho drop with the Rev. E. Q. Qanley and a few gaol officials close behind him. Warton walked on to the scaffold firmly and with measured tread. He? didn't seem Beared, although, he was slightly nervous, as any human* must feol m such a terrible peeUlon. On entering the door, immediately behind the drop, Warton gazed at the rope and marched straight ahead until he butted Into tbo railings which served as a barrier to prevent him goIng further. A light touch on the arm by ono of tho gaol officials took his attention from the streak of greased bemp, when ho tuVnod abruptly to tho left and wanted t<rthe northern and or the scaffold where th© entrance is. On reaching the spot through which he was to fall into lOtornity, Warton placed his legs together, drew himself up into lux erect attitude, and stood thus while tlw be&oggied, bewhiskered, legalised man-butchur ADJUSTED THE GREASY NOOZE . around his throat. Tho proceedings having gone thus far, Warton motioned with bis hand, tbo arms being pinioned,

and the clergyman stepped on to the drop and shook hands with the murderer. Tho Church «f England clergyman, who had been attending Warton during his last days, then repeated In a solemn voice the words: "Our Father which art m Heaven; Hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, They will be done on earth aa it Is done m Heaven; Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, For thine is the kingdom, the power, and t**e fflory, for ever and ever. Amen." Aa these words were spoken, Warton stood with tho rope around his neck, his head erect, a grim, stoical look on his face, and awaited further developments. The silence was painful. Only a moment elapsed between the utterance of the Lord's Prayer and the chief warder's charge to the man about to die, but it Beeraed an hour. Warton stood, still game, awaiting the final operation. When Chief Warder McDonald said: "Jame3 Warton! This Is tho last opportunity you will have of speaking. If you wish to say anything, you may say it now." Warton cocked his head on one side, gazed reflectively towards the roof for a few seconds, and tjicn said m a linn, though low voice: "I am eorry. If there were anything I could do

TO ATONE FOR THE PAST I would do it," Tho condemned man reflected lor a tew momenta, and tJ^en added; "If thero bo any to receive me, I commend myself to His hands, and can only hojJo for forgiveness." Warton paused again, appeared to think deeply for a fow seconds, and then, m an almost inaudible voice said:' "That Is all!" The silence as this juncture waa almost visible to tho naked eye. A cold chill crawled up the spine of the spectators as the snakoy fingers of tho bewhlskcred Quilp m goggles passed about tbo attenuated neck of tbo condemned man to finally adjust tlhe rope ere placing- the white bair over Ills head. Warton stood ■There, bravo enough, but tbo hands of the hangman trembled and twitched as ho tiud tho tapes attached to tho white cap. When the tapes bad been fastened the squat •flg-ure of - THE LEGALISED MAN- KILLER vanished aa if by magic, and suddenly bobbed up near the lever. The executioner stood awaiting- the signal from the sheriff, and, during that brief moment, Warton, if the clergyman's Statement bo worthy of credence, albeit *ho press representatives m the corridor did not hear it, murmured, m a low, husky voice: "Oh, my God; Oh, my God! Almost immediately the sheriff raised tho handkerchief above bis bead as a signal and, as tbo bolt

was about to be drawn, clapped the handkerchief over his eyes to shut out the awful sight. Instantly there was a dull thud, and James Warton's body, bloodstained and limp, dangled at the end of the hempen line. The suddenness of the -whole thing had a shocking effect on the nerves of the spectators, but some of tho more callous walked close up to the cadaver, keeping 1 just outside the pool of warm human blood which had gushed from the veins of the deceased, and closely inspected the torn and bloody throat of the unfortunate wretch. The inspection revealed -the fact that Warton's head had been ALMOST TORN FROM THE BODY — only a "ribbon" of skin, or a sinsw as thick as one's finger was holding it to the trunk. The body was allowed to dangle and revolve for the space of about five minutes ere Dr. Marks stepped forward, ajid after feeling the cold, clammy wrist of the ghastly object on the rope's end, pronounced life to be extinct. In the meantimd a bag of sawdust had been thrown over the pool of blood which steamed beneath the corpse. The executioner came and removed the straps from, the legs and arms of the deceased. Then there was an awful silence, as the little fat man with the hand -made whiskers and black goggles climbed up a ladder to unfasten the rope from the beam. This having been done, the coffin was placed beneath the | corpse which was lowered. As the body came down to a convenient level the feet were grasped and placed at the bottom of the coffin, then gradually the corpse was dropped. As the weight LEFT THE ROPE, the head of the unfortunate man practically rolled under the shoulders. The executioner immediately pulled the head from beneath the body, removed the rope, and the lid. was placed on~£he coflln and screwed Oown. As goon as the last screw was driven homo the undertaker lifted tho shell, carried it to the vehlqle m waiting 1 , and the mortal remains of James .< Warton were carted off to the South Brisbane cemetery. ' Warton's grave had been dug on Sati urday, while he still lived, m readiness to receive his corpse, hot from the hangman's hands, on Monday morning. On Sunday the open grave was a centre of attraction for hundreds of morbid-minded, visitors who peered Into the dismal depths of tho dark hole, as they discussed the feelings and the awful fate of the convict, then In full health, who was probably busily en-, gaged debating- the existence or otherwise of the Supreme Being. On Monday, aa tho undertaker's van, with the coffined cadaver left the gaol gates, several small youngsters with smiling and grimy chivvies followed up behind. Tho van was accompanied by a gaol warder and a constable, while the Church of England clergyman, Rew E. C. Ganley, followed a little later. At the grave side, fully 100 persons, mostly lads and lasses, were gathered, but there were male adults and a few women. The Rev B. C. Ganley, m compliance with Warton's request, read prayers ac tho grave-side, and the remains of the convict were thus interred with due regard to a section of tho ethics of Christian burial. Certain rules of the CHurch of England, we I understand, prevented the Rev. gentJeman from reading the burial service at tho grave-side, owing to Warton not being a member of the Church, Since the establishment of Boggoroad gaol m 1880, some 60 executed criminals have been interred m the South Brisbane Cemetery. Tho burial ground is In the south-western corner, and included among the convicts there Interred Is tho body of only one woman. Her name was Mary Ellen Thompson. She was executed, together with her alleged paramour, John Harrison, In 1887, for tho murder of her husband at Port Douglas. The woman, It is alleged, encouraged and urged Harrison to shoot her husband, and the couple stood side by side on the gallows when tho execution took place. When Mrs, Thompson stepped on to the drop her voice rang out clear and unshaken with the words: "I did not shool ray husband, and I am dying like an angel." Reverting to Warton, It may be stated that his grave is alongside that of the last Kanaka hanged, Charlie. Next to Charlie's grave, Sow Too Low. another Kanaka, is buried, and Pat Kcnnlff's grave is In tho same row. The first executed criminals buried there were a German and two block follows, who wore judicially murdered on the one scaftold for killing- a fellow creature m tho liockhnmpton district. Since than there have been two or three double executions. Already the graves of executed occupy a large proportion of tho. allotted area, and If the barbarous custom of legallsod murder is to bo continued, the* authorities will very soon bave to purchase, or set apart, a patch of land for tho re-seption of tho bodies of the victims of this Inhuman system. Warton was persistent, up to Sunday, last, m stating that ho would die an othlefit, but when "tho last lap" hove In sight he came to tho conclusion that he would embrace the Christian religion as it is interpreted by Church of England clergymen. It was at the condemned man's request that the Lord's Prayer was repeated by the Rev. E. C. Ganley just before the final scene m tho dreadful drama. WANTON'S LAST HOURS. On Sunday afternoon last Mr. John Smith, a prominent member of the Brisbane Free! bought AHSOciatlon, visited Warton, at Warton's own request, and hold a long conversation with tho condemned rnun. Even up to taut last stage Warton adhered to atheism, but during the nlKht ho uppeurti to have changed his views. On Sunday ho expressed a wish that Mr. Smith should visit tbo condemned ceil on Monday,

and have a final handshake, but when the fatal morning 'dawned he stated that he did not want to see Mr. Smith. Instead, hp welcomed the Rev. Air. Ganley, who, after having spent two hours with the condemned man at his own request, on Sunday night, came at 7 o'clock on Monday morning, also at Warton's request, and remained with the criminal until he walked on to the scaffold. Warton listened attentively to what Mr. Ganley had to say. There can, therefore, be no doubt about the fact that Warton died a believer m the Christian religion as expounded by Church of England clergymen. Prior to. his execution Warton HAD A GOOD BREAKFAST. When being pinioned m the cell he was as calm as could be expected, although the sight of the executioner, as he appeared m his sable-hued whiskers and ditto goggles, would scare a pork butcher's bull-dog. That Warton had a very black record is now beyond doubt. He was first convjeted m Melbourne m the year iB6O, when quite a lad. On that occasion be was sentenced to 12 months' gaol for vagrancy, and from then up till the date of his last crime Warton had been m and out of gaol for all sorts of offences. He was variously known to the police m different States as Warton, Donnelley, Medway, Leo. and Robert Butler. On March 14, ISSO, at Dunedin, New Zealand, a most cowardly murder was perpetrated, the victims being Mr. and Mrs. Dewar. After they were killed the murderer SET THE HOUSE ON FIRE and cleared out Warton, who was then known as Robert Butler, was arrested and charged with the crime. It seems that Butler, a few days before the atrocious crime was committed, made a boast to Sub-inspector Mallard that he could eomniit a murder m such a way that nobody would be able to bring it home to him. This partially led to his arrest when the ghastly discovery was made, and he was placed on his trial at Dunedin on April 5, 1880. During the trial 1 Butler showed great shrewdness m cross-examination, and conducted his own defence so cleverly that he succeeded m procuring a verdict of not guilty. The Judge, however, at the I close of the trial told Butler that the jury did not bring In a verdict of not guilty because they thought he was innocent, but because there was not sufficient to convict. But, although Butler escaped on the charge of murder, he made certain admissions as to two other crimes he had committed — burglary and arson. For these offences <he was sentenced to 18 and 19 years respectively, the sentences to be concurrent. All doubt as to Warton being IDENTICAL WITH THE MAN BUTLER has been removed as a letter addressed to Robert Butler, care of the Sheriff of Quensland, was recently received from New Zealand. The letter wbich was to clear up some matter m New Zealand was read to Warton m the condemned cell, and he claimed it as his property. Subsequently he wrote a reply, which he signed "Robert Butler." During his long career of crime, Butler, alias Warton, et<x, proved himself to be a most unscrupulous scoundrel. He robbed everybody he could. One of his methods, according to a prominent police officer, was to bail up people m Melbourne late at«night, poke a revolver m thelr'faces, and make them shell out everything they had. This was, probably his intention when he stuck up poor William Munday. Had the unfortunate victim "disgorged on demand" he (Munday) might have been alive to-day. Warton, m conversation with out reporter last week, said: "At times, when a helping band and a little kindness' would have set me on my feet, I was left lonesome, neglected, and dejected, WITHOUT A FRIEND IN THE WORLD." This was an absolute lie. Butler, or Waxton, was assisted on more than one occasion by clergymen and others while m New Zealand. One of these was particularly kind to Butler, who showed his gratitude by robbing his benefactor. One thing that enabled him to impose upon people, was his plausible manner, and another his harmless, inoffensive appearance. He could tell a tale that would move a stone horse to tears, and look as sentimental and sa<l as a Quaker all the time. However, ho has paid his account; he will He, steoJ, and slay no more. As Bowie says: "Peace be with him." (Conclusion.)