1855: “I Am Sorry I Did Not Kill Him”: a Convict Hanged at Perth for a Shovel Attack on a Warder
George Williams had already been flogged once for attacking warder James McEvoy at the Fremantle Convict Establishment, and as the irons went on he was overheard to say he was sorry he had not killed him, and would have blown out some brains with a pistol if he’d had one. Fellow convicts later testified he had vowed from his cell to throw McEvoy from the gallery and kill him.
Williams would get his chance. Seeing McEvoy pass by while on work duty, he ran at him with a shovel, beating him to the ground across the legs and head until the handle snapped, leaving the warder with a fractured skull. Convicted of wounding with intent to murder, Williams was hanged on this day at old Perth gaol.
On the scaffold Williams insisted he had never meant to kill McEvoy, and asked that no revenge be taken on those who had given evidence against him.
