Good afternoon list, Max has just posted this information to the Sydney List which may interest some listers. Sincerely, Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: "Max Bancroft" <maxwell1@bigpond.net.au> To: <AUS-NSW-SYDNEY@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 4:26 PM Subject: [ANS] Fw: Execution of Percy LEFROY > Execution Lefroy > > > > Sydney Morning Herald 13th of January 1882 > > > > The execution of Lefroy > > > > The Dailey News of November 30 states that Lefroy was executed on the > > previous morning inside Lewes gaol. At about half past 8 the reporters, to > > the number of about 15 who, with the exception of the gaol officials, were > > the only witnesses of the execution were admitted to the gaol. Their > > credentials having been carefully inspected, they were passed on to the > room > > > of the visiting justices, where they waited until a few minutes before 9. > At > > > a quarter to 9 the first note of the prison bell was sounded, and its > knell > > continued at regular intervals until everything was over. At 5 minutes to > 9 > > a warder summoned the reporters, who followed him through two courtyard, > in > > which, as the paved pathway indicated, the convicts are in the habit of > > taking their daily exercise. In the third and final one was erected the > > gallows. Just inside the doorway stood Marwood, with his pinioning > apparatus > > > in his hand. He was summoned away, and a pause of some few moments ensued, > > at the end of which the voice of the chaplain was heard, and those > standing > > in the courtyard bared their heads and turned towards a further door, > whence > > > the procession was issuing. The Chaplain robed in his surplice, came > first, > > pronouncing in a loud voice, though with evident signs of emotion, the > > appointed service. The central and conspicuous object of that little band, > > that slowly de-filed towards the platform where he was to meet his fate, > was > > > of course Lefroy himself. He was dressed in a brown tweed suit. He had no > > covering to his head and no collar round his neck. The gray woolen shirt > he > > wore was open and turned back at the edges in front, showing his long, > thin > > neck. His face which pale enough during his trial, now showed not a > vestige > > of colour. His eyes were turned upwards towards the sun, which was > shinning > > full in his face, and its glare imparted an unusual brilliancy to them. > > Arriving at the drop, he allowed himself quietly to be placed thereon and > > pinioned as to his legs. Marwood was scarcely a minute about his task, and > > while the Chaplain was yet repeating the words of the service he had gone > to > > > the side, pulled a lever and Lefroy had disapeared from sight. That death > > was instantaneous there can be no doubt for there was no evidence of any > > subsequent struggling. The drop was at least 8 feet, and in all > probability > > the neck was at once broken. The black flag was at once hoisted, and it > was > > regarded with much curiosity by a considerable crowd who had gathered > > outside the prison gates in the interval. The whole business of the > > execution occupied about three minutes. > > > > Regards > > > > Max Bancroft > > > > P.S. By googling Lefroy+hanging I came across a different account of the > > hanging which gives details of the murder Lefroy committed. > > See http://www.mytimemachine.co.uk/execution.htm > > . > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-NSW-SYDNEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > E-mail message checked by Internet Security (6.0.0.386) > Database version: 5.13130 > http://www.pctools.com/en/internet-security/ E-mail message checked by Internet Security (6.0.0.386) Database version: 5.13130 http://www.pctools.com/en/internet-security/