Patrick Maguire was 30, and he was tired of life. It was the 6th of January 1832, and he was working in the sun with a young Scot, Matthew Gallagher, getting gravel from the pit to repair the roads. It was humid, it was hot, the sun blazed overhead. The only relief might come in the form of one of those deafening tropical thunderstorms that rolled in at sundown. He’d never seen or heard anything like it, not in Ireland and not in Sydney.
Maguire was facing seven years of this hell on earth. He’d tried escaping in December but had barely managed a fortnight in the bush. And of course, he was punished when he returned, starving and mosquito-bitten, to Moreton Bay. He had fifty lashes hanging over him for that, too.
Patrick was a native of Monaghan, a sawyer by trade, and he’d always had a turbulent life. He was transported for life back in 1827 for abduction – he thought he’d swing for that, and maybe it would have been better if he had. Last June, he’d done a highway robbery on the Liverpool Road in Sydney, and had a death sentence, which was commuted to seven years in this hole. His mates from the robbery were up here too, Thomas Johnstone, William Adams and Edward Birmingham; all looking at seven years.
His workmate, Matthew Gallagher, was a thief and absconder too, but he was nearly done with his three years. Maguire looked at the young man working with him – only twenty, and nearly ready for freedom. Even more gallingly, Gallagher had made two escapes from Moreton Bay, and had been out four months the last time.
Maguire had nothing personal against Gallagher. He was tired of life. He picked up his grubbing hoe – he was a strong man, much larger than the Scot – and he brought it down hard on the right side of Gallagher’s head. He didn’t care if the Overseer and that Soldier were watching.
In the next moments, as the blood sang in Maguire’s ears, Overseer Whalen and the soldier ran up to help Gallagher. Whalen turned to Maguire and asked what he was doing.
“He gave me no provocation. I hope for his sake he’s dead. I am weary of this life and I want to die”, was the only explanation Whalen would receive.
Poor old Gallagher, he wasn’t quite dead, not yet. He stuck it out another two days in that excuse for a hospital before Surgeon Cowper closed his eyes. Maguire was sorry for that. It would have been better to die quickly.
Patrick Maguire had nothing to say about the crime when he was in the Cells. Nothing to say when he went up before Commandant Clunie to be committed to take his trial in Sydney. Nothing to say on the 5th of February 1832, when he was taken aboard the Brig “Governor Phillip” for Sydney with sixty other lucky bastards who were discharged and had their lives ahead of them. He stood silent before the Supreme Court at Sydney and offered no defence.
“There was, His Honour observed, something so horrid, so entirely at variance with human nature, for a man to deprive his fellow creature of life without the least provocation, and merely (as the prisoner had observed) ” because he was weary of life,” that he (the learned judge) could not comprehend the feeling. He trusted in God, that these enormous offences would cease. After passing the sentence of the law, His Honour exhorted the prisoner to make use of the short space allotted him in this world, and to seek by penitence and prayer the pardon of his Maker. (The prisoner was totally unmoved throughout.)”
Sydney Monitor, Wednesday 7 March 1832, page 2.
On Monday 12 March 1832, Patrick Maguire went to the gallows. He said little, except to say that he was guilty of the crime, and the sentence was just. He then spoke privately to the clergyman attending him and went calmly to his death. He was tired of life.
SOURCES:
- Sydney Herald, Monday 12 March 1832, page 3.
- Sydney Monitor, Wednesday 07 March 1832, page 2.
- Sydney Herald, Monday 05 March 1832, page 3.
- QUEENSLAND STATE ARCHIVES Series ID 5652 Book of Monthly Returns of Prisoners Maintained.
- QUEENSLAND STATE ARCHIVES Series ID 5652 Chronological Register of Convicts at Moreton Bay.
- Pictures: Convict Chain Gang from Download-images.com and mraclassroom.com.
Moreton Bay and More 