CHAPTER XXIX.
EXECUTIONS:
The First in Port Phillip.—20th January, 1842.
SYNOPSIS:— Execution of Two Aboriginals, "Bob" and "Jack." —Jepps, Ellis and Fogarty, Bushrangers. —"Roger," Murderer of Mr. Codd. —Council, Murderer of Edward Martin. —The Beveridge Murderers, "Ptolemy" and "Booby." —John Healey, Murderer of James Ritchie. —Dauncey the "Pentonvillian" Murderer. —Kennedy for Wife Murder. —Banqueting the "Gentlemen Volunteers." —What Became of the "Fighting Five." —Melbourne Executioners. —Total Number of Executions from 1835 to 1888.
"BOB" and "Jack," the Vandemonian Aborigines, convicted of the murder of two sailors at Western Port, were the first persons hanged in Melbourne, and their execution was eagerly looked for by the thousands of persons who felt a morbid curiosity to witness the departure of the wretches out of the world. After their condemnation and removal to the condemned cell, the culprits regarded their position with levity, and were confident that not only would the extreme sentence be mitigated, but that they would be pardoned altogether, and permitted to return to Van Diemen's Land. Their minds seemed possessed by a delirious anticipation of the pleasure they would experience in going home to the Old Hunting Grounds of their race, and the zest with which they would resume those habits and customs of aboriginal life over the water, which they had voluntarily abandoned years before. But when the day was fixed for their execution, and they became sensible of the fact, all their castle-building was knocked to pieces—the fairy fabrics constructed by the imagination dissolved like mist, and the dark blank of impending death stunned them. "Bob" grew sulky and taciturn; confessed his guilt, but declared that the women had instigated the murder in vengeance for the death of some of their friends who, they said, had been killed at Port Arthur. Both were allowed to smoke in gaol, but on their last evening "Bob" knocked off his pipe, and refused to partake of food; whereas "Jack," on the other hand, grew positively jolly, and, so far from manifesting any diminution of appetite, disposed of a supper consisting of half a 4lb. loaf, with three pannikins of tea, and by way of promoting good digestion, laughed and joked immoderately after. His pipe was by no means neglected, and having puffed until he was tired, he handed the clay to "Bob," who refused it with a passionate wave of the hand, whereat "Jack" told him he was a fool, and might as well enjoy the good things of life to the end. The Rev. Mr. Thomson, the Church of England minister, passed a good portion of the night with them. "Bob" seemed much affected and contrite, weeping piteously at intervals; but "Jack" was the impersonation of callous indifference. At five o'clock on the morning of the execution, breakfast was served, and "Jack" devoured over 3lbs. of bread, washed down by two pannikins of tea, but "Bob" could eat nothing, though he drank a little. "Jack" next consoled himself with a long and last smoke, and during "his toilet" "Jack" laughed, snapped his fingers,and shouted "that he did not care a fig for anything." He said he was quite certain he was going to his father, to be happy with him kangaroo hunting over the sea. He also expressed a belief that he had three heads, viz.:— One for the gallows, another for the grave, and the third and best for Van Diemen's Land. At seven o'clock the Sheriff and the Chaplain arrived, when Divine Service was held in the prison yard. At eight o'clock the prisoners were removed in a vehicle. Thousands of persons had congregated, and such was the jostling and confusion, that a party of mounted police in attendance had difficulty in clearing a way for the death cart, which moved slowly ahead, surrounded by the shouting, laughing multitude, to whom it appeared to be a fine morning's fun. There was no Private Execution Act then in force, and it was necessary that the hanging of criminals should be performed in public. There was no Hospital, Public Library, or Court House to break the wild open country north of Lonsdale Street, and the walls of the intended New Gaol were only up to the height of some ten or twelve feet.
