Henry Carran

Henry Carran

In 1839 Hughes and a fellow convict named Henry Curran managed to escape from New South Wales still in their irons and it was said that they endured unimaginable hardships before reaching South Australia where they met and teamed up with James Fox. Together the trio took to the bush on a robbing spree. Their first known victims were the Pffender Family. At night on the 26th January 1840 the three men walked into the Pffender home demanding to be fed and on being told that there was only bread and butter in the house, they also demanded eggs which were produced and cooked for the trio. The 3 men also drank all the wine they could find in the house. Hughes then produced some guns and told the Pffender’s that he expected them to buy the weapons. When he was told that they had no money, Hughes threatened to burn their house down. Curran intervened saying that they could find their money without burning down the house. Fox was sent to the door to keep watch while Hughes and Curran ransacked the premises stealing a coat, a waist-coat and several articles of clothing. The three men then went outside. When Mrs Pffender thought they had left, she attempted to alert neighbours. As she went out her door the trio was waiting and knocked her to the ground then one of the men, probably Curran fired a shot barely missing her. Mrs Pffender then ran into some scrub and hid until the three men were gone. 2 days later on the 28th the trio robbed Julius Fielder of 20 lbs. of flour, 6 lbs. pork, 4 lbs. sugar, 1 lb tea, ₤5 in notes some gun powder and shot, a double barrelled gun, a pistol and a tent. The next day they robbed a Mr. Jones of a gun and assorted property to the value of ₤5. It wasn’t long before they were caught, imprisoned and sentenced to death. Fox managed to elude the death sentence on a jury recommendation for mercy due to the fact that this was his first offence and he had not actually been involved in the robbing or the shooting. His sentence was ultimately commuted to that of life imprisonment. Hughes and Curran however, being repeat offenders were shown no such mercy and ordered to death. Hughes and Curran were executed 8 a.m. on 16 March 1840 for stealing 5 pounds and firing at Mrs Pffender with intent to murder. The hanging took place at the new police barracks. It was a public execution with a bit of a twist. On the day of his execution while being handcuffed, Hughes begged for tobacco and on receiving a pipe, put it in his mouth and ran out of the cell in the police barracks, ran up the steps of the scaffold, then he rushed to the executioner, as the executioner approached to adjust the noose, Hughes attempted to strike him and, if his arms had not been handcuffed he may have succeeded, he kicked violently while the rope was being adjusted and had to be restrained by two men. Curran was in a penitent mood, but Hughes behaved as a desperado to the end, when the bolt was drawn and the drop fell he made a sudden spring and caught the ledge of the opening with one of his feet which was kicked away by the Colonial Chaplain, Rev James FARRELL.

http://murderaus.com.au/2017/07/13/accomplices-in-life-accomplices-...

George Hughes, Henrys Carran, and James Fox, for stealing a coat, a waistcoat, and several articles of clothing, value five pounds, the properly of .Michael Pffender, and for presenting & firing off a loaded gun at Mina,-the wife of the said Michael Pffender, with the intention of murdering her, on the 26th Jan. 1840. Also, for stealing from thetent of Julius Fielder; on the 28th January, 1840, 201bs. of flour, 6 lbs. pork, 4 lbs. sugar, 1 lb. tea, £-3. in notes, some powder and shot, a double barrelled-gun. a pistol, &c. the property of the said Julius Feilder: Also for stealing from the tent of Mr. Jones, a gun, his property, value £5.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article195859682

EXECUTION. ON Monday morning, at eight o'clock, Curran and Hughes, two of the criminals sentenced to death at the late assizes, suffered the penalty of their crimes on a scaffold erected in the square of the Police Barracks, which was temporarily inclosed for the occasion.

The prisoner Hughes behaved with the most hardened indifference, and seemed perfectly insensible to the awful change which awaited him. He mounted the scaffold with a pipe in his mouth, and appeared to pay no attention to the earnest exhortations of the Rev. T. Q. Stow, who attended him. He made two or three rushes at the executioner, telling him he would ruin him if he put the rope round his neck, and dared him to take the mask off his face, and do his duty like a man. He resisted to the last, kicking the executioner in the performance of his duty. Curran, the other prisoner, a Roman Catholic, was attended by Mr. Phillips, and appearred very penitent and resigned. When his companion in crime resisted the execution of his sentence, he exclaimed. "Oh, George ?" — appearing shocked and distressed at his hardihood and indifference. The executioner was obliged to call for assistance, and as the fatal knot was adjusted, the signal was given, and the trap fell. Hughes died almost instantaneously, and Curran after a few struggles. However abhorrent such exhibitions may be to the feelings of humanity, it is absolutely necessary that the hardened villains who escape from punishment in the other colonies should be taught that they have no trifler's hand to deal with here; and that there is a determination on the part of the Government to protect to the utmost the lives and property of its constituents. We are happy to say that on this occasion, justice was tempered with mercy, and that the other prisoners, against whom sentence of death was recorded, were reprieved, and their sentence commuted to perpetual banishment.

A considerable crowd assembled to witness the execution. Several natives were present, upon whom we doubt not, the awful scene will have a salutary effect. The greatest decorum prevailed throughout. A body of the mounted police were on duty outside the inclosure, and a strong party were stationed within it. There appeared to be but one feeling among the assembled crowd, which was that the prisoners deserved their fate. - Chronicle.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71619059