A BOY SENTENCED TO DEATH. PAINFUL SCENE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2786, 8 March 1877, Page 3

A BOY SENTENCED TO DEATH. PAINFUL SCENE.

» A Home paper reports that, at tbe Liverpool Assizes, lately, John Oallaghan, 17 years of age, was indicted for the murder of Henry John Pennington, tin-plate worker, at Manchester on Nov. 18. The prisoner was, with two men, in a public house in Lower Gambridge atreet, when a dispute aroße, which resulted in all three being turned oat. They went into the street in a violent rage, and in a moment or two were seen armed with open knives. A crowd collected, a general disturbance arose, and the evidence in the prosecution showed that Pennington, who interfered to proteot a relative from the violence of the mob, waa Btabbed by the prisoner in the eide. He was removed to the infirmary, where he died from the effects of hiß injuries. A man named Bailey waß also stabbed in the elbow hy the prisoner. For the defence witnesses were called, and Btated that the deceased was stabbed by a man named Garrity, a companion of the prisoner's, who had ab_conded. Mr Charley, M.P., who defended the prisoner, urged that tbere was no evidence against him exoept tho statement made hy the deceased, and the probabilities were that the man who inflicted the fatal wound was Garrity. The jury found the prisoner guilty, with a recommendation to meroy on account of his youth. On being asked the usual question, the prisoner burst into tears, ola.ped his bands together, and falling on his knees in the dock, exclaimed in loud terma : "Oh, Lord Jesua in heaven knows I am innocent ! O, Lord have mercy on me ! " Aa he was being raised to his feet by a gaoler to reoeive his sentence, he cried : "O, God, forgive all that swore my life away ! God in heaven be merciful to me ! " The utmost terror was depicted upon the wretched youth's oountenance, and it was with great difficulty that he could be quieted to hear the dread sentence of death. His Lordship, addressing him, expressed his entiro concurrence with the verdict. He would take care that the recommendation of the jury ahould be forwarded to the proper quarter, but he felt bound to entreat the prisoner not to anticipate that any step would be taken in hiß behalf. It was not usual, simply because a person was young, to make an exception in his favour ; and in this caee there was no oircumstance except his extreme youth, which was likely to have weight with the authorities. Hia lordship then passed sentenoe of death in the usual form, and after the closing words, " May God have mercy on your soul," had boen solemnly pronounced by the judge, the prisoner cried out — "O, God in heaven ! Oh, God in heaven knows I'm innocent !" Aa he was being hurried by the gaolers from the dook to tbe oella below the court he oontinued hia cries, repeating again and again that he was innocent. The painfulness of the scene waß enhanced by .creams and groans from a woman who was sitting behind the dock, and who proved to bo prisoner's mother. She was removed from the court by two policemen, sobbing and crying, " Oh, my poor orphan." It is stated that the prisoner was born in gaol, and that his father died in gaol.