Execution of the Six Bushrangers - 1841

The details below relate to Edward Warland (1812 - 1897). Please read that story also.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 17 March 1841

The gang of ruffians recently convicted in the Supreme Court, of bushranging and murder and who, for several months previously had infested the Hunter's River district (even extending their depredations to Brisbane Water), paid the forfeit of their lives on the scaffold, in the rear of Sydney Goal, yesterday. The malefactors were all transported felons from the Mother Country, and their names, ages, were as follows: - Edward David, aged 26, arrived in 1833, per ship Camden; Robert Chitty, 37, arrived in 1829 per Sophia; James Everett, 25, arrived in 1832, per Mengles/Meugles (unclear); John Marshall, 27, arrived in 1832, per Clyde; Richard Glanville, 31, arrived in 1831, per Lord Lynedoch; and John Shea, 27, arrived in 1837, per Calcutta.

These men terminated a long series of systematic burglaries and wholesale plunder, by the more heinous crime of deliberate murder. They attacked on the 21^st December last, the station of Mr Dangar, at Scone, and meeting with some opposition from Mr Graham (Mr Dangar's storekeeper), one of the ruffians followed the unfortunate young man into the bush, and deliberately shot him. /P>

The notoriety which the crimes of these men has attained drew together a large concourse of spectators to witness their execution.

The entrance to the Gaol, in George-street, was besieged for admission long before the arrival, at nine o'clock, of a strong military guard from the barracks and so great was the pressure of the crowd, that it required the unremitting exertions of Captain Innes to preserve order. At ten minutes past nine, the culprits were strongly pinioned, and conducted from the cells to the area in front of the drop, where they knelt down. Chitty, Everett, Marshall, and Glanville, were attended by the Rev. William Cowper and the Rev. John Elder. The Rev. Mr. Murphy, Catholic Priest, accompanied Shea; and David (being of the Jewish persuasion), was attended by Mr. Isaacs, Minister of the Jewish congregation in New South Wales.

All the culprits (if we except Everett), deeply lamented their having committed the crimes for which they were about to die, and acknowledged the justice of their sentences. Everett ascended the scaffold hurriedly and in an evident state of excitement. He was followed by Chitty, Marshall, and Glanville, all three of whom, on reaching the scaffold, sung the first verse of the Morning Hymn, to be found in many editions of the books of Common Prayer, commencing "Awake my soul and with the sun". This act of devotion, we have since heard, was entirely spontaneous, not having been suggested or even expected by either of the reverend gentlemen, who attended to administer the consolations of religion according to the rites of the Protestant Church.

The ropes were speedily adjusted, and the white caps drawn over the faces of the wretched criminals; in the short interval which elapsed before the withdrawal of the (word not clear) bolt, Marshall and Glanville were engaged in loud and apparently fervent prayer; and we observed the culprit Davis (who was attired in a suit of mourning), thank the Jewish Minister for the attentions paid him in his last moments.

The struggle of all the men were of short duration the immense crowd disbursed peaceably. It will be remembered that these men were apprehended, chiefly through the active exertions of Mr Day, Police Magistrate, Maitland.