THE BALLARAT MURDERER

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7425, 29 May 1891, Page 2

THE BALLARAT MURDERER

Meebofunk, May 19. The Government liaving appointed a Medicil Board to consider the sanity of Johnston, the Ballarat murderer, its mombors uauuimously reported him eano. Dr Coul, who iui3 one of the members of the Board, informed the Ohiet Secretary that in his opinion tho case mis an undoubted one of malingering, and that Johnston iras similating tlifl physical inQrnntieu from which ho was iippmcntl? suffering. If the lower portion ot his body were really paralysed tlieio would be symptoms wliioli were .ibsent While the doctors were examining Johnson they asked him to put out hia tongue, and he simply opened his mouth. DrYoul thereupon remarked, just Jond enough to bo heaid by the prisoner, that if lie were mad his tonguo would come out of Ins mouth, and roll about. Shortly afterwards Johnson was agiin asked to show his tongue and immediately ho put it out and allowed it to roll abour. Dr Youl is firmly of opinion that She prisoner was neither dumb nor paralysed. The execution took place yesterday at Ballarat Gaol. Up to the very last Johnson displajed the same dogged assumption of innocence that had cliaiacteriscd him throughout, making no statement, other than that ho Inew nothing of tho horrible tngedy. Ho desired the Governor to thank the warders for their attention to him since his incarceration, and also repeated the roquest that no post mortem should bo held over his ramains. Since the final decision of tha Bsecutive was conveyed to him ho maintained a ino3t cheorEul demeanour, and so mdift'oraat did ho appear to his fate Ib it when being Uken across the yaid he gazed at the gillow* .uirl smiled. On Suiuhj night lio Blopt soundly and in the morning he ale ravenously.— Prowcorroaponclout.