Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
John Coggill was transported on the Nile, departing 18th Sep 1857 and arriving 1st Jan 1858 with 271 passengers.
Nile (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 242. --00-- Western Australia Convicts, at http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4572.htm --00-- Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8) |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
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Convict Notes
AN EDITORIAL: 13 January, 1865: From the Perth Gazette & W.A. Times, p2: "Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's, Thy God's, and truth's." --Shakespeare. FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1865 -- THERE are two circumstances connected with the cases tried at the Criminal Sitting of the Supreme Court last week, which probably will be viewed with some surprise by the general public--that of the reversion of the capital sentence passed upon the prisoner Cougill, condemned for the attempt to murder Alice Harwood; and the verdict of the Jury in the case of the murder of James Rudd. With respect to Cougill, so far as the evidence went, he was proved to have deliberately sought the death of his victim and did all he could to effect his object, nor did his counsel attempt to argue that such was not the case, although it may be surmised he was in full possession of all the circumstances which could, in the slightest degree, be supposed to lead to a more favorable conclusion being drawn in favor of his client; the only defence set up was that a feeling of jealousy had driven the prisoner to drink, under the effect of which he had lost all control over himself. With only these facts to judge from, it will be difficult for the public to conceive a reason why the sentence is not to be carried out. It is said that evidence has since been obtained, which induced the commutation, but if so it should surely be made public, or when the trial of the convict Sullivan for the attack upon his fellow prisoner comes on, it is but reasonable to suppose the Jury may be inclined to view it as a similar offence, and in a principle of fairness, decline to find him guilty of the capital crime. We should be sorry to say that in Cougill's case it is impossible that extenuating circumstances cannot have come to light, sufficient to justify his escape from the terrible penalty which the laws of this colony adjudge to an attempt at murder by a convict; but the public will certainly be at a loss to conceive what they can be, and in so grave a matter we consider that not a doubt should remain unsolved, which may leave an idea of an unequal administration of punishment for the most important crimes..." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3755513). --00--
DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED: 11 January, 1865: From the Inquirer and Commercial News, p2: "Local and Domestic Intelligence. At an Executive Council held on Monday last, it was determined to extend the Royal prerogative of mercy to John Cougill, sentenced to death, on the charge of wounding Alice Harwood with intent to murder her. Inquiries made since the trial have brought to light many circumstances of a mitigatory nature, and Cougill is to undergo penal servitude for life." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66014655) --00--
6 January, 1865: From the Perth Gazette and West Australian Times, p2: "SUPREME COURT—CRIMINAL SIDE. JOHN COUGILL, charged with cutting and wounding with intent to murder Alice Harwood, at Fremantle, on the 21st November; a second count charged the attempt to do grievous bodily harm. Mr. Howell defended the prisoner. Alice Harwood, lives at Fremantle; was living at my father's house on the 20th Nov.; had been living at Loane's in High Street previously to the 4th November, prisoner living next door; I was on speaking terms with him, the two houses opening into the same yard; I had no reason to suppose he was fond of me. On Sunday evening about half-past 8 I was going home to my father's from my brother's house, when I saw the prisoner; he said to me "If you do not turn back I'll break your head"; he met me; I turned back to my brother's and told him what the prisoner had said; my brother went with me and seeing the prisoner he spoke to him, and I went home. On the following morning at 5 minutes past 7, I was in bed in the front room at my father's, when prisoner came in and after wishing my mother good morning, came up to my bed, tore the quilt off it, and said to me "get up you lazy thing"; my mother went up to him and told him not to do it again, and ordered him out while I got into the other room; with an oath he said he would not go; he pushed my mother on one side and she fell on the bed; he then knelt on the bed and said he would finish me; I was frightened and rose up in the bed, he then put his hand behind my head and drew it towards him, he then drew a razor out of his pocket, I screamed and my mother told me to hold the bed clothes round my neck. He then gave me a severe wound under the chin and repeated it on the breast, the one cut following immediately on the other; two scars from the latter are still unhealed; I had on then only my night dress. My mother tore him away from me and screamed to me to run away; and I ran into my father's bed-room and locked the door, prisoner twice pushed at the door, and then went to the window and tried to open it, he then went back to the door and succeeded in bursting it open; my mother pulled him away, assistance came and the prisoner was taken into custody. Cross-examined by Mr. Howell. I have known the prisoner as a neighbor for 18 months; I have never been on any other than neighborly terms, nor did he ever address me on any other terms, or seeking marriage. Twelve months since I refused him a kettle of boiling water, and he threw a bucket of water over me, he was drunk then. When I saw him on the Sunday evening he did not appear to be in any state of excitement; he spoke to me and not I to him; I was by myself. I know a person named Smith, and was walking with him at one time on Sunday evening, but not when I saw the prisoner. When the prisoner came in on the Monday morning, he was perfectly cool and quiet; I smelt him as having been drinking but he was not tipsy; I have never had any conversation other than passing with the prisoner. I believe he had been two or three times at my father's; he was sitting in the room five minutes before he attacked me. I most solemnly swear I never received any presents of any kind from the prisoner, or that ever he paid his addresses to me. Janet F. Harwood, mother of the last witness. Prisoner came to my house about 7 a.m. on the 21st October; when prisoner came there, I was mixing some bread; he came to the front door which opens into the room where my daughter was in bed, he wished me good morning, and went to my daughter's bed and pulled the counterpane off, I went to him and put it on again and said I would not have that done to my daughter, I ordered him outside and with an oath he replied that he would not go; he then went to the bedside and said with an oath "now I will finish you," I was standing close to him and told her to put the clothes up to her neck, he pushed me away and took a razor out of his pocket drew her head up and cut her under the chin, and getting the bedclothes down, cut her again on the breast. I seized hold of the handle of the razor and twisted it off from the blade; I took hold of the prisoner and threw him and then Alice ran into my bedroom, I then ran outside and screamed "murder," and on moving back again I saw prisoner trying to burst the door open, he up with his foot and did break it, I got hold of him and threw him down again, and then my son came and took him away. Cross-examined by Mr. Howell. I never heard of the prisoner having any attachment to my daughter or that he wanted to marry her; I never knew his name before this occasion. He had been two or three times to the house with washing but never had mentioned my daughter to me; I believe he came with the intention to murder Alice as he had the razor open in his pocket, I saw it was open when he took it out. Thomas Harwood, Jun. On the morning of Monday the 21th Nov. I saw my mother running across the street screaming; I went to the house, I saw my sister in the bedroom bleeding from the chin and chest, she said "Oh Tom, look what the barber has done"; and on turning round I saw the prisoner who was also bleeding; I took prisoner to the station. Cross-examined I have been in prisoner's company once or twice. On the Sunday evening in consequence of what my sister had told me, I went to the prisoner, he asked me to have a glass of rum, and I refused; he was neither drunk nor sober, but had been drinking; but about half an hour after I got home, he came to my house and said he wanted to speak to me, I went with him to his house, and he began telling me how he loved my sister, but some person came in and that stopped him. I had no conversation with him on the following morning when I took him into custody. J. Shipton, Esq., colonial surgeon, described the wounds upon the prosecutrix as one across the chin and a portion of the throat about four inches long, very deep, and near to the carotid artery, one across the chest about six inches long and deep above the right breast, and two superficial wounds in a line with the last, probably with the same stroke. W. S. Pulford, sergeant of police, produced a broken razor which was given him by Mrs. Harwood on the morning of 21st October; it was then wet with blood. Cross-examined. Prisoner was not drunk when he was brought to the police station. Mr. Howell addressed the Jury for the defence, urging the absence of all apparent motive on the part of the prisoner to murder the girl; the prisoner's statement to him was that he was attached to the girl, and that seeing her on the Sunday walking with others, he became so intensely jealous, that he took to drinking so as to deprive him of all control of his actions, and he hoped that the Jury, taking all the circumstances into consideration, would not find him guilty of the capital offence. His Honor, in summing up, noticed the absence of apparent motive, but said that if the prosecutrix had died the prisoner must have been found guilty of murder, but she not having died, the question of intention then came for consideration of the Jury, and they must be satisfied upon that point before a verdict for either count could be returned. His Honor then pointed out that the plea of drunkenness had altogether failed of proof, and having gone through the evidence, left the consideration of the point in question to be judged from it. The Jury having retired for some time returned with a verdict of Guilty upon the capital charge, and His Honor after feelingly addressing the prisoner sentenced him to Death.” --0--
CUTTING AND WOUNDING WITH INTENT TO MURDER: 30 December, 1864: From the Perth Gazette, p2: "SUPREME COURT. -- CRIMINAL SIDE. -- The following is the present list of cases for trial on Wednesday next... John Coghill, t.l., wounding with intent to murder Alice Harwood, at Fremantle." --0--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: COGHILL, John; inmate #4578, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Alias: COGGILL Date of Birth: 1817 Date of Death: 26 Apr 1875 Place of Death: Vasse, depot Marital Status: Married Occupation: Tailor, barber Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Place: Nottingham, Nottingham, England Crime: Highway robbery with violence Sentence Period: Life Ticket of Leave Date: 29 Jun 1861 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/) --00--
From the ‘News of the World’, March 23, 1856: “MIDLAND CIRCUIT NOTTINGHAM.- DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY AT UPTON John Coggle, alias Cougill, 39, tailor; William Chevins, 35, sawyer; and John Watts, 30, labourer, pleaded not guilty to having, after a previous conviction, feloniously assaulted Arthur Trace Black, at Upton, on 4th of December, putting him in bodily fear and danger of his life, and stealing from his person a sovereign, a lancet-case containing four lancets, and a silk pocket handkerchief. The prosecutor, a surgeon, living at Tuxford said: On the 4th Dec., I had occasion to attend a patient at the Nag’s Head at Upton. I left Upton to return home a little before seven o’clock. I rode upon a pony, and a gentleman named Bourne rode by my side part of the way. We parted company before arriving at Askham, and I rode on before him. About two or three minutes after leaving Mr. Bourne, my pony shied, and directly afterwards the rein was checked, and I fell forward upon the pony’s neck. I then received a blow on the left shoulder, which came in contact with my hat and knocked it off. I instantly rose upon the saddle again, and received a blow on the small of my back. The second blow partially knocked me off my pony, and I felt sick. I did not see any person at that time. I was then seized by a tall man, who with the assistance of another man, dragged me to the ground. The tall man had on a cap. The other had a kind of glazed hat on. The tall man placed his hand across my throat and held me down. The other lay or sat across my legs, and a third person came up to me and unbuttoned my coat. This man also struck the pony, and it galloped away, and he afterwards unbuttoned my coat and rifled my pockets of the articles mentioned in the indictment. I could not raise an alarm because I was stifled. Mr. Bourne came up to me after the men left. I lost also my hat. Upton is about four or five hundred yards from the place where I was robbed. I found my pony about a quarter of a mile from this place. I afterwards went on to Tuxford, and gave information of the robbery. On the following Tuesday I saw the prisoners in custody at Retford. From the general appearance of the prisoners, I believe them to be the men who robbed me, but I will not swear positively to that. William Bourne said; Mr. Black left me and rode forward, and soon afterwards I heard a scuffle in the road. I afterwards came up with Mr. Black, and found him upon the ground. I saw three men, two of whom had hold of him, and the third was a little distance off. I got off my horse, and went up to the men to assist Mr Black. I knew the man Coggle by sight. He was one of the men against Mr. Black. Coggle was holding the prosecutor. He had on dark clothes and I believe a cap. Chevins, I believe, held the horse. Watts was also there, and I believe that he was assisting Coggle. When I approached all he prisoners ran away. I however, saw the features of Coggle and Watts distinctly. I saw Chevins, but was not so near to him. I am not certain as to his being one, but I believe him to be one. I speak with certainty in regard to Coggle and Watts. A few days afterwards I saw the prisoners at Retford station. The prisoners Coggle and Watts in their statement before the magistrates, admitted being out on the night in question in Company with Chevins on a poaching excursion. Watts stated also that he had shot a pheasant. The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty against all the prisoners. A previous conviction of highway robbery was proved against Coggle; of robbery from a dovecote against Chevins; and of a similar offence against Watts; and they were sentenced—Coggle to transportation for life, and Chevins and Watts to 15 years transportation each.” (Western Australia Convicts, at http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4572.htm)
TRIAL: 13 March, 1856: Nottingham Assizes—William CHEVINS, John COGGLE and John WATTS were found guilty of highway robbery with violence after previous convictions; COGGILL was sentenced to transportation for life (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Nottinghamshire; 1856). —00—
OCCUPATION: Tailor and barber (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)).