Execution and awful confession of Edward Robertson, and Matthew M'Queen

EXECUTION

AND

AWFUL CONFESSION

OF

EDWARD ROBERTSON,

AND

MATTHEW M‘QUEEN,

WHO WERE

EXECUTED AT SYDNEY,

For the Murder of Three of their
Companions.

EDINBURGH:

EXECUTION

OF

EDWARD ROBERTSON,

AND

MATTHEW M‘QUEEN.

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From the contents of Van Dieman’s Land Papers, recetved on Saturday, we copy the following paragraph:—

On Friday last, Edward Robertson and Matthew M‘Queen, convicted of absconding from the penal settlement of Macquarrie Harbour, were executed.

From the Hobart Town Courier of Feb. 13, we extract the following statement, which Robertson himself had given, and which was publicly read in the press room, by his own desire, whilst the executioner was pinnioning his arms, and adjusting the rope:—That he was now 28 years of age, and had been sentenced to death for robbing in Scotland, under aggravated circumstances, at the early age of 18. He had more than once endeavoured to rob his own mother; and his horrible conduct was the means of breaking his father’s heart, and hurrying him to the grave. He was confined in Guilford gaol; and had, altogether, spent more years in gaols than at liberty. On his transportation to this colony, he had scarcely landed in Hobart Town when he commenced robberies. He was at last apprehended for an outrage which he committed at Sandy Bay, tried, and transported to Macquarrie Harbour.

We have already stated that the party of runaways from Macquarrie Harbour, contisted originally of five men, viz.—Richard Hutchinson, commonly called Up-and-down Dick, a tall man, who had, at one time, a large flock of sheep, and a herd of cattle, at Berk-hut plains, between the Clyde and Shannon, near the spot where Culny Park now is, the estate of Captain Clark; of an old man named Coventry, about 60 years of age; Patrick Fagan, a boy of a most depraved character, aged about 18 years; and the two malefactors, Robertson and M‘Queen, who suffered on the gallows on Friday. ⟨These⟩ men happened to be at one of the out ⟨stations⟩ of Macqnarrie Harbour, and were in ⟨charge⟩ of one man, a constable.

This constable, Robertson declared, had shown him many personal kindnesses, and refused nothing in his power; nevertheless, on their departure, he joined with his four companions in robbing him of every article he had, not leaving him even a loaf of bread to subsist on, though he was without a morsel, and three days must have elapsed before he could obtain any more from the main settlement; and Robertson had, besides, at various times, tried to be accessary to his death, by letting a tree fall upon him without giving him notice, or by other mean, for no other earthly reason than because he was a constable, and the unwilling or passive instrument of flogging the men; and he, therefore, hated him. One would have thought that these five men, thus embarked in a most perilous journey, would have been knit together in one interest for their mutual safety and protection. They viewed each other with the most murderous feeling, jealous of the possession of the only axe which they ⟨carried⟩ amongst them, lest one should drive it into the head of the other; for that was the mode of slaughter upon on another, while the wretched victim was asleep. The demon of evil had possession, and walked in the midst of them. Every principle—every feeling of ⟨humanity⟩ was dead amongst them. ⟨Robertson⟩ called himself a Protestant, and M,Queen, ⟨a⟩ Roman Catholic—that is, they had sprung ⟨from⟩ parents professing these persuasions; ⟨but⟩, as for themselves, they had neither of ⟨the⟩ least spark of religion; they knew no ⟨more⟩ what it was than the earth on which ⟨they⟩ trod. They walked in each other’s ⟨company⟩, the one carrying his luckless body for ⟨the⟩ support of the other wherever it might be ⟨convenient⟩ for him to sacrifice him for the (illegible text)eal. Five times worse than the wretched ⟨horde⟩ of Abyssinians, who cut the flesh, ⟨as⟩ they travel, from the back of the living ⟨beast⟩.

As soon as the provisions which they had ⟨contrived⟩ to carry with them were exhausted, ⟨the⟩ other four agreed among themselves to ⟨kill⟩ Hutchinson, and to eat his body for ⟨support⟩; and they drew lots among them who ⟨should⟩ be the one to drive the fatal axe into ⟨his⟩ head. The lot fell on Robertson, who ⟨carried⟩ it into execution. They cut the body ⟨into⟩ piecs, and carried it with them, with the exception of the hands, feet, and intestines.

They ate heartily of it, as Robertson ⟨expressed⟩ it. It lasted them some days; and when ⟨it⟩ was nearly all consumed, a general alarm seized the whole party. The greatest ⟨jealousy⟩ prevailed about carrying the axe, and scarce one amongst them dared to shut ⟨his⟩ eyes or doze for a moment, for fear of ⟨being⟩ sacrificed uuawares. Under these ⟨dreadful⟩ circumstances, Robertson and Fagan ⟨made⟩ a sort of agreement between them, that ⟨while⟩ one slept the other should watch, ⟨alternately.⟩ “We were always alarmed. The next ⟨that⟩ was murdered was Coventry, the old ⟨man⟩ he was cutting wood one night, and (illegible text) agreed, in the mean time, to kill ⟨him.⟩ M Queen and Fagan wanted to draw ⟨lots⟩ again who should kill him, but I said no ⟨I⟩ had already killed my man, and they ⟨ought⟩ to do it between them, that they might ⟨be⟩ in the same trouble as me. Fagan ⟨struck⟩ him the first blow. He saw him ⟨coming⟩ and called out for mercy: he struck him ⟨on⟩ the head, just above the eye, but did not ⟨kill⟩ him. Myself and M‘Queen finished ⟨him⟩ and cut him in pieces. We ate greedily the flesh, never sparing it, just as if we ⟨expected⟩ to meet with a whole bullock ⟨next⟩ day. I used to carry the axe by day, ⟨and⟩ lay it under me at night. I thought I ⟨was⟩ safe, forgetting that they had knives and ⟨razors⟩. Before we had ate all Coventry’s ⟨flesh⟩ M‘Oueen started up, one night, looking ⟨horribly⟩, and bade me come with him to ⟨get⟩ some snares to catch a kangaroo. We ⟨left⟩ Fagan by the fire, and when we had ⟨gone⟩ ⟨about⟩ 200 yards he asked me to sit down. ⟨I had⟩ the axe upon my shoulder, and I was ⟨afraid⟩ he wanted to kill me, for he was ⟨stronger⟩ than I. So I threw the axe aside, ⟨but⟩ farther from him than me, for fear he ⟨would⟩ try to snatch it—that I should reach ⟨it⟩ before him if he did. But he wanted me ⟨to⟩ kill Fagan, that he might not be evidence ⟨against⟩ us. I would not agree to it, saying, ⟨I⟩ could trust my life in his hands, and we ⟨returned⟩ to the fire.

"On our return, Fagan was lying by the ⟨fire⟩ warming himself. I threw down the ⟨axe⟩; and he looked up and said, ‘Have you ⟨put⟩ any snares down, Ned?’ I said, ‘No; ⟨there⟩ are snares enough, if you did but know (illegible text)' I sat beside him, M‘Queen was ⟨beyond⟩ me: he was on my right, and Fagan ⟨on⟩ my left. I was wishing to tell Fagan ⟨what⟩ had passed, but could not, as M'Queen ⟨was⟩ sitting with the axe close by looking at ⟨us⟩. I lay down, and was in a doze, when I ⟨heard⟩ Fagan scream out. I leaped on my ⟨feet⟩, in a dreadful fright, and saw Fagan ⟨lying⟩ on his back, with a dreadful cut in the ⟨head⟩, and the blood pouring from it. ⟨M‘Queen⟩ was standing over him, with the ⟨axe⟩ in his hand. I said, ‘You murdering ⟨rascal⟩, you b—y dog! what have you done?’ ⟨He⟩ said, ‘This will save our lives;’ and struck him another blow on the head ⟨with⟩ the axe. Fagan only groaned after the ⟨scream.⟩ M'Queen then cut his throat with a ⟨razor⟩ through the windpipe. We then ⟨stripped⟩ off his clothes, and cut the body in pieces ⟨and⟩ roasted it. We roasted it all at once, ⟨upon⟩ all occasions, as it was lighter to carry, ⟨and⟩ would keep longer. About four days ⟨after⟩ that, we gave ourselves up at ⟨Macguire⟩ Marsh, a hut belonging to Mr Nicholas, ⟨at⟩ the junction of the Shannon and the Ou(illegible text) or Big River. Two days before, we ⟨heard⟩ some dogs that had caught a kangaroo, ⟨and⟩ threw away the remainder of Fagan’s ⟨body.⟩ I wish this to be made public after my ⟨death.⟩

“EDWARD ROBERTSON.”⁠

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