The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-16
A BEAUTIFUL GIRL HANGED.
a Double murder In Newfoundland
The Lovely Criminal I'm the Condemn
ed Cell-Dressed for the Last Leap into
Death.

A correspondent Of the New York World,
writing from St. Johns Newfoundland, Feb
ruary I'd, gives vivid account of the first ex-
ecutions that have taken place at that place In
a century. He writes:
Patrick Gehan, fisherman, murdered his
brother-in-Iaw, Garrett Seyers, an old man,
and his wife, Mary GehaD. The one he
wounded with pistol bullet and beat 10
death with mattock; the other he smother
ed with large feather bed. Living In
Gehan's house was beautiful girl named
Johannah Hamilton, who assisted Gehsn
in removing Seyer's body to an ash heap.
The body Of Mrs. Gehan was removed TO q
lonesome portion 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, aud every other vestige of the
atroclous crimes destroyed. A corOner's jury
verdict upon the body was accidental death
from causes unknown. Suspicious were
aroused, however. and being arrested, Jo-
hannah made full confession. On the trial
the Jury were out but ten minutes, and the
verdict being, rendered, the woman so6bed
aloud, while her companion hung his head
sulkily. The night before execution tho
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 d.
sheveled over her magnificent shoulders. She
wore neat black dress, q narrow white collar,
and plain brooch.
In the morning worthy object of human
sympathy was the froil but lovely creature
who sat wearied yet sleepless upon the mis-.
erable pallet. Her tears had steadily fallen
during The night, but when the priest an
nounced 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 ffom her the distracted aud
painful appeal: "On, Father, for the love of
gradually led her thoughts away from earth,
and she slowly grew resigned to her fate.
At $50 o'clock q company OF policemen
marched into the yard, aud upon hearing
them the doUmed woman shuddered invOlun-
tarlly, aud had new recourse TO tears. On
leaving her cell at the request OF the sheriff
she drew back and sobbed nyssericaly. Being
quietly pressed to move Oh she advanced q
step, and again shrunk from The terrible
Journey At length 1t was found necessary to
employ violence in removing her from the
cell; but at the request of the assisting clergy
man che was allowed to remain quiet Tor o
few minutes until be found means TO persuade
her to obey the sentence OF the law. The
priest finally succeeded, and taking her by the
hand he led her out into the passage way,
where her dress was loopeo, ner arms pin
meantime Gehan, dressed in q suit of black,
had been fitted out for his leap into
death, and he stood beside his beautiful ac-
Gehan then received the black cap, as did
also the unfortunate Johannah. Gehan, ac-
comganed BY clergyman ma and two deputy DE-
courthouse Approaching the platform upon
which The fatal trap-bars were, the doomed
again snk Drf Ss @ sed eona. ssss
snirlL,isl adviser, she went courageously up
The he steps on to tie platform: There she knelt
sdsn sed Gsrn bs1 also pAysad
the black caps were drawn over their eyes by
deputy Bheiifs, and the moose of each ad-
justrd to roprs which dangled from two pro
trudiDg beams. The fatal trap-dours suddenly
fell soon atler, and Gehan and his accompIice
swinging tsrh tss sI ard SKY Great
houed by many that The Governor wond re-
lent before the sentence had been fulfilled.
But no pardon came.