(_Account taken from a contemporary journal_)
"Saturday, April 4. This morning Miss Bendigo was executed at
Launceston, in the same black petelair she was dressed in at her trial,
had on a pair of black gloves, and her hands and arms tied with black
paduasoy ribbons. On the Friday night she sent to the sheriff, who, she
was informed, was come to town to be present at her execution, and
desired that he would give her till eight o'clock the next morning, and
she would be ready as soon after as he pleased. On Friday, at about
twelve o'clock, she took the Sacrament and signed a declaration
concerning the crime for which she was to suffer; in which she denied
knowing that the powders she had administered to her father had any
poisonous quality in them; and also made therein a confession of her
faith. Her behaviour at the gallows was becoming a person in her
unhappy circumstances, and drew not only great compassion, but tears,
from most of the spectators. When she got up about seven steps of the
ladder, she turned herself upon it and had a little trembling, saying:
'I am afraid I shall fall.' After she had turned herself upon the
ladder, the Rev. Mr. Le Petyt, who attended her, asked whether she had
anything to say to the public. She said yes, and made a speech to the
following purport: 'That, as she was then going to appear before a just
God, she did not know that the powders, which were believed to be the
death of her father, would have done him any harm, therefore she was
innocently the cause of his death, but as she hoped for mercy, what she
had done had been in innocence and love.' Then she stooped towards Mr.
Le Petyt and she was seen to be remarkably eager in taking the parting
kiss from him, which she did. The hangman then desired her to pull the
white kerchief, tied over her head for that purpose, over her eyes,
which she failing to do, a person standing by stepped up the ladder and
pulled it down. Then, giving the signal by holding out a little book she
had in her hand, she was turned off. Before she went out of the gaol she
gave the sheriff's man a guinea to drink, and took two guineas in her
hands with her, which she gave to the executioner. Her body was placed
in a coffin of maplewood, lined with white satin, on the lid only
'Sophia Bendigo, aged 18. April 4, 1752.' It is understood that Mr. Le
Petyt carried the coffin to St. Annan and buried it, by Miss Bendigo's
request, in the grave of her mother. At the execution, notwithstanding
the early hour, there was the greatest concourse of people ever seen on
such an occasion."