The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-12 00:00:00

EXECUTIONS IN IRELAND.

Tuesday being the day named for the execution
of John Ryan, who was found guilty at the last Tul-
lamore Assizes of the murder of Sergeant Grant, a
large concourse assembled in front of the gaol to
witness the spectacle. At five minutes past 12 the
culprit tripped up the ladder with a light step, ac-
companied by the Rev. Messrs. Cullery and Flood,
Roman Catholic curates, and were it not for the ap-
pearance of the gaol and its officials, the demeanour
of the unfortunate man would. not impress the spec-
tators that it was an execution, for never did a man
walk up that fatal ladder with less apparent concern.
He turned his back to the people just as he stepped
on the drop, while the executioner was adjusting the
rope and putting his cap over his face. He never
spoke, and in a few minutes he was let off, and died
in great pain and agony, struggling for a long time.
At the usual time he was cut down and buried within
the precincts of the gaol. His brother was under
the drop witnessing the scene. On Saturday (says
the Limerick Chronicle) we stated that a memorial
had been forwarded to the Lord-Lieutenant on
behalf of Matthew and William Gavan, under
rule of execution in the county gaol, for the
murder of John Ryan, at Cappamore, praying
his Excellency to, commute the capital punish-
ment to transportation for life. To that ap-
plication an answer was received on Sunday from
Dublin Castle, stating,—" His Excellency the Lord-
Lieutenant sees no ground for interfering with the
execution of the sentence of the law in the case of
William and Matthew Gavin." The governor of the
goal received another communication from Dublin
Castle on Tuesday morning, stating that the Lord-
Lieutenant has had the case of the Gavins again
brought before him, and sees nothing to make him
change his former decision, and that the law is to
take its course. This final letter sealed the doom of
the wretched young men, and in pursuance of the
sentence pronounced by Sergeant Stock at the last
assizes, the ill-fated brothers were executed this day
(Wednesday) at one o'clock, in front of the county
gaol.
The scene was affecting as they embraced and
bid a last farewell to each other in this world, with an
earnest prayer to God that they may be united in the
next. 'They made no public declaration on the
scaffold. They were attended by the Rev. William
Bourke, Roman Catholic chaplain of the prison, and
the Rev. Messrs. Ryan and Quinlan. The city
police, with a party of Carbineers, were on duty in
front of the prison. The bodies having been sus-
pended for an hour, were lowered from the gallows,
and removed for burial within the precincts of the
gaol. Ages of the two culprits—Matthew Gavin, 19
years ; William Gavin, 17 years.

SUICIDE OF A GENTLEMAN IN PIMLICO.—A gen-
tieman named Whitmore committed suicide yesterday, at
No. 1, Burton-street, Eaton-square. The deceased was a
wine-merchant, recently carrying on business in Sloane-
street. The cause of the dreadful act was mentioned in a
letter written by the deceased to have been some disap-
pointment connected with a lawsuit in which he had been
involved. The neighbourhood was thrown into a state of
considerable excitement by the melancholy occurrence, which
took place at about a quarter before twelve o'clock.