Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-02-17
THE CHRIsTIAN. GALLONS.
Double Murder in New Fonudland
-5Hapgipg of y Deautffui woman.
Correapondence Of the Now York worId.l Il

Element OF this quiet island Patrick
Gehan, ,ei fisherman, murdered his
brother-in-law, Garrett Seyer, an old
man, and his wife, Mary Gehan. The
one he wounded with pistol BULLET, and
beat to death withla mattoek; the other
Ihe smothered. with a large feather-bed,
Living in Gehan's house was beautiful
girl, named Johanna Hamilton, who as
sisted Gehan in removing Seyers body
to an ash-heap. The body Of Mrs Ge-
han was removed TO q lonesome place
on the Spaniard's bay road, and left
there. The blood was then washed of
the floor of the room in which the tragedy
was enacted and every other vestige Of
the atrocious crimes destroyed. The
body Of Mrs. Gehan was found as IT was
laid upon the road; coroner's jury sat
upon il" and returned verdict of ac.
cidental death from causes unknown.
| The verdict not satisfying the chief Of
| police, he made strict investigation, and
discovered the mutilated body Of Seyer
in the ash heap. This led to the arrest
and imprisonment of Gehan and the
! girl. In spite of the advice of her coun'
4 sci, johanna made full confession, On
the 24th of December they we're brought
up for trial. The counsel for the ac-
cused had solely to depend upon pathetic
lpleadings and legal technicalities. On
tthe 9th of January the prisoners coun.
sci made his last appeal to the jury. The
chief justice, in his charge, said that the
jury had no alternative but to find the
murderer and his accomplice guilty OF
| murder in the first degree. ash1l
The jury retired, and after a brief alb
sence of ten minutes returned to their
seats. Great excitement prevailed
throughout the courtroom The mur-
derer and his beautiful accomplice sat
pale and trembling in the dock. Her
| face turned snow-white during. the mo-
ments preceding the reading OF the YER
dict. The terrible word guilty being
uttered, the young woman sobbed aloud,
but her companion hung his head sulkily.
| IN THE CONDEMNED CELL.
| His Lordship sentenced them to the
gallows, to be hanged on Friday the I'd
day Of February, j n the. northeast yard
of the courthouse of st. Johns. Last
nightI visited the condemned in their
cells. The woman refused to retire, and
walked to and fro in her cell with her
face buried in her handkerchief When
spoken to she rarely answered. Her
profuse raven hair fell disheyeled over
I her magnificent shoulders. She wore a
neat black dress, narrow white collar
I and plain brooch Gehan sat upon the
pallet in. his cell with an air of careless
ness and inonchalance, smoking q pipe
and talking freely with the warden. On
| being questioned concerning his chances
of being reprieved, he replied in surly
manner, and all he said to me was, " II
give no one any satisfaction about it; it 5
/ all over now, and they did their best. "
At midnight he retired, but first inquired
after Johanna, his accomplice, and beg
ged that some one would tell her that
/ he hoped she would die " game beside
him. Herelthe priest who had arrived
little before twelve clock, interposed
and told .Gehan that he wished to com
mnnicate with him Gehan submissively
consented to receive the advice Of his
spiritual adviser, after which he retired
| for the night. AT FIVE clock he was
aroused from his ftful sleep and recon-
mended to prepare himself for the last
offices of the church of which he de-
elared himself to be q member. He
then ate some mutton-ehops, toast and
coffee with great relish, after which he
said that he felt plucky."
But the more worthy object of human
sympathy in this case was the frail but
! lovely creature who sat wearied yet
sleepless upon, the miserable pallet
within her last abode on earth. Her
tears had steadily fallen during the
night but when the priest announced
himself to her she cried aloud for many
moments before speaking to him. At
length he succeeded in calming down
her grief, but only to hear from her the
distracted and plaintive appeal: I" Oh,
fatherl for the love of sweet Jesus save
me save me But it is the policy OF
religion to offer hope of reprieve to
men under sentence Of death for muir
der. d The priest then gradually led her
thoughts away from earth. She slowly
grew resigned to her fate.
l0 THE LAW OF BLOOD SATISFIED. bI
At $3.50 o'clock company Of police
men marched into the yard, and upon
hearing them the doomed woman shud-
dered involuntarily, and had new re-
course to tears. On, leaving her cell at
the request Of the sheriff. she drew back
and sObbed Historically, Being pressed
to move on she advanced a step and
again shrunk from the terrible journey,
AZ length it was found necessary TO em-
ploy violence in removing her from the
cell. but at the request Of the assisting
'clergymRn she was allowed TO remain
,oViet for few minutes until he found
,eans 90 persuade her to obey the SEN
~ ~. .e of the law. The priest finally
y, ~ aos eded, and taking her by the hand
~ la her out into the paGssge-way,
~ 49, @ her dress was looped, her srms
,';n;onad an 4 the fatal moose adjusted.
!. re nes mn, ne Gehan, dressed in
suit of black, hat. been htted out Tor ms
lean into death, ant he stood beside his
beautiful accomplice
Poor Johanna, said Gehan aloud;
but the condemned woman did not even
raise her eyes toward him. She hung
down her head meekly, and seemed fully
20 realize her shame. But her tears bad
All dried up and sobs hushedi nothing
save an occasional sigh was lett OF Ine
grief aud distraction Of her last night
upon earth. 81 -, AZ, .-;s |
and Gehan answered promptly, Yes,
SIR ..-.-,.r .r..,...- .-.r
Gehan then received the black cap, as
5;d also the unfortunate Johanna. Ge-
ban. ACCOMPANIED by a clergyman and
TWO deputy sherifs, led the way to the
cortilg of the courthouse. Approach
mo the platform anpou which the fatal
irsp-doors were, the doomed woman |
again shrunk back and cried bitterly,
mt a apain encouraged by the counsel OF
her spiritual adviser, she went eour-
ageously MP the steps on to the platform |
Then she kneh and prayed fardently. |
Gehan also prayed.. Their prayers being