THE MAUNGATAPU MURDERS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 118, 13 October 1866, Page 2

THE MAUNGATAPU MURDERS.

EXECUTION OF BURGESS, KELLY, AND LEVY. [By Electric Telegraph.] {From the Lyttelton Times,) >Z^ Nelson, Oct. 5, 3.30 p.m. Burgess, Kelly, and Levy were executed in the goal yard this morning. They died protesting that the statements made by them on the trial were true and accurate. Kelly and Levy repeatedly declared their, innocence. Burgess spoke first. He declared by God above, whom he adored, that Sullivan was guilty of the murder of Battle and Matliieu, and also of the murder of Dobson. The poor Jew and Kelly, he said, were innocent of all the murders. Sullivan was concerded in all six, and was the actual murderer of Dobson. He was himself morally guilty of Dobson's murder, as he knew of it before and after it took place. Kellj- read a statement, which began as follows :— " Good morning ! But an unpleasant morning to you all, gentlemen, countrymen, brothers, and spectators of one of the most awful, terrible, dreadful, fearful, shameful, painful, mournful, reverential, hateful, wrongful, unjustifiable, ignominious, inglorious deaths and murders that ever took place in the wide world, since the creation of Adam ; and a sad morniug to my poor self. And may God be merciful to me, a sinner, not a murderer, since I have been born." After referring to the atonement of Christ, he went on "Beside, I trust Almighty God has searched me and tried me to see if there h.is been any such wickedness in me as ever to know for a certainty of the Maungatapu murders, until Sullivan made a confession. May I never be forgiven my sins upon earth, nor after I shuffle off this mortal coil, and appear before my almighty God, if I am not innocent of killing, or of being with, any person that did kill them when they were killed on the Maungatapu, or any other murdered ' men in the world. If my assertions, declarations, and dying words be not the truth about these men, and nothing but the truth, I hope that after I ascend the fatal and welcome scaffold, and the bolt is drawn that will launch me out of this world, and that whilst my frail and worthless body of clay is dangling in the air, the Devil will be waiting for the moment my soul departs from this body for it io be borne upon his wings to the bottomless pit of Hell, at a speed more rapid than lightning, or than the light of the sun in reaching the carth — yes, at a speed quicker than thought, which I believe to be the fastest thing that travels, for I can think to heaven in an instant/ He next termed Sullivan the. demon of the West Cuast, and Maun gW J tapu Mountain assassin. He prayed for a blessing on the heads of the people of Nelson for their efforts to discover the bodies of the murdered men, and praised all that the people had done "in the town named after the gallant hero of the sea and ocean, and conquerer of the enemies of Old England, my country; Nelson, the illimitable wonder of the sea, fighting, and war; and I hope he is happy. God bless him, for I like a patriot." He then repeated the hymn referring to the hour of parting with all earthly things, and concluded his dying speech thus : — " And this hour has been fully before me the great part of my life, never as it should have been, until after my arrest ; but may I find life aud heaven with God. So farewell to everybody. From Tommy Noon, called Kelly." Burgess again spoke, saying that he, felt happy this glorious and bright moi'niug. He expressed great sympathy for Kelly 'and Levy, declared that Sullivan was his only confederate. "Were it not for Kelly and Levy," said Burgesr , " I could die happy — almost joyous." Levy, avlio was the most staid, and gave evidence of least emotion, coirplained that when he applied to the authorities for some money which they owed him, they refused to give it up. ', He wanted the money to defray the expenses of his defence, He also said that whea he applied to the authorities to know whether they would assist him in subpoenaing witnesses, they refused 5 assistance, and merely said the Avitnesses ' would be subpoenaed. He complained of the treatment he had received from _ the pres c , and said that if he had been * tried elsewhere, he would have been acquitted. He appealed to the Editor of the. " Colonist," to give his statement full publicity, 1 and declared by Jevovah (pxitting on his hat) that when the murder of the four men took j>lace, both he and Kelly hadjpbeen twenty-six hours away from the society of Burgess and Sullivan. When he canie to New Zealand from Melbourne, in September last year, he brought with him ioOO or £600, and was never at Wood's Point in his life, although the newspapers hadl|| said so. He complained of his treat- li ment in prison, and of favor shown to I| Sullivan, and concluded by protesting 1 his innoceuce. m Burgess spoke a third time, profess- 1 ing penitence, and hope in God. TTe thanked all the officials for their kind- 'm ness, and said, •' lam quite ready to Ji obey the sentence of the law." |1| Kelly, at this moment, ejaculated 1$ " Oh, God ! lam not ready ; give m&jp*^ few minutes to speak.'' ™ AU this took place in the gaol yard, The men then ascended the scaffold^

accompanied by their religions advisers. All three knelt down in prayer. The ropes were then adjusted, and the caps drawn over their eyes. Levy, while still kneeling on the drop, cried out in a loud, distinct voice, " I airi innocent." Kelly, while kneeling on the drop, attempted to rise and address those He called out, " I am not being hanged, I am being murdered." • The voice of the minister was then heard reading the solemn Avords, "In the midst of life Aye are in death." The drop fell, and in a short time the men were dead. Burgess seemed to die instantly, without struggling. Levy gave two or tliree slight, convulsive movements. Kelly showed signs of life the longest.