Fix this text
THE BULLETIN
Fix this textVol. 3.—No. X J3.—2Tew Series.
Fix this textSAIUBDAY, JULY 11, 1885.
Fix this textFrio*—6 V
Fix this textThe Bulletin.
Fix this textSATURDAY, JULY 11, 1886.
Fix this textThe Woman and the Law—the Woman
Fix this textand the Knife.
Fix this textSince we last referred to the condemned
Fix this textprisoner, Johns, his case has been carried
Fix this textgome steps nearer the end. The New South
Fix this textWales Executive Council has declined to
Fix this textintervene between him and the doom pre-
Fix this textpared for him by law. Next Tuesday is the
Fix this textday fixed for his execution. The daily news-
Fix this textpapers of Sydney are now satisfied. When
Fix this textthe chances of a reprieve looked hopeful,
Fix this textthese organs of opinion howled for blood.
Fix this textThe Daily Telegraph alone observed de-
Fix this textcency to some extent. It did not altogether
Fix this textignore the saoredness of human life or forget
Fix this textthat hanging a man is, under any circum-
Fix this textgtanoes, a sad business. The others rattled
Fix this textaway, and with lively satisfaction fell in
Fix this textwith the decision of the Executive. In its
Fix this textturn, the Executive Council fell in with the
Fix this textdecisions arrived at by others. Johns’ alle
Fix this textgations as to the causes of the disturbed
Fix this textstate of his mind at the time he attempted
Fix this textto take away the valuable life of his fel
Fix this textlow-prisoner, the horse-mutilator Roberts
Fix this textwere the points that troubled an intelligent
Fix this textand sensitive section of the public. To
Fix this textinvestigate these allegations, the Executiv
Fix this textappointed a Board of Enquiry. This Board
Fix this textbrought up a report affirming the allega
Fix this texttions]toibe false. Hence the non-intervention
Fix this textof the Executive, hence the lively satisfao
Fix this texttion of the daily Press.
Fix this text* ♦ ♦
Fix this textWe do not hope to save Johns. We do
Fix this texthope that Johns’ death will be a step to
Fix this textwards the abolition of the hangers of Johns
Fix this textWhat were the condemned man’s allega
Fix this texttions ? Who were the persons chosen by th
Fix this textExecutive to constitute the Board of En
Fix this textquiry ? What is the attitude of the Stat
Fix this textwhen Ihe life of a man, or men, is at stake
Fix this textInvert the sequence of these questions, and
Fix this textlet the answers run. Young Sydney was
Fix this textbaptised in blood and bred under the shadow
Fix this textof the gaol wall. Ihe lash and the gibbe
Fix this textwere the outward and visible signs of the
Fix this textprerogatives of government. They were the
Fix this textGenius of this new land. Crime was fero
Fix this textoious, and J ustioe revengeful. Time brought ,
Fix this textdescendants of both these bad types. The
Fix this textdescendants of the ferocious avengers grew
Fix this textup with a hard grip of the faith of their an
Fix this textcestors. They are amongst us to-day. The
Fix this textnoose and the lash are their fetishes. They
Fix this textalone would not, however, have dominated
Fix this textthe people and imposed on them the bar-
Fix this textbarous burden of the criminal laws that now
Fix this textdegrade our country. The whirligig of time
Fix this textnas raised many of the descendants of those
Fix this textwho were triangled and gibbeted to posi-
Fix this textions of influence among us. These, the
Fix this textascendants of the flogged and the hanged,
Fix this textn*ore tenaciously than the descendants of
Fix this texte doggers and hangers, admire the efficacy
Fix this text0 the lash and the noose. Neither party
Fix this textg 6es any shame in the perpetuation of the
Fix this textlaws of the black old time. Neither
Fix this text? arty understands the ghastly horror these
Fix this text*Ws exoile in those who neither flogged
Fix this text°r were flogged, directly or indirectly,
Fix this texth general grounds, whether Johns was a
Fix this textstui or was not a wild beast, the
Fix this textio \- °* bistory of dominant parties
Fix this textcu *. ew South Wales will feel that the Exe-
Fix this textlm Ti 6 Uncil ’ as representing, to however
Fix this textth V an extent or n °t at all, the evil genius
Fix this textth & and governed at the birth of
Fix this text0y e COlcm y- would not waste much grief
Fix this textdeat b of one who had even merely
Fix this texttr ied to kill.
Fix this text♦ * ♦
Fix this textmem bers of the Board appointed by
Fix this textExecutive to enquire into the allega-
Fix this texttions of the condemned man were, we
Fix this textlieve, Messrs. E, Fosbbry (Inspector General
Fix this textof Police), J. Cecil Reap (Governor of Dar-
Fix this textlinghurst Gaol), and Harold Macxjean
Fix this text(Comptroller of Prisons). Jf the allegations
Fix this textof the condamni turned out to be true, gaol
Fix this textofficials would come in for censure for lax
Fix this textdiscipline. Under these circumstances, the
Fix this textconstitution of the Board is marvellously
Fix this textstriking. If the conduct of a member of a
Fix this textbusiness firm were under public suspicion
Fix this textthe appointment of a Board of Enquiry
Fix this textmade up of members of the firm would
Fix this textbe laughed at. If the editor of the S.M.
Fix this textHerald were suspected of Journalistic
Fix this textoffences, would anyone set the editor of the
Fix this textSydney Mail to investigate and authorita-
Fix this texttively report? Judge sticks to brother
Fix this textjudge, magsman to magsman, prieon official
Fix this textto prison official. It is human nature. In
Fix this texthis own cause no man is a competent judge.
Fix this textEnough is known 6t the inside of the prisons
Fix this textof the'colony to have demanded from the
Fix this textExecutive some decency in constituting this
Fix this textso-called Board of Enquiry, Not long ago,
Fix this textMrs. Wilkie, the beautiful Portia of classic
Fix this textDubbo, who deliberately assassinated Mr*
Fix this textNorton, P. M. of that place, and got off with
Fix this textfour of five years, bore, while serving her
Fix this textsentence within the walls, an illegitimate
Fix this textchild to the son of a prison-official in Dar-
Fix this textlinghurst Gaol. Johns’ allegations, if ad-
Fix this textmitted to be true, would reveal a still more
Fix this textscandalous laxity in prison discipline. This
Fix this textBoard, to whose credit the good repule of
Fix this textthe prisons redounds, found the allega-
Fix this texttions false. We have nothing to say
Fix this textagainst the rectitude or good intentions
Fix this textof any member of that Board, but, were
Fix this textthere not a human life dangling in the
Fix this textair, we would laugh outright, and invoke
Fix this textAustralia to take part in our uproarious
Fix this textmirth, at the farce of Harold Maclean and
Fix this textCecil Read, the Higbpriests of Prisondom,
Fix this textbeing appointed to tell us whether they and
Fix this texttheir order had done their duty,
Fix this text♦ * *
Fix this textThe allegations of the condemned man
Fix this textwere made specifically. Had he had good
Fix this textlegal assistance, it is likely the gallows
Fix this textwould not now be getting ready. Some of
Fix this texthis assertions were, likely enough, utterly
Fix this textfalse. Some of them were, however, cer-
Fix this texttainly true. He says he fell in love with an
Fix this textelderly Bib.'e-reader who had the run of
Fix this textthe prison. It is a fact that there was an
Fix this textelderly Bible-reader. It is a fact that she
Fix this texthad the run of the prison. It is a fact that
Fix this textshe often visited the hare-brained young
Fix this textfellow, and had opportunities of thoroughly
Fix this textprivate o inverse with him. He was put io
Fix this textprison when 10 years of age, had no chance
Fix this textof seeing other women, and there is nothing
Fix this texthumanly improbable in his falling in love
Fix this textwith this pious grey-haired veteran of nigh 70
Fix this textyears. He says he became jealous, and that
Fix this textit was while in that state he attempted to
Fix this texttake the life of a fellow-prisoner. It is a
Fix this textfact that for some weeks preceding his
Fix this textcrime he was morose and moping. His
Fix this textmind was not an evenly-balanced one. It
Fix this textwas too young, and had spent too long in
Fix this textgaol to be perfect in equipoise. One sees a
Fix this textvein of consistency running through his
Fix this textnarrative. One does not see how this vein
Fix this textof consistency escaped the Board. Every
Fix this textstudent of mental science in Australia will,
Fix this textwe think, recognise it. Were the case given
Fix this textto the professors of our University, Vere it
Fix this textgiven to any carefully-educated body of
Fix this textmen in England, we stake our reputation
Fix this texton it that Johns’ explanation of the state
Fix this textof his mind at that period would be con*
Fix this textsidered intelligible and feasible, while that
Fix this textconveyed by the finding of the Board would
Fix this textbe treated as unscientific and policeman-
Fix this textlike. Either the man had no motive for his
Fix this textcrime, or he had some motive. If he had no
Fix this textmotive, the way lies clear to establish in.
Fix this textsanity. If he had a motive, what more
Fix this textreasonable in the circumstances than to sup-
Fix this textpose it to spring from jealousy or some
Fix this textsuch passion associated with the woman that
Fix this textvisited him? Where is she left? Where is
Fix this texther placj in the legal investigation ? .As far
Fix this textas ths public are allowed to know, the Ex-
Fix this textecutive hss veiled her existence in mystery.
Fix this textWhatever was the part she played in the
Fix this texttransaction, official lips aiesilont as the grave
Fix this textabout it. The Herald intimates that the
Fix this textExecutive is in possession of fuller evidence
Fix this textthan has reached the public, and on that
Fix this textground asks acquiescence in its decision.
Fix this textWe do not thus implicitly trust the Exeeu-
Fix this texttive in other matters. Its actions are dis-
Fix this textcussed in Parliament, and, as in all other
Fix this texthuman affairs, it is found sometimes right
Fix this textand sometime s wrong. It is dealing now
Fix this textwith the life of a man. Where is the guar-
Fix this textantee that ignorance, or passion, or incom-
Fix this textpetence, or laziness, or all the host of
Fix this textsympathies an i antipathies that lead to
Fix this textState blunders, and stain history as State
Fix this textcrimes, are in this case dead? We don’t
Fix this textwant Parliament to have to judge the Ex-
Fix this textecutive. Before Parliament meets, the man
Fix this textwill be dead. Wo don’t want to judge
Fix this textthe Executive at all. We want to judge
Fix this textJohns while ho is alive. Whatever this
Fix this text“fuller knowledge” be the Executive talks
Fix this textof, that we want to weigh. We, also, have
Fix this text“fuller knowledge” than the general
Fix this textpublic.
Fix this text* • «
Fix this textWe emphatically decline to participate in
Fix this textthe hanging of a man on evidence known
Fix this textonly to the Executive. It is in that way
Fix this textpeople are executed in Russia. Even the
Fix this textHome Office, in England, where no such
Fix this textBoard of Enquiry as ours could possibly
Fix this textexist, is objected to on the score of its
Fix this textsecrosy. Baron Bbamwjbli, opposes it. Lord
Fix this textjHouabt challenged Its capacity to institute
Fix this text“a new trial without publicity.” Our
Fix this textExecutive Council probably claims to be
Fix this textsuperior to the Home Office. Yet, its func-
Fix this texttions should not be so much to re-sift
Fix this textevidence, as to temper with beneficent intel-
Fix this textligence judgments pronounced according
Fix this textto laws that, though still operative, were
Fix this textoriginally intended for convicts and their
Fix this textimmediate brood. For his offence, tho un-
Fix this textfortunate man would not be hanged in
Fix this textEngland. British law forbids the taking
Fix this textof life except where life has been taken.
Fix this textNew South Wales has been spectacular
Fix this textlately in the expression of its yearning
Fix this textfor union with the mother country.
Fix this textYielding to the yearning, the Cabinet
Fix this textgripped the hand of England, and accom-
Fix this textpanied her to the Soudan to slaughter Arabs
Fix this textfighting for their freedom. The Cabinet
Fix this textwhistled over this tender grip until almost
Fix this textall but its corporate self felt ashamed. The
Fix this textrefrain of the whistle made it known how
Fix this textsweet the Government of New South Wales
Fix this textfelt the union to bo which gave them a
Fix this textshare in a national butchery. When,
Fix this texton the other hand, England, by human-
Fix this textising her criminal code, leads the way to the
Fix this textaltar of mercy, the Government of New
Fix this textSouth Wales seeks no union. For the crime
Fix this textJohns committed a man could notbe hanged
Fix this textin the neighboring colony of Victoria. In
Fix this textAmerica, in Franc?, in Germany, in Italy,
Fix this texthe could not be killed. Passanante, who
Fix this texttried to take the life of King Humbert, is
Fix this textimprisoned. Tnis is no light matter, involv-
Fix this texting a mere question of taste. Our popula-
Fix this texttion is less than a million. We have only got
Fix this textour noses above the epoch of scum. Scratch
Fix this textus, and our national ancestry of vice and vil-
Fix this textlainy stands revealed. Yet,in the face of three
Fix this text“ TOM BOTD,” THE VETERAN O VERLANDER.
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-239846500
(1880). The bulletin Retrieved March 16, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-239846500
The bulletin Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 1880. Web. 16 March 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-239846500>
1880, The bulletin John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, Sydney, N.S.W viewed 16 March 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-239846500
{{Citation
|
| title=The bulletin.
| year=1880
| section=105 volumes : illustrations (chiefly coloured), portraits (chiefly coloured) ; 30-40 cm.
| issn=0007-4039
| series=John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues).
| issue=Vol. 3 No. 113 (11 Jul 1885)
| location=Sydney, N.S.W
| publisher=John Haynes and J.F. Archibald
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-239846500
| id=nla.obj-239846500
| access-date=16 March 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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