The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-01-20 00:00:00

THE LOUGH MASK WOOERS.

EXECUTION OF PATRICK RIG( 11 'NS,

Patrick Higgins, Condemned to death for pa .rticipa-
tion in the murders of Lord Ardilaun's baifl ifs, the
Huddys, was banged within the walls of Galvin ty Gaol
Et eight o'clock on Monday 'naming.
Daring the night a severe gale of wind hi Id been
blowing, and the wind was accompanied y vivid
flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. To e morn-
ing was wild and boisterous. There was litiLa4 videnoe
outade the gaol that anything unusual %into bout to
take place. Very few persons were about, sal ld at a
'quarter to eight, when the representatives of thke Press
were admitted to the prison, there were not n tore than
a dozen persons assembled outside.

The condemned man rose at about six o'clo ci, after
having slept all night. The Rev. Father Grreaven
was immediately in attendance upon him, and re-
mained with him till the last. At seven o'clock
Higgins was conducted to the chapel of the
gaol, where mass was performed by the Rev. Father
Greaven, assisted by the ReN. Father New ell, his
•curate.

-
At about ten minutes to eight the culprit was ttaken
by two warders to the pinioning room, where, that
operation was performed by Marwood. The d oor of
the room was opened at a few minutes before eight
o'clock, and the prisoner walked out with a firm steqp,
preceded by the Rev. Father Greaven. On each sitie
.0 him was a warder, and behind him walked -the
"executioner, having a firm hold of the strap wblich
bound the prisoner's arms behind his back.
,Higgins, who was in his shirt sleeves, and was base
heakied, nodded to a group of men who stood outsidle
the a:lo°r, and walked with a firm step through tho
conrty/ird of the gaol to the quildrangle where the
scaffold was erected. As he entered the, small and
gloomy yard, Higgins gave a startled glance at the
gallows in the corner, but did not falter
in his walk, going right up the steps on to
the drop, repeating the responses to the service for
the dying as he went along. The executioner then
istrapped his legs, and after adjusting the white cap he
'axed the noose round the culprit's neck. Higgins
continued to follow Father Greaven in the responses,
and he was in the act of ,raking when Marwood
drew the bolt and Higgins disappeared. The strain on
the rope was very great, Higgins being a powerful
And heavily-built man; but there WAS no apparent
bitch, and he must have died instantaneously without
a struggle, it being two minutes past eight when the
bolt was drawn. The rope was a new one, and allowed
drop of nine feet,
It is not stated whether the culprit made any con.
fesidon of his guilt, but whether thar.was the case of
not, he seemed to meet his doom in the full hope that
he would be pardoned in the next world. He was last
visited by his relatives on Saturday, when his wife and
two children took a last farewell of him. Ever since
the culprit was sentenced on the 14th of December a
hope was entertained among his friends that he would
be reprieved, and a commutation of his sentence was
confidently expected. All hope was finally dissipated
some days ago, however, when the Lord Lieutenant
Intimated that it was not his intention to interfere
.with the course of the law. This decision was duly
caommunicated to the condemned man.

The public interest manifested in the execution was
veu small; and when the black flag was hoisted at a
few toinutes after eight, there were only about forty
persons present, and many of these were me-Wbere of
the Roya4 Irish Constabulary.

_EXECUTION OF MICHAEL FLYNN AND

THOMAS HIGGINS.
Michael Flynn and Thomas Higgins (Tom), who
were condemned at the recent special Commission
Court in Dublin for participating in the murders
of Lord Ardilaun's bailiffs, the Huddys (together
With Patrick Higgins who was executed on
Monday, as described above), were - hanged
by Marwood within the walls of Galway
gaol at eight o'clock on Wednesday morning,
From the time of their conviction no hope had been
'entertained of a commutation of their sentence. They
have been very attentive to the spiritual advice of the
- chaplain of the gaol. The ~wives and other relatives
of the two men have visited them on four occasions
since their condemnation, the last visit being paid on
the 13th inst.—The execution is thus described:—

The morning of the execution was much darker than
Was the case on Monday, and the rain poured in a con-
tinuous and depressing drizzle. Not a soul was outside
the gaol until close upon eight o'clock, ex‘mpt the con-
stables on duty, and even when the black flag had
been hoisted, the number present was very small, the
Interest taken in this event being evidently less than
mthlkt which characterised the execution of Patrick
41(Iggins. After risinz, hortly after six o'clock, the
condemned men were visited by the Rev. Father
Greaven, who arrived at the prison at ten minutes to
seven, and at seven o'clock they were taken to the
chapel in the hospital, where mass was celebrated.
They took no breakfast, or any food at all. They were
taken into the pinioning room at a few minutes before
eight o'clock, and the sheriff, Mr. J. Reddington,
formally handed over the convicts to Marwood, who
immediately pinioned their arms, and at five minutes
past eight the mournful procession, led by the sheriff,
started for the scaffold.

Thomas Higgins was the first to appear, looking
very pale and haggard; and after him came Flynn,
the latter repeating devoutly the responses to the
Service for the Dead, which was read by Father
.heaven; but Higgins scarcely opened his lips.
Both were dressed in the clothes they wore at the
trial, but neither had any head coverigg, Higgins
Walked steadily to the scaffold, looking upwards
With an anxious face, his lips moving slightly.
Marwood placed him beneath that part of the
beam from which Patrick Higgins vies hanged
on Monday, strapped his legs, and put the
white cap over his head. Then, • after perform-
ing the same functions for Flynn, Who still repeated
the responses to the rev, father's prayers, the execu-
tioner stepped to the end of the drop, and at ten
minutes past eight the Lough Mask murderers ceased
to exist. Death in each case was instantaneous, the
same length of drop, namely lift,, being used as on the
occasion of the execution of their fellow murderer,
Patrick Higgins.

Contrary- to expectation, Michael Flynn made no
statement on the scaffold. The execution altogether
Wha devoid of any special interest. Marwood did his
Work quickly, and all the arrangements for the cere-
11,1°DY were carried out without the slightest hitch.
The only persons present were eight or nine represen-
tatives of the press, the sheriff, the chief warden, the
deputy governor of the gaol, Dr. Kincsard, the gaol
surgeon, the priest, the executioner, and a couple of
turnkeys.

The bodies Were left hanging for an hour, and at the
end of that time they were removed by Marwood, and
Placed in the rough deal coffins prepared for their re-
cePtion.

An inquest on the bodies was held during the morn•
trig in a room in the goal, and the usual verdict re-
turned.