The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-19
THE MCGEE MURDER.
vHE1ANs ADDRESS TO TIE coURT-H1s CON-
DUCT AFTER THE SENTENCE.

A special dispatch to the New York Herald,
dated Ottawa, September Is, gives the follow
ing account of the scene at the conviction OF
Whelan for the murder of Hon. Darcy Nc
Gee:
The court opened at nine, and the prisoner,
when brought in, was very nervous and e1cit-
ed, alternately flushed and pale. He was dress,
ed in black, with gold watch and chain. and
wore beaver hat. The jury entered aIlld IN >
tense silence, and gave in their verdlct OF
gully, when Chief Justice Richards asked the
prisoner if he had anything to say. Wnelan
advanced to the front Of the dock, and said, IN
firm, loud voice:
81 have been tried and found guilty OF the
crime and of course am supposed TO pc mur-
derer. Standing here on the brink OF my
grave, l declare to you, my lord, and TO Goo, 1
am innocent I never committed this deed;
accused of being Fenian, but never was."
Whelan here detailed his career IN Quebec,
Mon treal and Ottawa, giving at leugth Ills pro-
ceedipes on the night Of the mui der and his
arrest. He complained OF his treatment by the
sheriff and SAID: When I was in jail the wit
ness Lacroix was brought to my cell. l was
pointed ont to him, and be said he did not
know me. Then sheriff Powell took my clothes
down stairs and showed them to Lacroiz, and
then he made me put them on. he then put
me in line with others and made us right
about face. While I had my back turned, LII
sight Of Goode, he pointed me out, and Lacroix
swore to me. They would not let me look at the
deposition nor question him, but ran me out OF
the room. [ know that the minds OF the people
and the prejudice of men ofcpulence are against
me because am an Irish Catholic. The sheriff
came to me IN my cell and ill-heated me, and
ploated over me, and said he would have the
iiangmans fee. would gpend the last drop OF
nv blood for the woman whose portrait hangs
above your lordship tpointing to the picture OF
the Queen) I served her nine years and BIZ
months years in lndia-and would spill
the last drop of my blood for her tomorrow.
never took McGee's life; l never owed him
spite. looked upon him as talented and
clever. We Catholics are looked on as traitors.
There is curse on this land-it is party Bit
terness, and am victim to 1t; may be ac-
cused and found guilty, but l am lnno cent.
Had been on jury with the same evidence
before me would have given the same YER
dict. I e1onerate Them, but did they know how
the Crown evidence was manufactured they
would have given another verdict Every Ro
man Catholic is accused OF being Feman.
ANY Englishman is welcome to say what ne
likes: but If q poor, starved Irishman dares to
lift his voice for Irish liberty he Is seized,
charged with assassination, hanged or sent IN
chains to an English jail-that terrestrial hell,
where be fingers one OF the living damned"
Chief Jushce-"I have given you plenty op-
portunity."
Chic! Justce-"I will hear you on matters
connected with your trial; but we are not in
England"
Whelan-oBut these things were practiced
on me. God knows it. He and know all"
The Chief Justice then sentenced Whelan to
be hanged on the 10th Of December, and said
he had } hope Of mercy. Whelan bowed and
said eYcitedly, "My Lord, all that sentence
cannot mike me guilty."
When Whelan got to jail he danced horn
pipe and sang in his cell. I saw him this efter-
noon and had long conversation with hlm.
Mr. Hllyard Cameron, late counsel for he
lan's defence, has received several threatening
letters from Orangemen, OF whom he was G and
Master, but has resigned his positio The
Aeszes adjourn tomorrow. On my leaving bis
cell to-day Whelan gave me his autograph, in
very poor hand, as follows: "To correspondent
Of the New York Herald-You. and Eeland's,
james Whelan."
As already mentioned in our telegraphic ad-
vices, application for new trial in the case OF
Whelan will be made to he Judge at Toronto
in November, on the ground that the judge on
the trial refused to allow the challenge OF ju-
rors before peremptory challenges were ex-
hausted Prominent lawyers think the ground
q good one.