The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-02 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF DEDEA REDANIES.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Jan. 1,

MAIDSTONE, JAN. 1. '. rime es T T T.
kJ, U 1 1., vII A L., Li . n Ica IN WHITE6IIOSS-STREET Pfti-
The murderer Dedea Redanies was executed this'
morning, at 12 o'clock, in front of the County Gaol at soet.—John Ford, James Eglinton, John tlackmoor,
Win, Stuckfield, Al!tesi Badman, George S. Meet',
Maidstone.
George Elkin, Wm. Wiltshire, first 4.. about 20 other per-
It will be unnecessary to state more in detail the sir- sons, appeared before Sir Francis G. 1\100::.; F.orne upon
cumstances connected with the crime for which this summonses, and others by habeas, from the debtors' seri-
wretched man suffered than to remind our readers that, son in Whitecross-street, to answer a charge of riotously
at the late winter assizes, he pleaded guilty to one in-
assembling, on the 31st of July last, in Whitecross-street
dietment charging him with the wilful murder of a girl prison, to the terror of her Majesty's liege subjects, to
named Caroline Back, 19 years old, and that he was disturb the public peace; and, being so riotously assern•
convicted, upon a second indictment, of the wilful mur• bled, for assaulting Mr. James May, an attorney-at-law.
der of Maria Back, the sister of Caroline, and two years The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor and Sir R. W. Car-
younger,
den were on the bench during a portion of the time ; and
The career of the prisoner appears to have been a Captain Williams, the Inspector of Prisons, was present
somewhat extraordinary one. He was born at Belgrade, through the whole of the inquiry.
in Servia, and until within the last 18 months he had Mr. Charles Pearson, the City Solicitor, said he at.
professed the Mahommedan religion. He appear. not tended to prosecute on behalf of the City of London ; and
to have been brought up to any trade or profession, but the object he had in view was that of suppressing a prac.
it seems that he served for some time in the Turkish tice that was subversive of the discipline of the prison,
army, but being disgusted with that service he left it, and detrimental to the administration of justice. Mr.
and was for some time at Milan. There he became May visited the prison on professional business, and it
acquainted with a Catholic priest, who had some con- was in consequence of the treatment he received on that
versations with him upon the subject of his religious occasion that he complained, and that the magistrates
notions, and it appears that he succeeded in impressing had ordered the prosecution. He would not introduce
him with an idea that the Mahommedan religion was any exciting remarks upon the case ; but after adducing
not the one likely to lead to salvation, and he became a the necessary facts, be would ask the aldermen to send
Christian, and since that period he had professed the the matter to be dealt with at the sessions of the Cen.
Roman Catholic religion. Upon the breaking out of
teal Criminal Court,
the war with Russia, and the embodying of a foreign Mr. Lewis, jun., appeared for the defendants, and
legion, he joined one of the Swiss regiments that were asked that all the witnesses for the prosecution might be
intended for the service of this country, and was doing ordered out of court, and his request was acceded to.
duty with his regiment at Shorncliffe, in the neighbour- Mr. Jas. May said—l am an attorney of 22, Prince's.
hood of Dover, at the time he committed the dreadful street, Spitalfields. On the 31st July I went into White-.
act for which his life was forfeited. cross-street prison to see a man named Ford, on seeing
Redanies appears never for a moment to have denied whom I told him I came to make inquiries about a bill
his guilt. Indeed, the only thing that seems to have of exchange, which Mr. Evans, a client of mine, had
given him any trouble is the complexity of the mode of tboeetnhesuaecdtiuopnon,
The
er thena mpurpose
Thos.of
Ford w
preparing
procedure in the English criminal law, whereby he was back of the bill as endorsee. Ford said he wassunpootn the
the
called upon to return an answer upon four forms of pro. man, as his name was John, upon which I went out ;
cedure, namely, bills of indictment, and injunctions by but meeting Mr. Evans I returned, and he then pointed
the coroner, whether he was guilty or not of the offences out Ford as the person he was in quest of. I had previ-
alleged against him ; and he has repeatedly said that his ously told Mr. Ford I had no process to serve upon him.
intention was to plead guilty to having killed both the When I advanced with Mr. Evans towards Ford he
girls, but that as he was perfectly bewildered by having mixed with a crowd of prisoners, and I lost sight of him.
so many charges of murder made against him, he did not Immediately afterwards one of the prisoners came for-
know what course to take, and allowed everything to ward and said, "Do you come to serve Furd with a copy
o proceed without troubling himself in the matter, as he of a writ ? If you do, you will be served out." I told
was quite prepared for what be knew must be the inevi- them I came to make inquiry relative to the negotiation
table result, namely the loss of his own life. Ever since of a bill of exchange • but almost immediately after I
his conviction the prisoner has evinced the most perfect was hustled and jostled about, and completely smothered
composure, and, indeed, impassibility. The Rev. Mr. with flour, which had been thrown at me from all direc-
King, the chaplain of the gaol, of course saw him in the tions, in small bags containing about half a pound of
performance of his ordinary duty, but as the prisoner flour. I was also saturated with water, and, when near
professed to entertain Roman Catholic notions, ne was the gate, I received a quantity of scalding water upon
unwilling to press his ministration upon him, and a corn- me, which had been thrown from the windows of the
munication having been made by the gaol authorities to ward. I was soon after rescued by one of the turnkeys;
the Catholic dignitary of the Brompton district, a priest and, as I was passing through the gate, followed by the
who had some knowledge of the German language, crowd, I was kicked twice in the breech.
named Lawrence, was sent to visit the prisoner, and he Cross•examined—l have been many times in the prison
was almost constantly in attendance with him down to on professional business, but never served writs. I had
the last moment of his existence ; and he was so satisfied the copy of the writ I have mentioned in my hand at the
with the condition of his mind, that it appears he ad- time I spoke to Ford, and also when I went into the
ministered the Sacrament to him on Wednesday. Not- prison again. When the otherprisoners ad vanced towards
withstanding this, ho eever, there can be no doubt that me I showed them the copy of the writ, and explained
there was a strong Mahommedan notion prevailing in the to them that it had already been served upon Mr.
prisioner's mind to the very latest period of his existence, Evans, but they would not listen to me. Several
for, almost immediately before he was severed from this persons called out, "Put hill under the pump I "
world, he regarded his approaching death with the most " Serve him out l'' and other exclamations of that kind.
perfect indifference, and exclaimed, "In a few moments Some of the bags of flour struck me on the face ;
I shall be in the arms of my dear Caroline—l care not but I cannot say where I was struck first, as the flour
for death," and water came from all directions and eo simultane•
The prisoner was allowed some few indulgences that "813'. I heard no cries of "Let him alone."
were perhaps not strictly in accordance with prison Mr. J. Evans said—l am the person upon whom the
rules, and among them he was permitted to smoke. copy of a writ spoken of by the last witness was served,
He evidently enjoyed his pipe, and on Wednesday he and I met Mr. May at the door of the prison as he was
was engaged in smoking as usual. Having finished his coming out the first time. I went in with him again, and
pipe, he coolly shook out the ashes, and then laid the pointed out Ford. This was on the Middlesex side of the
pipe on the table, and said, " I smoke no more." After prison. I heard Flood say, "If yon have any process to
this he amused himself, as he had on previous occasions serve you will not be allowed here ;" and directly after a
frequently done, by making a sort of rough sketch of person brushed past me calling out, " A rat ! a rat !"
the place and the mode in which the double murder was There were 30 or 40 persons assembled at the end of the
committed, and when he had finished he laid the pen by yard, and on our approaching Mr. May inquired for Ford.
the side of the paper, and said, "Now I write no more. Flood said, " You have a writ in your hand."'Mr. May
I prepare myself to go meet my dear Caroline." He held the writ up for them to look at, and at the same
then went to bed, but it appears that, for the first time time I heard some one exclaim, " your eyes, we will
since his conviction, he did not sleep soundly. What put you both under the pump." Blackmoor was sitting
awful doubts and fears disturbed him none can tell, but on a stool, and, knowing him, I appealed to him to ex-
it was remarked that upon this last dreadful night he plain the nature of my visit ; but on my turning round
was unable to take that rest that he had before enjoyed, again to Mr. May, I saw a bag of flour strike him in the
He had also previously eaten heartily, but on the morn. face, and immediately after ho was smothered in flour
ing of his execution he was unable to take any refresh- and water. I received about a quart of flour on my breast,
ment, although he still exhibited the same outward and a portion of the flour thrown at Mr. May.
and leave
itahtae
appearance of composure that had characterised him all Cross-examined—Flood did not say, "Take my advice
through the proceedings,
nycea,rd' andi II
wentsaw theout
soonturnkey
afutter
comer him
andto Mr.lt seems that Father Lawrence, the Roman Catholic May's assistance,
was
clergyman who was in attendance upon the prisoner, bonnetted as I was passing through the gate.
very shortly after he had been in communication with Mr. Albert Milienzie Russell Kinahan was then called,
him, entertained a strong belief that he was not in a and on the oath being tendered said he objected to be
sane state of mind, and he in consequence had some sworn on the ground that he was under duresse, having
communication with Mr. Bone, the governor of the been brought up from the Queen's Bench Prison, and
gaol, upon the subject ; and upon his expressing the that it was repugnant to his feelings to give evidence in
opinion that the prisoner was not in an accountable this matter ; but after some objections made by Mr.
state of mind, Mr. Bone, after referring to the pe- Lewis, to the effect that the witness was not bound to
culiar circumstance of the prisoner being a foreigner, criminate himself, and an intimation from the bench that
and the consequent difficulty of communicating with he would be committed to prison if he refused to answer
him, and also the character of the offence with which the questions put to him, the witness was sworn, and to
be was charged, advised that no time should be lost the surprise of the City Solicitor, who appeared to have
in communicating with the Secretary of State, and in- received information previously as to the nature of the
forming him of the circumstances upon which such an evidence he (witness) could give, denied all knowledge of
impression was founded ; and Mr. Lawrance accordingly the parties implicated in these proceedings, and although
addressed a communication to Sir George Grey, in present and taking no part in them, was unable to name
which he represented all the facts within his knowledge a single person who took any active part in pelting Mr.
upon which he came to the conclusion that the prisoner May.
was not a responsible agent. It would appear, how• The City Solicitor said, in the exercise of his discretion,
ever, that no sufficient grounds were stated for any in- he should not ask any more questions of this witness,
terference by the Executive, and the law was therefore but leave bim to be dealt with by the judges, and see
left to take its course, a communication to that effect what evidence he would then give.
having been sent to Father Lawrence from the office of Benjamin Constable, one of the turnkeys of White-
the Secretary of State. cross-street prison, corroborated the evidence of the
It was rather a peculiar circumstance that the go- Prosecutor and Mr. Evans as to the riotous conduct of
vernor of the gaol rigidly insisted upon carrying out one the prisoners on the occasion in question, but his memory
of the gaol rules, for the exclusion of all strangers from was equally treacherous with that of Mr. Kinahan's,
the prison on the morning of an execution. All parties and his replies of the same non, alai record() character.
appeared to be perfectly ignorant of the law in reference Sir F. G. Moon inquired if such riots were of frequent
to the matter, and under which every proceeding con-
occurrence ?
nected with the execution of capital punishment devolves Constable said they happened on an average about
upon the High Sheriff, and, in his absence, upon his once a year, and sometimes even worse than on the pre-
deputy, At present it appears the Under Sheriff for the sent occasion. In one instance, while the whitewashers
county, Mr. W. Palmer, is absent from the country on were at work, the prisoners, out of pure mischief, took
account of ill health, and his duties devolve upon Mr. up the pails and threw the whitewash over each other.
Wildes, the clerk of the peace, and that gentleman de- Mr. Lewis said that the generality of the prisoners
ferred to the judgment of the governor of the prison, went there to be whitewashed. (Laughter.)
and consequently, so far as the interior arrangements of Constable said he believed they did. The cry alluded
t
the execution were concerned, the whole affair was to was "Hie rat," and originated with a man named
managed with the most complete secrecy, no one being Towler, about 17 years ago.
present but the governor, the Rev. Mr. King, Father The City Solicitor said he was disappointed in the evi-
Lawrence, and a few sheriffs' officers. ln the case of deuce of two of the witnesses, and he was not prepared
the poor wretch who was the sufferer upon the present to carry the case any further, and he therefore applied
occasion, as his guilt was clear, and as the execution that those who had been identified in this riot might be
was really, so to speak, a mere matter of course, no committed to take their trial at the sessions.
complaint should perhaps be made of this course of Sir F. G. Moon said there was no case legally made
proceeding, but it is obvious that if public executions out against any of the defendants before him sufficient
are to be a portion of the law of the country, it is to send them for trial, and the summonses were there-
advisable that some authorised representative of the fore dismissed ; but, in the event of the City Solicitor
press should be present on such occasions. In refer- obtaining fresh evidence the parties would still be liable
ence to what is above stated as to the want of know• to be proceeded against.
ledge of the law upon this subject, it is only neces- Sir R. W. Carden said there was no doubt about the
nary to state that the governor of the prison has no. insubordination of the prison, but the evidence did not
thing whatever to do with the carrying out of the sen. implicate any of the parties before the Court in the in-
, tence of death on the morning of an execution ; the she. fliction of the injuries upon Mr. May.
riff is the only responsible party, and all the governor The court was then cleared, and those parties who had
of a prisoner has to do is to deliver up the body of the been brought from Whitecross-street and the Queen's
prisoner to the sheriff that execution may be performed Bench were escorted back to their quarters in those
upon him, and the governor need not even be present ; prisons by a strong body of officers.
in fact, he has nothing to do with the matter. Henry Frank Carr, whose extraordinary account of a
It has already been stated that the prisoner did not large quantity of stolen property found in his possession
sleep very well on his last night on this earth, and that I so imposed upon Sir R. W. Carden and Mr. Thwaites,
he could not take any refreshment on the morning of his chairman of the Board of Works, was again brought up,
execution. Father Lawrence was with him at an early charged with robbing his employers of property to the
hour, and they conversed together for a considerable time value of about 1001.
in German. Redanies did not to the last appear to can- Mr. Morgan appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Wontner
eider that be had committed any crime. Him idea seemed conducted the defence.
to be, that being fondly attached to the deceased Caroline Some further evidence was given relative to a part of
Back, and fearing she was about to become connected the property in pledge, identified as belonging to Messrs.
with another man, he resolved to destroy her to prevent Meeking, of Holborn ; after which evidence in a fresh
such a result, knowing that the consequence would be case was given, in which the prisoner was charged with
the loss of his own life, but at the same time believing robbing Messrs. Green well, of the Blackfriars-road, in
that he should at once rejoin his beloved one in the other whose employ he had formerly lived. About DO pairs
world ; that, in fact, death was the prelude to him of of gloves were found in his box, which were identified
everlasting bliss ; and, with such ideas evidently fully as Messrs. Greenwell's property.
impressed upon his mind, he went to the scaffold as to a The prisoner was committed for trial on both charges.
marriage bed. Having been accustomed for considerable It having been stated on a former occasion that the
time to a military life, he had naturally imbibed a good prisoner entered Messrs. Meeking's establishment upon a
deal of the neatness and smartness of a soldier, and false character, written by Mr. Alex. Hans, a draper,
during his incarceration it was observed that be was of Wimbledon, a summons was issued against him for
always particularly careful in his personal appearance. that offence, and he accordingly appeared yesterday to
On the morning when he was to leave this world for answer it.
ever, it appears that he took more care than usual in From the evidence it appeared that, in accordance
dressing himself, and having occasion only a few minutes with a custom in Mr. Meeking's establishment, the pri-
before the final period of his existence to obey a call of soner Carr, filled up a form stating among other things
nature, it was remarked that he most carefully adjusted that he had lived in the employ of Mr. Alexander
his dress in every particular. Hans, of Wimbledon, from June, 1855, until Decem-
The actual formalities of the execution were very sim. ber in the same year. This statement was forwarded
pie. When Redanies saw Calcraft, the executioner, he to Mr. Hans for authentication, and be returned it
at once placed himself in a military, upright form, and with a note, declaring the contents of that statement to
submitted to the new process of pinioning without a be correct, and adding that while Carr was with him
murmur. The signal being given for moving to the "he found him strictly honest, sober, industrious, civil,
scaffold, the prisoner at once walked off with a light, persevering, and obedient." It appeared, however, that
cheerful step, and although he had some considerable Carr was in the employ of Messrs. Sewell and Cross
distance to traverse, and had a number of steps to ascend during that time.
before he reached the gallows, which was erected in Mr. Wontner, for the defence, said he knew, upon
front of one of the wings of the gaol, and to which ac. the facts of the case, that a conviction must follow, and
cess was obtained through a window or opening in the he was only addressing the Court in mitigation of the
stonework, be did not exhibit the slightest trepidation. penalty. This was not an ordinary case of sham cha-
His calmness and composure did not forsake him for an racter, where the parties, as is usual in such cases, are
instant. The Rev. Mr, King read the burial service in strangers to each other, and have a fraudulent object in
English, and Father Lawrence also read some prayers view for their mutual gain ; but on the contrary,
in the German language, and after a very brief interval although the prisoner Carr had not lived with Mr.
the drop fell, and the culprit appeared to be dead almost Harm during 1855, ho had done so for the same period
instantaneously. It should be stated, perhaps, to show in 1852 or 1853, on which occasion his character was
the condition of the mind of the prisoner, that when he all that Mr. Hans could desire, and it was merely a
arrived at the entrance of the gaol, and was about to wish to oblige a deserving young man, who had suf-
ascend the stairs leading to the scaffold, he recognised fered much from illness, to enable him to get a situation,
the officer at the gate by whom he had at first been re- that he had given the character in question.
ceived, and, addressing him in the most friendly manner, Sir H. W. Carden said this was a very important
he stepped on one side and shook hands with him, and 1 question ; for if the defendant hail not given this false
exclaimed, " Good bye," and then joined the procession, cl:araoter Messrs. Meeking would not have taken Carr
and tripped up the stairs leading to the gallows. into their employ, and ho could not have had the op.
A considerable number of persons assembled to wit- portunity of robbing them.
nese the execution, and their behaviour was most orderly Sir F. G. Moen quite concurred in the remarks made
and decorous. Some few of those assembled seemed to by Sir. R. W. Carden ; and he did not consider this
pity the unhappy culprit, but the general feeling ap. I was a case that called for any mitigation of the penalty,
peared to be that his dreadful crime had received only a i He therefore fined the defendant 201. and 108, costs,
or,
fitting punishment. 1 in default, three months' imprisonment.
A sad event concluded t'ue melancholy proceedings of ' Mr. Morgan said that, under the Act of Parliament
the day. The body, after hanging the usual time—one governing these proceedings, half of the penalty was due
hour—was cut down, an-,f the workmen then proceeded to the informer ; and Messrs. Meeking being entitled to
to remove the scaffold. While so engaged, one of them that moiety were desirous of placing it at the alderman's
fell a considerable hole bt his head and was killed disposal for the benefit of the poor.
- A upon,
upon the spot. I The fine and costs were immediately paid,