squabbles, in which Connell was represented as the butt of a lot of drunken fellows during a whole afternoon, m a n y of w h o m insulted, and others assaulted him on account of his country and his creed. The assault, which culminated in Martin's death, had been (as alleged), provoked by prior quarrelling and ill-usage. T h e precision yvith yvhich this statement set out everything in detail yvas utterly inconsistent with the drunken obliviousness urged for the defence at the prisoner's trial, and did not obtain much credence. THE BEVERIDGE MURDERERS.—30TH APRIL, 1847.
Special care was taken in providing for the safe keeping of "Ptolemy" and "Booby" after their conviction, and when returned to the gaol they were heavily ironed. M r . William Thomas, one of the Assistant Protectors of Aborigines, was frequent in his attendance upon t h e m ; though as he was altogether unacquainted with their language or customs he could render them but little benefit. T h e execution was appointed for the 30th April. T h e following day Messrs. AVintle (gaoler), and T h o m a s repaired to the prisoners' cell, and on its being explained to them that they were soon to be put to death, both burst into tears. It was understood that some ultra philanthropists in Sydney had endeavoured to procure a mitigation of the extreme punishment, for which there was no reasonable ground whatever. A faint ray of this intelligence in some unaccountable manner gleamed upon the darkness surrounding the prisoners, and kindled a hope to be suddenly extinguished. R u m o u r s had also reached Melbourne, that the native tribe to which they belonged was fully aware of what was taking place in Melbourne, and that several chiefs had openly vowed a bloody vengeance, by the retaliations they would m a k e upon the lives and property of the settlers located in their country, during the approaching winter, when the floods would present facilities for wreaking retribution. It was consequently suggested by some of the newspapers that the criminals should be taken to the Murray, and there, on the spot where the murder had been committed, hanged in a manner that would strike terror into the hearts of intending evil-doers ; but the Executive decided otherwise. Meanwhile, time began to work a change in the minds and demeanour of the criminals, and as each day passed since the irrevocablefixingof their fate, they became more depressed in spirits, and appeared at times as if feeling some contrition for their crime. "Ptolemy" was m u c h the firmer and more indifferent. Indeed, " B o o b y " greyv so attenuated, that in little more than a week he shrank to almost skin and bone. Both prisoners used to frequently break out in excessivefitsof sobbing, and so remain for hours. At last they began to entertain a dim comprehension of a future state; they yvere getting easier in their minds, and more reconciled to the inevitable. S o m e Goulburn black-fellows coming to Melbourne, two of them were permitted to interview the criminals, an event from which the latter appeared to derive deep satisfaction. "Booby" especially was m u c h comforted by this last "yabber" with his fellow-countrymen. The Reverend Father Geoghegan, at the services at St. Francis' on the Sunday before the execution, m a d e a powerful appeal to his congregation to abstain from attending such disgustingly demoralizing exhibitions as public executions. T h e Press also wrote in the same strain, and to such laudable remonstrances was no doubt attributable the greatly diminished number collected outside the gaol on the fatal morning. The gallows was raised in the same part of the gaol yard as upon the previous occasion; but there was this difference in its construction, that the fall was to be n o w deeper than before, so that when the culprits dropped they would disappear altogether from the outward view, instead of having the bust visible as in Connell's case. The prisoners passed their last night and early morning in extreme nervousness, "Booby" especially. They would have nothing to eat, but drank some tea, and were attended by Mr. Thomas, with Messrs. French and Lacy (who interpreted at their trial). AVhen their irons were struck away, they appeared as if pervaded by a sudden burst of relief, which yvas quickly stilled when their arms yvere strapped, and the yvhite caps put on. T h e form of reading a prayer yvas then gone through by Mr. T h o m a s , but it was nothing more than the emptiest of formulas, as they for w h o m it was intended neither understood nor heeded a single syllable uttered. At eight o'clock they were led out into the corridor, and thence to the treadmill yard. They started on seeing a dozen white fellows in waiting for them; and when led to the foot of the scaffold both looked upward and began to cry. "Ptolemy," though greatly distressed, rallied sufficient resolution to enable
