http://www.cooganresearchgroup.com/crg/index.htm 16 January 2010 COOGAN story __________________________________________________________________ (appearing in the "Sydney Gazette" [NSW, Australia], 04 JUN 1827): ...On 1 June 1827, John Emerson and Michael Coogan, convicted of a forgery on the Bank of Australia, were sentenced to death. Coogan made specific arguments about his trial on the bank charge, which the court rejected. ... http://www.law.mq.edu.au/scnsw/Cases1827-28/html/r_v_emerson_1827.htm __________________________________________________________________ (appearing in the "The Australian" [NSW, Australia], 06 JUN 1827): SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES Stephen, J., 1 June 1827 ...Coogan made specific arguments about his trial on the bank charge, which the court rejected.... ...The court rejected Rowe's argument against the application of the forgery laws to New South Wales... http://www.law.mq.edu.au/scnsw/Cases1827-28/html/r_v_emerson_1827.htm __________________________________________________________________ (appearing in the "The Monitor" [NSW, Australia], 08 JUN 1827): ...Neither the objections of Coogan made now, nor the previous objections by Mr. Rowe on begalf [sic] of Emmerson were of avail, and the Chief Justice proceeded, having recapitulated their cases, to pass sentence of death upon each of them. ... ...Coogan was by birth an American of very respectable family... ...had a history of piracy... http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/NSWSupC/1827/36.html __________________________________________________________________ (appearing in the "The Monitor" [NSW, Australia], 19 JUN 1827): ...Coogan was by birth an American of very respectable family... ...had a history of piracy... http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/NSWSupC/1827/36.html __________________________________________________________________ (appearing in the "The Australian" [NSW, Australia], 20 JUN 1827): EXECUTION, 18 June 1827 Scarcely one week succeeds another without causing us to occupy some portion of our columns in detailing the last closing scene of some victims to justice. Four culprits suffered on Monday; one of them a man name Coogan, for a forgery on the Bank of Australia; the other three, Quinn, Lynch and Geary, for being the perpetrators of various robberies. Accompanied by the three Clergymen who attended, the Sub-Sheriff and others, the four culprits proceeded from the condemned cells, at about half-past nine, to the place of execution in rear of the gaol. An officer's guard occupied as usual a station in front, and the numerous confines of the gaol on one side of the fatal drop. A dense mass of people appeared on the heights outside, and a greater number than usual within the yard. On the entrance of the unhappy culprits, a general silence ensued. Coogan, with the Rev. Mr. Cowper came first. In one hand he held a prayer book, and in the other an end of the fatal rope which was wound about him. He knelt on one of the four coffins which lay at the foot of the gallows, and seemed to pray with a fervency of devotion not often exhibited or exceeded. His demeanor was calm, but his countenance betrayed the workings of a mind ill at ease. He seemed ready to sink at the prospect of the inevitable and ignominious end which awaited him, and thought he eagerly inhaled the consoling balm of religiou devotion, intense mental suffering was pourtrayed in his features. The other culprits followed, and continued for some time in prayer on their knees, with the Rev. Messrs Therry and Power. A brother of the unfortunate man Quinn was present, and seemed deeply affected. When the executioner had pinioned the arms of each, they prepared to ascend. Coogan mounted the ladder with a slow but firm step, and stood on the right of the platform. He addressed some of the prisoners beneath in a low plaintive voice, and spoke a few words respectfully to the Sub-Sheriff, expressive of a consciousness that his fate was justly decided. After this, his mind seemed to become abstracted from the scene which was acting near him. He continued gazing intently towards the heavens, and to be intuitively wrapped up in his devotions. Quinn, upon getting on the drop, kicked off his shoes, and they fell with a hollow sound on his coffin, which lay directly under. Geary followed his example, calling out to some man among the crowd to pick them up. They communed with the clergymen, until it was intimated that the moment of execution had arrived. Lynch pulled out a paper, and read from it the following:- "Fellow-men and Brethren, the awful spectacle which is now going to take place before you, will, I sincerely hope make such an impression on all those present, that it may be the means of deterring them from the unlawful pursuits which have been the cause of bringing me to this ignominious and premature end: for, being always of an impetuous disposition of mind, I could not brook the restrictions under which I was placed in this country, and therefore, was determined to exonerate myself from bondage the first favorable crisis that offered. I own that I was one of those who bore an active part in capturing the brig Wellington at sea, but I solemnly protest, that there was never any proposition made of using any violence towards the military, besides keeping them in security, and ensuring our own safety. On the contrary, we behaved like Christians and Britons; our liberty was our sole view; and only being deceived in the capacity of the person who took the command, we should have managed things in a different manner from what they were. We should have been in a free country long before this. But we are well aware that he did not know much of the theory or practical part of navigation. May the Lord forgive him, for I am of opinion, that if he had said he was inadequate to the undertaking, that she would not have been re- captured. Before we came to Sydney we were of opinion that the most rigorous examples would be made of all those who had any hand in it, this was the stimulus which made us escape from the hulk; and the government subsequently offering a reward of twenty pounds for the apprehension of our persons, made us conclude that they meant to sacrifice us whenever we were taken. These severe proceedings often drive men to extremities, and make them commit crimes, which very probably if milder means were tried, they would desist from. I hope that the Supreme Creator of the universe will now forgive me my many offences, through the all attoning blood of a crucified Redeemer. I hope you will all pray to the Almighty to receive our poor souls into his celestial kingdom. I have received every kindness from the officers of gaol, more particularly Mr. Wilson and Mr. Deegan; and at the time when I was confined here before, I experienced every kindness from Mr. Steel, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Toole; and we allow the present Inspecting Surgeon to be a gentleman of the most humane disposition. I hope that all those who are present will take a timely warning by the unhappy scene before them; and may the Lord in his infinite mercy forgive me and my unhappy companions who are going to face an awful eternity. Geary said he was guilty, but not of many offences with which he had been charged, particularly that of being accessary to the burning, &c on Dr. Elliard's farm. However, he hoped all good people then present would pray for their poor sinful "sowls." "Give us a shake of your hand, won't you?" cried one; and they shook hands together, warmly. They joined again in prayer with the two clergymen. Mr. Cowper having retired, when made acquainted with the necessity for doing so, Coogan remained apart from the others, and was kept for some time in a pitiable state of suspense, seemingly absorbed in silent meditation. At length the criminals were left alone - the executioner descended, laid hold of the spring which sustained the fatal drop, and, as the culprits struck their breasts, and invoked the Saviour's mercy, it was let fall. Coogan's limbs were horribly convulsed for some time after - to the other three the executioner had allowed a greater length of rope, particularly to Geary, whose neck hung nearly on a line with the feet of the unfortunate sufferer on his right. Coogan was a slight, middle-sized man, about thirty years of age; of him it might be truly said - "Sharp misery has worn thee to the bone." Quinn had an appearance of considerable muscular strength - the other two were active looking men, but of a lower size. When their bodies had remained suspended the usual time, they were resigned to their friends. Coogan's was a decent coffin, and was covered with a black pall. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/NSWSupC/1827/36.html __________________________________________________________________ (appearing in the "Sydney Gazette" [NSW, Australia], 20 JUN 1827): EXECUTION The executions which took place on Monday last excited a considerable degree of interest. At 10 o'clock, Coogan, accompanied by the Reverend W. Cowper, entered the execution- yard first, with a firm step, and shook hands with several of the prisoners. He then directed his eyes towards heaven, and seemed to be engaged in fervent prayer. A few minutes after, he knelt beside his coffin with the Reverend gentleman, and continued engaged in devotion for an unusual length of time. The other prisoners, who were condemned for piracy, Lynch, Geary, and Quin, were at the same time engaged in prayer, assisted by the Rev. Fathers Power and Therry. Coogan was the first who ascended the drop, and addressed the prisoners who were present as specators of the melancholy spectacle, in a tone of unaffected earnestness, admonishing them to conduct themselves properly in the sight of God and man. He then turned towards Mr. James, the deputy Sheriff, and said, "I think it due the public that I should acknowledge the justice of my sentence." Lynch took out a paper that contained an address to the bye-standers, which he read in a hurried and seemingly indignant manner. It appeared to be a kind of justification of the piracy, containing an assurance that no other harm was intended than that of escaping from bondage, forgetting that in setting himself free from the punishment which was due to his crime, he deprived those of liberty who had not offended against justice. The address concluded with a petition that the beholders would pray for his soul, and the souls of those who were about to suffer with him. He then threw the paper from him with an apparent bitterness of feeling, and exclaimed, "Give that to the 'Monitor'!" All the prisoners threw their shoes off. The Rev. Gentlemen then left the scaffold, after shaking hands with Coogan also. Very shortly after, the drop fell, and Coogan seemed to be under great agony for a considerable time. The sufferings of the other unhappy men were soon over. The fate of Coogan seemed to excite particular sympathy. He was a young man of promising talents, but had latterly too often misapplied them. Had it been possible to extend mercy it would have been done in this case, but the crime of forgery, for which he suffered, he had too often perpetrated before. He acknowledged, to the Rev. Mr. Cowper, that his crimes had been innumerable, and many of them of a much blacker character than that for which he was about to suffer. To the gratification of a lustful disposition, and a propensity to unnatural crimes, he ascribed all his other errors. When merely a boy, he robbed his mother of [Pound Sterling] 600, and ran away with a female domestic. To piracy and forgery his attention was constantly turned. He was sent on board a man-of-war when very young, for being a nuisance to the place in which he resided, and forged to a considerable amount upon the Captain. He was transported from the Cape of Good Hope, and he, with others of his associates, seized the vessel, and set the Captain on shore on an island. Besides his conviction at the Cape, he was transported from this place, and on another occasion was flogged. He forged a Treasury bill on Mr. Wemyss, and committed another on Colonel Dumarsc. He committed three forgeries upon the old Bank, for two of which he obtained the money. He forged a note, and went with his face muffed up, to Mr. Cooper, telling him he required a number of necessaries for it, which he obtained. The money which he had acquired in this way was immense. He said he could not tell the number of forgeries which he had committed. He declared that in a society he was never happy, but that in a penal settlement he enjoyed comparative ease. His whole life had been one continued series of crime, so that it is astonishing he had so long escaped an ignominious death. Let those who may at present be meditating on the perpetration of similar crimes, think upon the awful fate of Coogan, and what he would have given in his last moments that he had led a different life - let them not rely too much on intended penitence in the dreadful last hour which will too surely await them, for that piety which is produced by fear alone may eventually ruin all their hopes; but let them, by a life of well- doing, cherish the love as well as fear of God, and they may rest assured that they will lean upon no broken reed. __________________________________________________________________