John McGrath - a rapist.
John McGrath, an Aboriginal, was charged at the Central Criminal Court in Sydney on Tuesday the 10th of August 1875 "with having on the 16th of May last, at Warragubra, in the colony of New South Wales, Australia, committed a rape upon one Sarah Murfin."
The crime was committed at night, at Warragubra, three miles from Bega, when Mrs. Murfin was home alone. Her husband and daughter, John and Martha, were at church at Bega.
John and Martha returned to the house before John McGrath had left the neighbourhood. He was arrested soon after by Constable Preston, and charged with rape.
He was tried before Mr. Justice Hargrave at the Central Criminal Court. The jury retired for half an hour before returning their guilty verdict. McGrath was then sentenced to death. It was reported that “the Executive has given his case the most careful consideration, but found nothing in the circumstances connected with the crime which would at all justify a commutation”.
John McGrath was hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol in New South Wales on the 14th of September 1875, at 9 a.m. Death was reported to have been instantaneous.
The only persons present at the execution were the Sheriff, Under Sheriff, the visiting justice, the chaplain of the gaol, and the visiting surgeon, as well as several warders.
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