The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-11

ST. JOINTS N. r., Jan. -, 1S72
The murder OF the old man Carrot Sears and his
sister, Mrs. Gehan, by the husband OF the latter,
rtl continues 10 create universal horror among the
law-abdlng people or Newfoundland. Many weeks
hadspasscd since the BODY OF Mrs. Gehan was found
on the old Spanlard's Bay Road, and the crime was
still shrouded in mystery. Then. as the HERALD
has promptly published. the BODY OF the missing
man, Sears, was discovered by the Chief OF Police
in heap OF ordure near the murderer's house, and
then suspicion was fixed on Gehan and
HIS GUILTY. PARAMOUNT,
Johannah Hamilton, who were duly arrested. Gehan
strongly asserted his innocence and was upheld In
his protestatlons BY his accompiice On the ground
of ndisputable circnnstantial evidence the muir.
derer and Johannah Hamilton were conveyed from
Harbor Grace In charge OF the Chief OF Police
to the Pententary at st. Johns There the terrors
OF prison life extracted from the girl Hamilton a
full confession OF The murders committed by the
hands Of Pa rick Gehan. and fully witnessed and
conuived at bv herself. she said that on the morn
ing OF The 20th OF November Garrett Sears, Pat
rick Gehan Mrs. Genan and witness sat together ar
breakfast In Gehan'S house. During the meal &C.
han betrayed an uncommon sui'llness OF dlsposi-
( tion ana seemed disposed TO avall himself OF the
least opportunity TO vent mis- passion on somebody.
A1tei patiently listening 10 many untoward remarks
passed by .Gehan the old man, Sears at last under
took to feprimand him. Gehan then lett the room,
and shortly returned with pistol, which, without
uttefng word, he aimed and fired at old Sears,
lnficuug
A MORTAL WOUND
In the BRAIN. Old seais fell backward, exclaiming
"Holy Saviour, have mercy on me - While pros.
traie on the floor. aud gasping and moaning In his
death throes, the old man received eight or ten
violent blows OF q mattock, which Genan seized
in order to despatch his victim These blows occa-
stoned the revolving appearance OF
THE MURDERED MANS SKULL,
which was recently described by your CORE.
sp0ndont. In the meantime Gehan's wife had fed
to her bedroom, where she fell into a swoon. Alter
the completion OF his first bloody work. the MUIR
derer followed her into the bedroom, anu before
she had recovered from her Gt, he removed
feather bed and threw IL over her, pressing upon IT
TO SMOTHER HER.
In consequence OF The woman's sudden Illness
'suuOcation was not long delayed Fearing that she
might again breathe the murderer gave her
heavy blow with the mattocS on the back of tho
skull. In the dead OF n,ght the nlanged corpse OF
old Sears carried TO the manure heap and
buried there The witness, Johannah Hamilton
iards Bay rOad, and leave 1t there, so That people
body OF Mrs. Gehan was accordingly borne to lone
some spot on The Spamards Bay road, and there
disposed OF successfully, as the murderers hoped
THE GIRLS CONFESSION
exactly comedies Win detective Foevs first theory,
that the woman must nave been killed In Gehan's
house, Tor several reasons, K;-Ihe cio'n mes upon
the wonian's corpse were Of fashion IN which no
woman would be lJuud at tnaJ distance from her
house; dnally. that tie Spanish Bay road nad been
muddy for many days, and the boots upon the dead
wOmans ieeJ were perfectly Tree from any SOIL, and
the sOies had thai peculiar gloss acquired oy boots
winch have mob been used OUTSIDE OF doors Tor
The above Is substantial synopsis OF Iohannah
HamIlton's confession. But tho most interesting
rhe people IS the nature II the intimacy winch ex-
listed between the murderer and
FRAIL ACCOMPIICE.
She is woman OF only Invent five years, possess
ang queenly figure and countenancc or severe
she affects taI stolid indifference to sympathy which
has characterized so many hstorclt nerOlnes OF
crime. she mas permitted several sisters Of Charity
TO visit and Uestow upon ner wretched soul their
acnte consultations. Through many hours she sits
al ost mmovaole WIN her arms resling on tle
rich black hair. she often refuses the 1901 offered
her, though the uatron aud other female attendants
of the PenlteItlary snow her much tenderness; for
she has fallen to a condition IN which they mad
never before seen one Of tneir own sex IN tnis
country. She rarely speaks more than "Yesf or
"NO." and her sleeps short ana hilul. IL would be
almost
10 think that This pnfor innate prl VIII not share tho
same fate with hn to become whose mistress she
stepped her hands In blood tnat would never have
been shed without her acGuIescence. That the
murderer Gehan VIII swing rom the galows tree
law IL ever practicable IN Newfoundland.
Gelan IS o saiwart, ei0etiy man, who has been
Tor many years engaged as labrador fisherman.
In prison MS disposition Is generally morose and
queruous. For certain reasons the Chief OF Ponce
dcsisted unu Yesterday to INFORM him that
Jonannan Hamilton hau made full confession
oil the murder oil has wife ard old Garret Sears;
Before hearing TINS fatal news Gehdn had
mantaned him confidence IN the safety OF his
case for want Of evidence whenever pressed by
the Chief OF Police 10 give some definite eXpIana-
ton OF very intricate circumstances connected with
the dead bodies and Gehan's house ami himself ana
the gn Hamilton. ButU learning that the woman
for whose love ne had pcrpetrated tue murder OF
his wife and brother lnaw nal gwen MIN into
TIE HANDS OF THE UANGMAN,
he literally tremued with revenge, and stood trans
liked Ike some graphic statue OF despair as The
Chief reiterated the terrible. facts OF the twOfOld
homicide. After his long narrowing silence lie
must have done IL all herself know what women
are when they get into scrape. They lie damuably
TO save themselves"
Here the pr ;On RS counsel requested that Cehan
Should not lie further interIercd with until after he
mad procured lrial. Chlef FUiey promised to have
the counsel's wish III That regard iutnea Below Is
the verdict OF the Coroner's Juy In The case OF the
murder OF Garrett Sears and Mrs. Gehan:--
CORoNERs JURY RoOM,l
HARBOR GRACE, Dec. 80 1871. I
we, Tue Undersigned CorOners jury having been
DULY sworn TO Inquire and examine touching the
death OF the late Garrett sears and Jane Cenan
having viewed their bodies and heard the evidence
adduced do hereby tud that the deceased Garrett
sears ana Jaie Gehan were wilfully murdered by
Patrick Gehan on the Goth day OF November last
past we lurtner nnd that Jonannah Hamilton
was an accessory. Robert Walsh, Foreman. n n
Ridley, c. w. Ross Robert ). Num- John Callahan
Maurice Connel, II. w frupne, q. q. Rutncrlord''
J.. Develeaux, j. r. Jillard, Ii. Thomey, Patrick Nc.
Grath aud Thomas Lynch.
u