THE Chinaman, Wong Ming, suffered extreme penalty of the law in Dubbo at 9 o'clock yesterday morning. Arno: those present were the Under Sheriff ( S. Guy), Dr. Treaidder (Medical Officei the gaol), Dr. Hope, Mr. E. G. Dulbu J.P. (Coroner), Mr. E. T. MacNe C.P.8., Mr. J. T. Steel (Sheriff's Offlc and members of the press.
The scaffold was erected in the oxen yard, near the eastern wall, in the place occupied by the gallows on the occaision ofthe execution of Moore last year.
The condemned man had learnt that strenuous efforts were being made to cure a commutation of the sentence had been buoyed up by hope even a the adverse decision of the Executive, at first had alternate fits of depression confident anticipations of a reprieve but last week he became aware that efforts for a commutation had failed, that he could hope for no mitigation the sentence. He gave way for a term of melancholy prostration, but later prepared with fortitude for the end. Archdeacon Wilson was in daily attendance, and unfortunate man evidently entered fervour into the ven. gentleman's pray and expositions of religious truth.
Wong Ming passed an easy night, arising early on Tuesday, partook of a light breakfast. He was visited by Archdeacon Wilson, to whom be expressed thankfulness for the attention given the ven. gentleman and the gaol officie He intimated that he had no wish to make any statement in public, and that he was resigned to his fate and prepared ; adding (as his last words) in broken English" The Lord will take me along." When, as the clock struck, the officers appeared at the cell door, he had quite regained his composure, and though pinioned walked with out hesitation and steadily. He was attended by Archdeacon Wilson, who fevently repeated the Church's prayers.
On reaching a spot near the foot of the scaffold from which a full view of the dread arrangements could gathered, the condemned man halted and spontaneously knelt, and repeated aloud in Chinese a prayer. This occupied on a few seconds. He then passed on to the scaffold with the aid of Howard and his assistant.
The bolt was drawn without any nesessary delay. Death was instantaneous not amuscular movement even was visible within a second or two after the fall. The Under-sheriff considered the execution the most successful conducted during his term of office.
The unfortunate man was not popular with his countrymen in Dubbo, and was not visited to any extent by them. As his mastery of English was imperfect, his history could be made out only with difficulty. It was gathered that he was aboiut 40 years ot age, and had come to the colony as a young man ; that he had resided in Queensland, where he attended the Brisbane mission services, and was ultimately baptised by a clergyman of the Church of England. He was able to file the date as some 13 years ago, but could not give the name of the officiating clergy man. He also spoke of haring attended the " Chinese Christian Mission " service in Sydney in company with Quong Tai and others. Wong Ming was, according to his own story, a native of Canton, and to the last appeared to entertain a great affection for his aged mother, still living in that city. He was, it is believed, in the habit of seuding money to her at intervals : and only twelve months ago receive a letter from her entreating him to come home that she might see him again before she died. He expressed a fervent hope "that his fate would remain unknown to her.
Very great efforts were put forward by Mr. S. Phillips, M.T..A., and other member of Parliament to secure favourable consideration of the petition for reprieve Mr. Quong Tart also gave unremitting assistance, and succeeded in tracing Wong Ming's antecedents for many years, the disclosures going to show that, notwith standing rumours to the contrary, the unfortunate man had borne a good character throughout. Quong Tart sent him a final letter last week partly in Chinese and partly in English, expressing his deep pity, and assuring him that sympathetic friends were doing their best for him, but at the same time advising him to be prepared for the final change, especially as there seemed but very little prospect of the efforts being successful.
The crime for which Wong Ming suffered yesterday was committed at Warren on August 16. The victim was a man named Jomong Jong, a fellow-countryman, with whom, up to a day or two before, Wong Ming had been unacquainted. The locality of the crime was a house in the Chinese quarter at Warren-the residence of Hop Kee, a gardiner and storekeeper. There were one or more opium dens on the premises, and in adjoining rooms lived two white women-each one occupying a separate room. Chinese, Japanese, aud others were in the habit of visiting the house day and night. Wong Ming and one of the women were on very intimate terms, but there was no positive evidence that the crime was the outcome of jealousy. He had been away at Warren, and returned on the afternoon of the murder, evidently fatigued. He lay down for a time in the opium den, and the woman (Alice Spoag) later got some rum, of which he had his share ; he then in dulged in an opium debauch, and about 8 p.m. the woman woke him and told him it was time to get up and leave. The evidence as to the transactions that immediately followed was rather contradictory, but it may fairly be taken for granted that both Wong Ming and the woman were in bad humour. Strong words appear to have passed. The woman's evidence was that a few minutes later he drew his knife and made several lunges at her. The deceased mau appeared to have been attracted to the kitchen from an adjoining room by the altercation, and at some stage of the disturbance interposed in the defence of the woman. This diverted Wong Ming's attention to Jomong Jong, and he made an infuriated attack on him. As to the amount of provocation given by the deceased the evidence was again conflicting : Wong Ming alleging that the deceased drew his knife and wounded him. Jomong Jong, however, sought safety in flight, but was pursued into the darkness by Wong Ming, and overtaken about 75 yards away from the house. The indications afterwards found pointed to the fact of a renewal of the struggle. The deceased man had evidently turned at bay, and received several wounds in the head and body. Wong Ming then returned and made another attack on the woman, but after a desperate struggle she got away and ran towards the house of a white nun living in the neighbourhood. Later Wong Ming was found in a state of utter physical exhaustion aud nervous prostration on a bed in the hut. The deceased had only arrived at Warren some seven days before, during which period Wong Ming had been away from town as stated. The probability is, therefore, that the two men were almost unknown to each other ; and that the result of the liquor-opium debauch, inflamed by the quarrel with the woman and the interterence of the deceased, overturned Wong Ming's mental equilibrium, and caused him to run amuck. An outburst of this kind, of course, is more peculiar to the Malayan than to the Chinese race but the connection between the Chinese of the southern provinces - and the murderer was from the Canton district and the races of the neighbouring archipelago is close enough to lend support to this view. The evidence against the accused, though strong, was more or less tainted some of the witnesses being of indifferent character, and the details of the story not harmonising in many respects. On the other hand, how ever, the statement put forward by the accused in his defence that the deoeased drew a knife on him first lacked corroboation.
Ming was tried at the Circuit Court in October last before Mr. Justice Stephen, and was defended by Counsel assigned (Mr. Macarthur), and after a short délibérâtin was found guilty of murder. Sentence of death was passed. Repeated endeavours to secure a commutation of the sentence were made, and a petition signed by a number of Dubbo residents and by 71 members of Parliament was pre sented, but the Executive declined to interfere with the process of the Law.Wednesday 14 December 1898 The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate (NSW)
THE WARREN MURDER. EXECUTION OF WONG MING. DUBBO, Tuesday.
The Chinaman Wong Ming was executed in Dubbo Gaol this morning. Since the Executive
Council determined to carry out the sentence he was perfectly resigned, and was dally visited by the ven Archdeacon Wilson the man having been baptised in the Church of Rutland at Brisbane 13 years ago. Dubbo Chinamen took little interest in his tine, alleging that he had murdered his brother in Queensland some years ago and allowed another brother to be hanged for the crime in Brisbane Gaol
Wong Ming however emphatically denied this rumour. During the last few days Wong Ming had greatly troubled about his mother, who he stated lived in Canton, China, and was 71 years of age, and was very anxious that his disgraceful ending should never become known to her Last night ho slept well, and this morning ate a light breakfast He submitted very resignedly and quietly when pinioned by the executioner Howard, and walked firmly from the cell to the execution yard When within 20ft of the scafold he knelt down und prayed whilst the chaplin recited the service for the dead After the prayers were concluded he lost his self-control, and had to be assisted to rise and ascend the scaffold steps by Howard and assistants Only a few seconds elapsed after being placed in position when the holt was drawn, and death was instantaneous Wong Ming's only requost was to be hanged in hits on 11 clothes The gaol authoroties sent to Warren for the articles named and this morning, when handed his black alpaca coat and tweed trousers and Chinese slippers, he seemed greatly pleased After the body had been allowed to hang tho customary psnod it was cut down, and examined by Drs Iressider aud Hope the coroner, Mr. R G Dulhunty, then held the usual inquest, and the remains were interred this evening in the Chinese portion of the cemetery. Wong Ming was ubout 40 years of ago, and arrived in the colonies 14 years ago having gone back to China once in the meantime
Wong Ming was tried at the Circuit Court in Tuesday October 6 last, beföre Mr Juctice Stephen for having feloniously killed and murdered Joo Meng Jong at Warren on August 16. His evidence was that a disturbance arose in the Chinese camp Accused slabbod Alice Spong about the breast and arm Deceased interfered, and accused chased him down the street and stabbed him 1n the abdomen with a hunting knife, death ensuing instantly Accused roturuod to camp, and renewed the attack on Spong, who escapnd to a neighbour. The Crown alleged the accused then attempted to commit suicide by stabbing himself twice in the abdomen Soigeant Parker deposed to findimg the accused lying in his hunk suffering from two wounds. Accused and the woman Spong were both removed to the hospital and soon recovered. Prisoner stated that the deceased stabbed him twice in the abdomen,and he then drew a knife and stabbed deceased in self-defence.
No comments:
Post a Comment