List of executions at Fremantle Prison

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The gallows, last used in 1964

Executions at Fremantle Prison in Fremantle, Western Australia, were carried out between 1889 and 1964. Other places of execution in Western Australia included the Roundhouse at Fremantle; the old and new Perth Gaols; on the island of Rottnest; at the sites of the capital offence, such as at Maddington and Norrilong, York; on the eastern end of The Causeway at Victoria Park; at Redcliffe; at Roebourne in the Pilbara; at Derby and Mount Dockerell (near Halls Creek) in the Kimberley; and at Albany and Geraldton. All executions were by hanging except that of Midgegooroo, carried out by firing squad at the old Perth Gaol in 1833.

Forty-three men and one woman were hanged at Fremantle Prison. Condemned prisoners were vigilantly observed to prevent suicide attempts. On the day of execution, they were hanged by falling through an opening trap door with a noose around their neck, in front of witnesses. In the 19th century, the media gave comprehensive accounts of the executions, but in later years they became private matters, concealed within the prison walls. Capital punishment was abolished in Western Australia in 1984.

Included on the list below are all the executions carried out at Fremantle Prison.

History[edit]

Western Australia's first legal execution of a British colonist occurred in 1844, outside the Roundhouse at Fremantle. Fifteen-year-old John Gavin had been found guilty of the murder of George Pollard at South Dandalup, despite the circumstantial evidence and an absence of motive.[1]

As soon as Fremantle Prison came under local control in 1886, a refractory block with gallows was planned.[2]: 46  It was completed in 1888,[3] and first used in 1889 to execute convicted murderer Jimmy Long, a Malay.[2]: 46 [4] The gallows room remained a legal place of execution until 1984.[3] 43 men[5] and one woman were hanged in this period. Martha Rendell was the only woman to be hanged at the prison, in 1909. The last person to be hanged was serial killer Eric Edgar Cooke, executed in 1964.[2]: 63 

From the day of sentencing to death, prisoners were kept in a concrete-floored cell in New Division. They were vigilantly observed to prevent them escaping their sentence through suicide. With hangings taking place on Monday mornings, at 8:00 am, condemned prisoners were woken three hours earlier, and provided with a last meal, shower, and clean clothes. Afterwards, handcuffed, they were moved to a holding or "condemned cell" nearby the gallows, and allowed a couple of sips of brandy to calm their nerves.[2]: 54–56 

Shortly before 8:00 am, they were hooded, and led up to the execution chamber, which could hold as many as eleven witnesses. They were made to stand over the trap door, had a noose put around their neck, and were hanged by falling through the opening trap door. After medical examination, the deceased was removed for burial.[2]: 54–56  Witnesses could become distressed during executions, and even officers sometimes fainted. It was also difficult to find someone, usually independent of the prison, to employ as the executioner – they were often recruited from the eastern states in the 20th century.[5]: 92 

In the 19th century, the media gave comprehensive accounts of the executions. Harry Pres's final moments on 8 November 1889 were described by The West Australian as:[2]: 56 

At a sign from the sheriff, the executioner pulled back the lever, and with a sickening thud the man disappeared from view. The deceased was a small made man, and consequently a drop of about ten feet [3.0 m] was given him, and on looking below it was seen that death had been almost instantaneous, scarcely a movement being perceptible in the swaying figure, which in a few minutes became rigid and motionless as the rope ceased swaying to and fro.

— The West Australian, 9 November 1899[6]

Initially seen as a way to intimidate the population through the application of the law,[5]: 93  executions carried out at Fremantle Prison became private matters, concealed within its walls.[5]: 93  Capital punishment was abolished in Western Australia in 1984,[3] and by the 21st century few Australians yearned for it.[5]: 95  Author and journalist Cyril Ayris wrote that:

One often hears it said of criminals: "hanging is too good for them" yet many who favour capital punishment would change their minds if they visited the execution chamber and familiarised themselves with the ritual of capital punishment. It is a macabre business, which in the author's view at least, can never be condoned

— Cyril Ayris, 2003 [first published 1995][2]: 54 

List[edit]

Executions at Fremantle Prison[2]: 63 [7]
Prisoner Execution date
Jimmy Long 2 March 1889[8]
Harry Pres[2]: 63 
aka Arle Pres[7] 		8 November 1889
Li Ki Hong
aka Ah Chi 		16 April 1891[9]
Sin Cho Chi 29 April 1892[10]
Chew Fong 29 April 1892[11]
Yong Quong[2]: 63 
aka Young Quong[7] 		29 April 1892[11]
Lyn Nye[2]: 63 
aka Lyee Nyee[7] 		29 April 1892[11]
Mahomet Goulam 2 May 1896[12]
Jumma Kahn 31 March 1897[13]
Peter Perez 19 July 1900
Pedro De La Cruz 19 July 1900
Samuel Peters 9 September 1902[14][15]
Stelios Psichitsas[7] 15 April 1903
Fred Maillat[2]: 63 
aka Fredrick Mailliat[7] 		21 April 1903
Sabro Rokka[2]: 63 
aka Sebaro Rocca (Rokka)[7] 		7 July 1903
Ah Hook[16] 11 January 1904
Mahomet Mianoor[2]: 63 
aka Mohomet Mianoor[7] 		4 May 1904
Charles Hagan 14 December 1905
Simeon Espada 14 December 1905
Pablo Marquez 14 December 1905
Antonio Sala 19 November 1906
Augustin De Kitchilan 23 October 1907[17]
Harry Smith 23 March 1908
Iwakichi Oki 22 October 1908
Martha Rendell 6 October 1909
Peter Robustelli[18] 9 February 1910
Alexander Smart 7 March 1911
David Smithson 25 July 1911
Charles Spargo[19] 1 July 1913
Charles Odgers[20] 14 January 1914
Andrea Sacheri[21] 12 April 1915
Frank Matamin alias Rosland 12 March 1923[22]
Royston Rennie[23] 2 August 1926
William Coulter[24] 25 October 1926
Phillip Treffene[24][2]: 63 
aka Phillip Trefene[7] 		25 October 1926
John Milner[25] 21 May 1928
Clifford Hulme 3 September 1928[26]
Antonio Fanto[27] 18 May 1931
John Thomas Smith (Snowy Rowles) 13 June 1932
Karol Tapei[2]: 63 
aka Karol Tapci[7] 		23 June 1952
Robert Thomas[28] 18 June 1960
Mervyn Fallows[28] 6 June 1961
Brian William Robinson[28] 20 January 1964
Eric Edgar Cooke[28] 26 October 1964

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Quarter sessions". The Inquirer. 10 April 1844. p. 2. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Ayris, Cyril (2003) [First published 1995]. Fremantle Prison: A Brief History. Cyril Ayris Freelance. ISBN 0-9581882-1-1.
  3. ^ a b c Murray, Sandra (2009). "Fremantle Prison". In Gregory, Jenny; Gothard, Jan (eds.). Historical Encyclopedia of Western Australia. University of Western Australia Press. pp. 391–2. ISBN 978-1-921401-15-2.
  4. ^ "Execution in Fremantle Prison". The Western Mail. 9 March 1889. p. 8. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e Bosworth, Michal (2004). Convict Fremantle: A Place of Promise and Punishment. University of Western Australia Press. ISBN 978-1-920694-33-3.
  6. ^ "Execution in Fremantle Prison". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 9 November 1889. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2014 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j The Department of Finance – Building Management and Works. "Capital Punishment". Fremantle Prison. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014. Additional archives: 14 October 2014..
  8. ^ "Execution in Fremantle Prison". The West Australian. Perth WA. 4 March 1889. p. 3.
  9. ^ "Execution of the Daliak Murderer". The Daily News. Perth, WA. 16 April 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  10. ^ "The Murder of Fairhead by Sin Cho Chi". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Perth, WA. 30 April 1892. p. 3. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "The Case against Yung Quonk, Chew Fong and Lee Nyee". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Perth, WA. 30 April 1892. p. 3. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  12. ^ "The Execution". The Daily News. Perth, WA. 2 May 1896. p. 5. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  13. ^ "The Fremantle Tragedy". The Western Mail. Perth, WA. 2 April 1897. p. 18. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  14. ^ "Execution of the Leederville Murderer". Albany Advertiser. 9 September 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  15. ^ "The Leederville Murder - Trial of Samuel Peters". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 8 August 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  16. ^ "Why Ah Hook died - a Triple Murder". The Daily News. Perth, WA. 11 January 1904. p. 1. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  17. ^ "The Waroona Murder". The west Australian. 24 October 1907. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  18. ^ "Execution at Fremantle". Albany Advertiser. 12 February 1910. p. 3. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  19. ^ "Spargo's End". Sunday Times. Perth, WA. 6 July 1913. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  20. ^ "Charles Odgers hanged". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. 20 January 1914. p. 28. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  21. ^ "Marrinup Murder - Execution of Sacheri". Western Mail. Perth, WA. 16 April 1915. p. 37. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  22. ^ "No Untoward Circumstance - Condemned Man Prepared to Die". Daily News. Perth, WA. 12 March 1923. p. 9. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  23. ^ "Cold-blooded killing of young bank officer in a train near East Perth". Sunday Times. Perth, WA. 23 July 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  24. ^ a b "Kalgoorlie Murderers Hanged This Morning". Daily News. Perth, WA. 25 October 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  25. ^ "Darkan Murder - John Milner Hanged". Daily News. Perth, WA. 21 May 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  26. ^ "Wubin Murder Case - Clifford Hulme Executed". Western Argus. Kalgoorlie, WA. 11 September 1928. p. 27. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  27. ^ "The Latham Murder - Execution of Fanto". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 19 May 1931. p. 14. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  28. ^ a b c d Purdue, Brian (1993). Legal Executions in Western Australia. Foundation Press. pp. 54–55. ISBN 9781875778003.

Further reading[edit]

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