[An examination of himself and his apparatus by the Governor, and his
own inspection of the scaffold, are then described at length.]... I
returned to my room, and stayed in during the daytime. I spent the
Thursday night smoking and reading. At 10-0 o'clock p.m. I was escorted
to my bedroom, a round house at the back part of the gaol, about 40
yards from the back entrance, a snug little place, and was informed
that the last man who slept inside that room was Wm. Marwood, five
years previous to my visit. He was then there for the same purpose
as myself, but the culprit in his case was a poisoner. The chief
warder, whom I spoke to, seemed to touch upon the subject with great
reluctance, and said that he felt quite upset concerning the two
culprits, and that he hoped they would get a reprieve. I could see
in his countenance a deep expression of grief, which was making him
look no better for his occupation.... I sat me down on my bed after he
had gone, locked my door, and could hear the trains depart from the
station under the prison wall. I looked out of my window at the mail
taking its departure for the South.... I then knelt down and asked the
Almighty to help me in my most painful task, which I had undertaken to
carry out.... [The night was much disturbed by the persistent smoking
of the chimney.]... At 8-0 a.m. on the morning of the 28th, Friday,
my breakfast was brought into my room, consisting of toast, ham and
eggs, and coffee.... At 10-0 a.m. on Friday morning, 28th March, 1884,
I was introduced to the Magistrates and those responsible to see
the execution carried out. I exposed my ropes and straps for their
inspection, and, after a long and careful investigation of all points,
they retired, quite satisfied with their visit. After that we paid
another visit to the scaffold; the builders, not having finished the
contract, were making a final touch to the new-erected shed to keep the
execution private, and so that nobody outside could see. After testing
it with bags of cement, same weight as the prisoners, and calculating
the length of drop and its consequences, and other details, the
committee departed. After, I filled my time walking about the prison
grounds, and thinking of the poor men who were nearing their end, full
of life, and knowing the fatal hour, which made me quite ill to think
about. My meals did not seem to do me good, my appetite began to fall
off, nothing felt good to me, everything that I put into my mouth felt
like sand, and I felt as I wished I had never undertaken such an awful
calling. I regretted for a while, and then I thought the public would
only think I had not the pluck, and I would not allow my feelings to
overthrow me, so I never gave way to such thoughts again. At 1-0 p.m.
my dinner had arrived. I went up to my room, and sat down to pudding,
beef, and vegetables, Scotch broth, and Cochrane & Cantrell's ginger
ale. At that time I was a total abstainer; and I think it is the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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