Glasgow Courier. — 1844-06-27 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

EXECUTION OF JOHN KNATCHBULL, AT SYDNEY, FOR MURDER.  Many of our readers will recollect the circumstance of John Knatchbull, eon of the late Sir Edward Knatebbiall, of Mersham, in Kent, being, in the year 1824, tried at the Surrey Assizes, for being concerned in the robbery of a gentleman at Vauxhall Gardens, of which offence he was found guilty, and sentenced to trueeportation for 14 years, ander the assumed name of John Fitch. We have before us a memoir of this extraordinary men, who, it appears, ended his mortal career on the scaffold, on Tuesday, the 13th February last, at Darlinghnrst, Sydney, New South Wales, for the murder of Mrs. Ellen Jamieson. It appears that John Knatchbull was the offspring of a second marriage of the late Sir Edward Knatchbull, and consequently half-brother of the gentleman who now worthily bears the family honours. At a very early age he evinced a temper of extreme violence, at times almost beyond the power of eontronl. When very young he was appointed to the rank of midshipman in the navy, wherein he distinguished himself considerably. Under Lord Cochrane he served in the Spanish Main; his promotion was very rapid; be was In a very short time made Commander, and appointed to the Linnet, ten-gun brig. In this important post his temper °remake him, and his conduct was marked by so much tyranny thathe was brought to • Court-martial, the several charges egainat him were proved, and he was at once cashiered, and declared henceforward Incompetent to hold any commission In his Majesty's service. Thus disgraced, he became the associate of the most profligate of the day, and the frequenter of the Hells of the Metropolis. At this period a daughter of a wealthy merchant of Old Broad Street, City, met his path; she became his victim, and was married to him by a pretended clergyman; she afterwards died the inmate of a Lunatic Asylum. He hail previously made similar victims at Bermuda, Halifax, and New-York. Closely following this event he committed the act for which he was transported to the penal settlements. In August, 1824, he was on board the Leviathan hulk, in Portsmouth harbour, and employed in the gangs working in the dockyard; In this capacity he was recognised by many seamen who had felt his tyranny. To such an extent was the feeling against him carried, that the authorities were compelled to confine him to the hulk. Knatohbull ass afterwards removed to the Asia, for passage to the colony, which ship was detained fer four months in Portsmouth harbour, daring which times man named Lovett died on board the Asia, whose death was attributed to the improper treatment he received from Knatehbull. In April, 1825, he arrived at Sydney, and soon obtained a ticket of leave, having apprehended several runaways, who, from information aubsequently received, no doubt were instigated to the crime by Knatchbull himself. In the latter end of 1831, he mu apprehended on a charge of forgery—which, by-the-by, was not hts first offence of this kind—tried and convicted, and sentence of death recorded against him, which was afterwards commuted to transportation to Norfolk Island for seven years. Here again, in a short time, his good fortune served him ; he was, through the instrumentality of Captain Lambert, of her Majesty's ship Crocodile, admitted approver in a case of mutiny, no doubt concocted by himself. Having served his term of banishment, he returned to Sydney, where he had resided up to the committal of the offence for which he has paid the forfeit of biotite. Thetnotive for the murder of the unfortunate Mrs. Jamieeon is attributed to the desire Knatchboll had of obtaining some property, though of small amount, which the poor woman had, the whole of which was found on his person when be was apprehended. A more determined villain has seldom been found in the garb of man than the subject of this slight sketch, whose life has been marked with deeds of the blackest dye.—Hampairs Independent.