The Waikomiti Murder

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 143, 23 May 1893, Page 2

The Waikomiti Murder

[ EXECUTION OF SCOTT. r (PER PRESS A.SSOCIA.TION.) Aucklanp. May 22. Scott wae hangodono minute past eight ' this morning. He protested to tho very last momont that ho was innocent. Ho had, ho said, made a promise to sheild anothor person, and ho was still determined to fulfil that promise. He seemed to pride himself on tho fact that he had carried out tho dotor--1 tarnation to the bitter end. The drop was about 12 foot. t Scott was attended at tho scaffold by - tho Roy Mr Caldor. He was dressed in ; his ordinary clothes and walked to the 3 scaffold barehoadod. Ho looked very palo r notwithstanding that ho had during his s incarceration grown a board. Ho walked $ to tho scaffold very quietly and calmly * and guvo no Bign of any want of courage i On boing asked by the sheriff if ho had i ) any statement to make, Scott said, '"I 3 1 am lnnocont," t He repeated this throo timos to Mr j Oalcler, be said, " 1 stand hero to muko a s confossion. I have sinuod previously against God. I have made my peace with God." Ho thou proceodod to say, " I am innocont," and repeated this to tho last. Tho gaoler thon asked him if he had auythjus; jnore to say. Ho replied " No." 3 After tho euddpu jerk which followed the bolt being drawn, th^ro was no k vibration of tho rope, it was eyidout that ' death had been mstautanoous. 3 Scott's body was cut down at ono rniu--3 uto paat vine and laid on a wooden bench. ' The appearance of tho fuco showed that ' death must hayo been instantaneous. It 1 | was but little discolored, and, with tho " exception of a bluish tint around tho ' lower part, it was placid and more natural ' in appoiiranco than 19 usual from doath • by hanging. Tho usual inquest was held and a verdict of death by haugiug returnod. | This morning, beforo tho execution took place, Scott was handed a lady's 1 ring by Mr Uestoa. This was at his 1 own request, he haying intimated a wish \ to wear the ring till after the execution, when it was to be removed from his finger, and handed to his solicitor, for a 1 friend. The ring was an ordinary gold ono with stones, one of the stones missing. This Day. Scott, who was hanged yesterday, hred on a station in Queenslnud for some time, where ho gained a considerable amount of local notoriety by shoot ing an Australian blapk. ThJ3 was not a legal offence, as tho nativo had been outlawed for some lime for a serious crime. Scott was buried at S> o'clock this morning in the Church of England section of the Waikomiti cemetery. The Eev. Mr Calder conducted the ceremony. The only other persons present were Messrs Edwin and Samuel Ifesketh, solicitors, Sqott's uncle, and an old school friend of tho deceasods.