EXECUTION OF EGGERS

Levin Daily Chronicle, 12 March 1918, Page 1

EXECUTION OF EGGERS

LENGTHY STATEMENT MADE.

PROTESTATION OF INNOCENCE.

CHRISTCH URCH, Tuesday. The Runanga murderer, Frederick William Eggers, was hanged at 8 o 'clock this morning. Death; was instantaneous.

Eggers was calm and walked firmly to the scaffold. He had declined breakfast. It was remarked that his power to take hold of himself was extraordinary, as ho had betrayed soine emotion during tho morning, and had been in tears a few minutes before the sheriff's party arrived at his cell. On the scaffold he asked for a drink of water, which was quickly handed to him, and after that he expressed a desire to make a statement. Earlier in tho morning Eggers had stated that he intended to say nothing, and his change of mind found the sheriff more or less unprepared, but a rough note was taken of what turned out to be a long statement, extending over several minutes. Thei four press representatives who were present as a matter of duty were not permitted to approach the scaffold, and, subsequently, the sheriff stated that he could not give the contents of the statement for publication, as he would have to send it to Wellington, together with the long written statement prepared in the cell. A few sentences, however, reached the group below. Speaking deliberately, and without any trace of emotoin, Eggers asked that a sum of £500, which he claimed was not part of the money stolen, should be paid to Mrs McMahon. He added that j lie had prepared 85 foolscap sheets, covering 37,000 words, which he desired to be published. Failing that, he asked that the statement should be handed to his solicitor, Mr Hunter, and he particularly requested that the original copy should be shown to Mrs McMahon. He stated that he wished to thank the gaoler and all the staff for their consideration and kindness, and especially ihe three warders who had been in personal attendance on him. "I am jorry," the condemned man was heard say, "that I cannot say the same for the polico." He complained bitterly of unfair treatment at the hands of the police, and stated that he did not get justice. Raising his voice a litle, Eggers declared that he would go out unflinchingly, realising that he was relying on iiis Creator. "Standing here as a condemned man' with two moments to 'ive," he added, "I say lam not the man that did the shooting.'' He repeated this phrase three times, and idded: "Let it be the last words I speak—l never shot John Coulthard." These were not the last words, for there followed an inaudible sentence, presumably of farewell. The hangman adjusted the "white cap," and in three seconds the execution was over. . The executioner was the man who hanged Biddle at Lyttelton gaol on December 13, 1913, and also hanged Rothman and Bcnnicr subsequently in the North Island. There is an air of mystery regarding this man, who was described by the Wellington papers as a tanner in the Wairarapa district. After- tho execution of Biddle the hangman informed a newspaper representative that hei was a small farmer, and iiad volunteered for the position, believing that it was the duty of any man to assist in protecting farmers' wives in the country. In the case of Bennier it was stated the hangman, after deducting expenses, handed the balance of his fee of £25 to the Red Cross. INTERESTING DISCOVERY. [Per Press Association.] GREYMOUTH, Last Night. A fresh discovery has been made in connection with the Runanga murder, a dugout being found in the bush a hundred yards from the railway. The dugout is under a stump and is covered with corrugated iron and fern. It contained an alpinstock and the bags that contained the money and also the cloth which was used for a mask.