John Martin the Celebrity Delinquent: Part 1: Bold Bad Boy

 

John Martin the Celebrity Delinquent: 

Part 1: Bold Bad Boy

 In March 1894, John Martin was charged with breaking and entering and theft. He had escaped from F. Burton’s Glanville Reformatory and made his way to Magill. There, he had broken into Mr Moseley’s house and stolen a gold watch and chain, a gold ring, a gold locket, and other valuables.

 Martin was presented to the Supreme Court, presided over by Judge Bundey. In that period, boys were judged and sentenced as men. If convicted, the boys were sent to a prison hulk at Largs Bay, or if their crime was deemed too offensive, sent to Adelaide Gaol.

 Much was made in the newspapers of Martins general appearance in court. He was described as a ‘short thick-set sunburnt little fellow’ by one journalist. Martin was wearing at his hearing, a man’s coat and transfers, which were much too big for him, requiring him to hold them up with one hand.

Harry Nelson, the warder at the reformatory, stated in court that he had checked on Martin in the evening. Martin was on the third story and shackled by the ankle to his bed. At the 2am check, Nelson found Martin had escaped.
 Martin was arrested at Charles Street, Norwood by constable Garland. Moseley’s valuables found in his possession. Martin, when asked if he had anything to say, said, "I can't stop at that school". [1]

 While standing before Judge Bundey, Martin began to sob, stating he had stolen the goods from Moseley with the idea of being sent to gaol. In his young mind, he believed he would be treated better in the Adelaide Gaol than he was in the reformatory.
 Bundey took pity upon the boy, stating “Martin, yours is a peculiar case, now if I send you to a good kind gentleman, who will treat you well, look after and train your better, will you behave yourself, and remain with him?”

Martin, holding back tears stated, “yes, sir”.

Bundey: “I have never seen anything like your case here. You are under fifteen years of age and have shown extraordinary boldness and energy. You have escaped from the Reformatory fourteen times. Now what I should like to do would be to treat you not as a bold bad boy, but as a bold good boy. a bold boy with elements of good in him. You are approaching the years of manhood, and if rightly directed may make an extremely useful man. If I were the commander of a man-of-war, I would like to take you on board my ship and put you under strict discipline, which would bring out your best qualities, and tone down your evil tendencies.”[2]

 In 1894, John Martin would become somewhat of a celebrity escape artist in Adelaide. His escapades, crimes, and court appearances would be published in almost all South Australian newspapers. Such was this 15-year-olds notoriety, his exploits made national news.

 

Next Week: John Martin the Celebrity Delinquent: Part 2: Escape Artist

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2020

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[1] 'A Daring Youngster.', Evening Journal, (30 March 1894), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION), http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200770875.

[2] 'Law and Criminal Courts', Evening Journal, (3 April 1894), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION), http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200771138.

A Ghost at Nairne

A Ghost at Nairne

 

Nairne 1910 - SLSA: [B 394]

In March 1878, the Adelaide Hills town of Nairne was beset with an unruly and persistent ghost who over several nights was terrifying local ladies. The ghost would appear in the evenings at various locations around the town surprising locals, before vanishing into the night.

One evening a group of young men set about capturing the ghost. They waited patiently for it to appear. When it did appear, the ghost seemed to be very much aware of the plans for its capture, evading the various traps put in place. The ghost was also very fast, outpacing the living. It vanished once more into the night.

 A warning was put around the town that if the ghost was captured, a harsh and severe punishment would be dealt to it. The ghost was not seen around Nairne again after the warning.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2019

Bibliography

'COUNTRY LETTERS.', Adelaide Observer, (16 March 1878), p. 6.

'COUNTRY CORRESPONDENCE.', South Australian Register, (14 March 1878), p. 6.

'NAIRNE, MARCH 13.', South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail, (16 March 1878), p. 4

Michael Magee – Adelaide's First Execution

Michael Magee – Adelaide's First Execution

May 2^nd 1838, the City of Adelaide was abuzz with the excitement of a predetermined death!

 In the parklands, just below the junction of Mills and Strangways Terrace, Adelaide’s first makeshift gallows, an old tree, was silently standing, waiting for a convict, to publicly lose his life for his crimes.

Michael Magee was an Irish born immigrant aged 25 years old when he was found guilty of his crime of willingly attempting to kill a man. That man was Mr Samuel Smart, the colony Sheriff.

Mr Smart had been sitting in his office on March 22^nd 1838, busily writing reports, when two men, Magee, and another fellow named Morgan, burst through the door. Magee levelled a gun at Mr Smarts head, and without flinching fired. Magee, however, was not a good shot, and the bullet only nicked his ear and seared a line across his cheek.

Before Mr Smart had praised the Lord for his luck, his reflexes kicked in, and he stood and grabbed Magee's still hot gun from his hands, the men had a scuffle, and the two villains escaped – but not for long.

The alarm was raised, and Magee and Morgan were dually captured, tried, convicted and sentenced, in almost record time.

Morgan was sentenced to “Transportation for Life” and Magee to capital execution.

There was much fuss in Adelaide at the sentence of Magee, no-one had been executed in the colony up until this point, and there was no State-appointed “ Jack Ketch”(a name used during the period for the masked executioner)

The job of executioner was advertised for 5 pounds, and no-one came forward, it soon blew out to 20 pounds, and still, no-one came forward. It was at this point that the State charter was checked and it was pointed out that the Colony Sheriff if no other persons could be appointed, would have to carry out the ghastly deed. In this particular case, the Sheriff carrying out such a task on the person who had assailed him would have been unseemly.

On the morning of the execution, a large crowd had gathered at the aforementioned location, everyone was uncertain of who would be executing Magee.

A horse and cart were soon seen coming towards the tree, on the back a coffin, and sitting on top, Magee and a man dressed in an executioner mask, which barely hid his identity.

Magee remained staunch throughout the reading of his crime and the public display of his own death.

The event was huge an era before movies, television and the internet, and most of Adelaide, including women and children, had come to watch, but no-one could foresee what was about to unfold before their very eyes.

Magee, standing before the throngs of people, confessed his guilt to the amassed audience, but vehemently denied being an escaped convict, an accusation levelled against him at trial.

He stood on the card, hands tied together and a cap placed over his head. The executioner came forward and passed Magee's head through the hemp rope noose, which had been hung from the old tree.

The executioner whipped the horses to drive forward, leaving the convicted criminal hanging to his death – but things got drastically out of hand, the knot which was supposed be under Magee's ear, had somehow slipped under his chin.
 Magee flailed wildly in the air. In his desperate attempts to save himself, his hands broke free of the rope that bound them, and he grabbed the noose rope and pulled himself up to release the strain on his neck, all the while screaming for mercy.

The Hangman returned and grabbed the flailing legs of Magee, using his own weight to pull the hanging man down and tightening the noose, breaking Magee's neck in the process...

Magee suffered greatly during his execution, and became the talk of the colony, for many many years afterwards people pointed out to visitors to Adelaide, the tree upon which Magee had been hung, and told the horrific story of his demise...

A hand-drawn picture of the hanging:

http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=3224&mode=singleImage

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