THE LAST PUBLIC HANGING


Although the history of Shannon contains many memorable events, it would be unfair to give the impression that all of these events were of a pleasant nature. In our research, we have documented an event which will lend notoriety to an otherwise unblemished history.


On August 25, 1878, a murder took place only several miles from where the Shannon Community Center is now located. The unfortunate victim was *Francis Conway. The murderer was *Mike Farrel. An article in Le Petit Journal on September 7, 1952, by Damase Potvin recounted the event. Potvin described the men involved….

Michael Farrel was a farmer from Ste. Catherine de Fossambault. He was sentenced to hang for the murder of his Irish neighbor, Francis Conway. Farrell was born on January 17, 1832. He farmed the land given to him by his father, who was one of the first Irish Immigrants to come to Canada. Michael Farrel was a good father and husband and had eleven children, but he also had a very violent nature. This fiery temperament
caused him to quarrel with many of his neighbours, especially Francis Conway. Both Farrel and Conway were big, strong men. Conway was 38 years old and had 5 children.

It was said that Michael Farrel was actually afraid of Francis Conway and avoided the man at times when a dispute might have arisen. On the day of the murder, using his customary shortcut, Francis Conway crossed Farrel's land. Upon coming to the edge of Farrel's property, he left the gate open, allowing the cattle to escape. An enraged Farrel
warned him that he was not to use this shortcut again.

Later that day when Conway returned, Farell's wife declared to her husband, Look, its Frank Conway….Don't let him get away this time. Apparently, Farrel had visitors that day who later said that it was his wife's taunting that enraged Farrel, who probably would not have pursued Conway otherwise.

An account of this event was found in the early scrapbooks kept by the priests of Ste. Catherine.

A MURDER IN STE-CATHERINE
(AUGUST 25, 1878)

On Sunday, in Ste. Catherine, County of Portneuf, Francis Conway was murdered in cold blood.

Consequently, on Monday afternoon, the district coroner, Dr. Belleau and Dr. A. Vallee left for St. Gabriel de Valcartier to conduct an investigation.

Apparently the victim, Conway, and his murderer, Michael Farrel, both held deep resentment for each other. However, Farrel's hatred for his rival was relentless.

After the swearing in of the jury and an examination of the autopsy report, Maurice Conway, brother of the deceased, declared…

I live with my father in this house. At two o'clock yesterday afternoon, I set off For Ste. Catherine where my brother lives. About four o'clock, I left my brother-in-law's house to go to Michael McLaughlin's. I was there about fifteen minutes when my brother came in . He asked Terrance McLaughlin and myself to accompany him to the swamp near the Gosford Road, about one mile from McLaughlin's home, claiming that he had seen Michael Farrel there, carrying a Gun.

The deceased had also added that he was afraid Farrell would shoot at him and in case he did, he wanted witnesses so that this man would be punished by the law. The three men had left and on the way, encountered William Landers, who joined them. After walking for about a mile, they sighted Farrel near the edge of the forest. After seeing the men, he set off immediately to encounter them. Stopping about fifteen feet from Frank Conway, Farrel warned him, Go away, go away ! … I'm going, replied Conway. Just as these words were uttered, Farrel carefully aimed his gun and shot Conway in the head. The latter fell to his death. Mike Farrel's trial started on October 30, 1878. Present were many Irish people from Ste. Catherine. The jury found him guilty and the president of the tribunal condemned Farrel to hang by the neck until dead, whereupon his wife let out a spine-chilling scream of despair. When the hangman pulled the mechanism to let Farrel drop from the gallows, his arm became entangled in the noose. (Farrel's arm), with the result that the hanging was cruelly inefficient. Reacting to this, the hangman, who received thirty dollars for the job, positioned himself under Farrel and jumped up and grabbed Farrel's legs in an attempt to weigh him down. It took five or six minutes before death overtook him. There was a drawing, which illustrated this gruesome event. In fact, it was run in a local newspaper shortly after the hanging. It is said that several of Mike Farrel's neighbours, in
consideration for the remaining family, bought up all the copies in the area.

It is also known that Francis Conway was not the only man murdered by Mike Farrel. *David Maher was also murdered with an axe by Mike Farrel. However, he was eventually acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.

Taken from the book “ Where Green is Worn, Shannon”

Downloaded 3/9/2003 from:
http://www.genealogy.com/users/c/o/p/Janice-L-Copeman/FILE/0002text.txt


     
Jamie Haley's Cookie Cottage