The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-13 00:00:00

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE.

Lord STANLEY reported from the sub-committee that
the new works power to construct which is sought by
the bill are to be executed out of funds which the com-
pany are at present authorised to raise. The length of
the Cannock branch is 7g miles, and that of the Norton
branch three miles. The steepest gradients is lin 87.
The estimated cost or other expenses to be incurred up
to the completion of the railway is 90,0001., and the
quantity of land required 754 acres for the Cannoch
branch, and 284 acres for the Norton branch. Several
petitions were presented against the bill. Mr. M‘C,lean,
Mr. Locke, and Mr. Hawkshaw were examined in sup-
port of the bill, and Mr. Brunel, Mr. Robertson, Mr.
Blyth, and Mr. Adie in opposition to it. The committee
were satisfied of the fitness, in an engineering point of
-view, of the proposed railways.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

THE GREAT NORTHERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for
the week ending April 2, 1854 £17,127 12 8
Corresponding week last year 14,425 10 0

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAlLWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending April 9, 1854 £18,424 12 6
Corresponding week last year 18,220 14 4
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for
the week. ending April 9, 1854 £4,148 3 8
Corresponding week last year 3,202 12 6

Increase in 1854

£945 11 2

GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WXSTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re
turn for the week ending April 8, 1854 £5,504 0 3
corresponding week last year 4,756 3 7

Increase in 1851 £B37 16 8
CORK AND BANDON RAlLWAY.—Traffia return for the
week ending April 8, 1854
Corresponding week laot year 235 6 9

EXECUTION OF RIBBOYMEv FOR THE
IYI(IRDER OF 31 K. B 1 1 I:SUS.

Neal Quin, Bryan Grant, and Patrick Coomey, con-
victed at the late assizes of the murder of Mr. T. D.
Bateson, J.P., suffered the extreme penalty of the law
in front of Monaghan Gaol, on Monday. The scene,
which was a most remarkable one, is thus described in
the Banner of Ulster :

A rumour got abroad that the sentence in the case of
Coomey would he mitigated. Towards the latter part
of last month, however, the death warrants were deli-
vered to the Sheriff, and on the 30th ult. they w.re
handed to Mr. Temple, the governor of the gaol. The
unhappy men wisely gave up all hopes as to the present
world, and, aided by their chaplains, devoted all their
thoughts and aspirations to another. They ate, drank,
talked, and slept well during the last weeks of their ex-
istence ; and Coomey, who was an inveterate smoker,
was not. asked to give up his habitual practice. Quin
and Grant became much attenuated—the latter particu-
larly so—during the past fortnight. Grant's wife took
farewell of him a week ago. His four little girls waxes
prudently kept away by their mother. Coona.ey, who
had a wife and seven children, was considerably affected
in parting with his children. Quirt's wife, a young
woman, saw her husband for the last time on Sabbath
last. The stoical indifference manifested by the men
themselves, and by the relatives who visite I them, w
as
much remarked by the offi:iers of the prison. C
children alone evinced any tender emotion omey ' s
from their father. Quin's wife P separating
wretched husband tranquilly. it her young
On Sabbath evening*' rand almost listlessly and
intimation this* a ain and C ierney gave some
they would address the people on the
follow:.eg
morning. Previous to the locking up of the
prisoners, Coomey, whiffing his pipe as usual, inquired,
" What time the morrow will that be ?" in a tone and
mariner from which no one could have discovere I to
what he referred. Quin desired to know if they could
all "go at once," and being informed in the negative,
as the gallows contained provision for only two, sail,
in reply to the governor, that he and Bryan would like
"to go together "--a request which was at once acceded
to. They then walked firmly for the last time, to their
cells, and were afterwards waited upon for some hours
by their respective chaplains. Tho,e in the cell with
them reported that they had slept soundly during the
night. Early in the morning they were visited by the
clergy, and having partaken of the communion and en-
gaged in devotional exercises, they breakfasted with
their ordinary heartiness. About two hours before their
last moments, Quin and Coomey were quite cheerroi.
The former declared that he had never known
.sir:m hap-
piness as during the last week ; that he col'ltil not have
been persuaded that death was so
and that he
would not then accept his pardon it were offered to
him. He chatted, smiled, smoked and sauntered about
the yard, at times pirouetting on his heel, and manifest-
ing the most reckle'A indifference as to his fate. Coomey
also was in good spirits, and was quite disposed to enter
upon a polemic controversy. He boasted that he had
never known a day's sickness during nearly the two
years he had been in prison. Grant alone looked de-
jected, and preserved his customary taciturnity. His
appearance was very ghastly.

From 10 o'clock in the morning the people began to
assemble in front of the gaol ; it is right, however, to state
here that there was little in the appearance of the
town or neighbourhood to indicate that an awful spec-
tacle was about to be exhibited, and that the entire as-
sembly did not, although it was market day in Mona-
ghan, appear at any time to be beyond two, or, at most
three, thousand persons. This latter circumstance is to
be attributed, in all probability, to an injuction which,
it was stated, had been given by the Roman Catholic
clergy from their altars on the previous day, that their
people should remain away from the scene. At half-
past ten a large body of the county const Lbulary, under
Charles M`Kelvey, Esq , 5.1., and Head-Constable
Devlin, took their station in front of the gad, and shortly
afterwards a troop of the 2'l Dragoon Guards were drawn
up in a line to the right of the drop, under C;ptain
Briscoe.

The deputy-sheriff was then present, a:id remained
till the termination of the huviness.

At twenty minutes before twelve o'clock Mr. Telltale,
the governor of the gaol—who went t!, rough his respete
sible duties with precision, end without any unnecessary
stringency—inforned the chaplains as to the precise
time they had at their dispesal. The time allotte I having
expired, Qiiin and Griot, hiving been arrayed in their
last dress, were con:hided from the chapel to the press-
room. Quin, in the passage, ran -literally jumped-
and embraced his chaplain, like a boy. The weer disre-
gard of death apparent in his conduct and appearance at
this moment, arrayed as he was in his shroud was ex-
traordinary. Grant held his hands clasped, with his
eyes fixed upon a little crucifix that was carried before
him. Having arrived in the press-teem. they knelt
and received absolution accords ,g to the Relish
ritual, the unhappy men expressing their full
belief that their sins were forgiven, an l th it
they were about to experience the.bless;ngs of hea-
ven. Tuey were then placed oo a for u. en I the ex.,
cutioneer was cellel. As tee execetietter took We's
left area to pinion it, some nee said, "Besteely."
Q lut excl timed, " On, he is doine, me the best job that
ever was done in this world." His chapl in t 'ld ben
not to speak of that now. Quin sai I, " I return you
many thanks for all your kin Ines; ; we commit ourselves,
0 Lord Jesus, to you. Jesus Christ receive us, God be
riv:rciful to us." Grant was then also p nioaed, be-
traying, in the operation, however no apparent tremor
or alarm. Quin, aho incline I to speak greatly, while
Grant spoke little or nothing, then said, "Now, we ask
your blessing, gentlemen, before we go." The priests,
putting their hands over the kneeling man, said, " We
extend it cheerfully." Quin continued. "Now we go
in tho truo fnith and eeenaeeee oC our medeerner.-
Priest—" In Mary, too, and in one moment you will
be in heaven." The ropes were then adjusted round
their necks, and Quin, who appeared inclined to say
something to the people assembled, as he had intimated
on the previous day, was stopped by his clergyman, who
told him that it was not necessary. A public confession
of guilt need not, however, have been expected, as the
miserable man, in a feeble ambiguous way, endeavoured
to convey the impression of his innocence up till the
last. As he was being moved to the drop by the execu-
tioner, his pastor said, "He that would have pardoned
Judas himself, if he had asked for it, will pardon you
when you ask. Now you have eternal happiness in
youriftedeemer and Mary." Quin then kissed the cru-
cifix, bade farewell to the chaplain, and exclaimed,
"Mary, mother of God, have mercy on us ;" " Lord
Jesus Christ, have mercy and receive us," &c. Grant used
similar expressions, and said to his clergyman. " Farewell
to this world." The doors having been thrown open,
and the unfortunate men having appeared dressed
in their shrouds, and having white c ips on their
heads, a fearful shout was raised by the male portion of
the spectators, the women assembled shrieked bitterly,
and the murmuring wail throughout the entire crowd
was of the most agonising description. The bolts were
then drawn instantly, and the men fell about eight feet.
Grant died almost instantly, without ast ugele. Quite
however, who had several times expressed his wish "to
suffer more for his Saviour," did not die for fourteen mi-
nutes after he dropped. In pulling down the cap over
his face, it was said that the executioner had shifted the
rope, and that it was :Jeering on his jew hone. To th:s
circumstance was attributed his protracted death. Tee
priests, at this moment, stepped the pressroom &sir,
and, putting their hands through the iron bars, imme-
diately behind the drop, delivered a numeer of elver),
in Latin. Q tin, on his fall, strugeled convels; vele with
his hands amid feet, and his chest he wed iett*dly se-
veral minutes, and still there was life in him -the te-
diousness of his death was harrowing. Minutes again
passel, and still he was not dead. At the evilest soli-
citation of the Rev. Mr. Hughes, who appeared in mental
agony, as he looked down on the dying mai, messages
were repeatedly conveyed to the hanginar that Quin
was not dying, and the reply returned wee that he was
a strong man and that all did not die alike. Tee strug-
gles eventually got weaker, the chest at 12'4 ceased to
heave, and the wretched Irian was declared to have expired.
Three-quarters of an hour having elapsed, the sub-
sheriff directed the bodies to be taken down, and the
bodies having been examined by Doctor Temple, were
placed in their felon coffins,
Coomey was then brought from hs cell, bearing a cru-
cifix, and attended by the Rev. Mr. Birmingham. At this
second scene in the prey:-room the work bee mine sickening
—the very hangman looking a go-)d deal effected and
frightened by the practice of his awful ee!titig. Tee
same ceremony as before having been perf trtnel ey the
clerey, who held in their hands the " Rituale Retna-
num, ' " Theolegica M trails," and other books, the
executioner proceeded to put the cord round Comney's
arms. As he did o, Mr Htiehee s mid, " Remember He
was nailed." Coomey said, " Eh," with a strong, uti-
faltering voice. The expression was repeated. Coomey,
putting his other hand behind him, as a man would who
was being helped on with his great coat, said, " Oh,
your reverence, lam quite content to go the journey I
am going." He kept repeating to himself what were
understood to be prayers, calling upon his " Saviour
and Mary," the priest at the same time informing him
that he wouM soon see both. The crucifix, which was
held up before him; he kissed repeatedly, the priest say-
ing,
" Embrace the image of your Saviour again." The
rope was then put round his neck, the doors were
thrown open, and he walked firmly on the drop, praying
to his Savour for mercy, and calling on the assistance of
St. Joseph and Mary." The screaming of the females,
some of whom fainted, on the third white figure appear-
ing on the gallows, was heart-rending ; and the lamen-
tations of the masculine portion of the assemblage were,
for the moment, more painful than any other incident in
the terrible transaction. Coomey had not expressed,
during the morning, any intention of speaking, and was
at once launched into eternity, having died without a
struggle. His body having been suspended the pre-
scribed time, was taken down, and delivered to his
friends. It may be stated, as not the least singular fact
in this extraordinary history, that his children at eliving
in the house of the usurer, Barney Brennan, his brother-
in-law, and the principal instrument in hie death. The
fearful scene which we have just described, and which
terminates the eventful Bateson tragedy, occupied less
than two hours. In a short time after the removal of
the body of Coomey the crowd had dispersed, and the
town had resumed its wonted quiet appearance.
Thz..e are five men still in custody, charged as conspi-
rators to the murder of Mr. Bateson—the offence for
which Coomey was hanged.

THE PACKET SERVICE OP THE POST- ObTICE.—A return
to the House of Commons shows that, in the year ended
January last, the amount pail An account of the packet
service was 895,2751. Tile amount. chargeable to the
packet servii e was 801,4551., and 81,100/. "otherwise
chargeable," in addition to which 12,7201. was pail as
salaries of Admiralty agents on board the several
tract packets.