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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 11, 24 May 1849, Page 2

An account of the Execution and Confession of the native murderer. Maroro, will be found below. Properly speaking the details of his Trial should have taken pre. cedence, but, as we received the exclusive particulars of that investigation too late for this number, we have been compelled to delay them till our next.

EXECUTION. On Thursday morning Maroro, convicted of the murder of John Branks, underwent the extreme penalty of the law. The prisoner, who since his conviction has been attended by Mona. Le Comte, the Roman Catholic clergyman, in some letters written to his relatives at his dictation, and at his express request on the day previous to his execution! and also in a letter addressed to his Excellency the Lieu-tenant-Governor, fully confessed his guilt, and declared that lie aloue was concerned in these murders, the chief motives which induced liim to commit so dreadful a crime being the desire of revenging himself, or of obtaining ulu or satisfaction for his previous imprisonment. He also executed some rude drawings, four in number, of the murders which, from their accuracy in describing the locality, and the relative position of his victims after the commission of the crime, could leave 110 doubt of his guilt. The fatal acaiVold had been erected on Wednesday afternoon, immediately outside the wall of the gaol, and looking towards Lnmbton Harbour* Soon after seven o clock •on Thursday morning groups of persons began to assemble in front of the scaffold, and the numbers increased until, as the fatal hour approached, there were about five hundred persons,present, a con B iderable portion of whom were Maories> and of these the greater number were women : we regret to be obliged to add that several white women were also among the spectators. A company of the 65th regiment were on duty, and a strong party of the Armed Polico were also on the ground. At eight o'clock the prisoner was led out in custody of the police, haviug his arms pinioned, and •Habited in a pair of trowae?*, and a white shirt which he wore over bis other clothes ; he wns attended by the Rev. M. Lc Comte, H. St. ■Hill, Esq., the Sheriff, and the Rev. R. Cole, Colonial Chaplain, were also present. On reaching the scaffold Mons. Le Comte and the prisoner knelt down, and were for some time engaged together in earnest prayer* after which the executioner adjusted the fatal noose, and drew the cap over the prisoner s face; the Rev. R* Cole then read to the assembled multitude the following statement: <4 The criminal now about to undergo the sentence of the law for the crime of murder, not being able to express himself in English, I say for him that he confesses to the guilt of the charge for which he has been condemned to die; that he alone is guilty of the deed ; that He inculpates no other person whatever ; that he acknowledges the justice of the sentence; and dies at peace with all men. 1 ' Everything being in readiness, the drop then fell, and the wretched criminal was launched into eternity* At first he struggled violently, but after a short interval his struggles ceased, and life appeared to be extinct. After hanging the usual time the body was taken down, nnd afterwards buried in the cemetery, that part

of Ins sentence, "that his body should be buried within the precincts of the gaol," hiving been remitted by the LieutenantGovernor, ihe gaol having been destroyed by the earthquakes. Muroro, the native found guilty of the wilful murder ot the ISranks family, suffered the extreme penalty of the law, on Thursday morning, in front of the gaol, Mount Cook._ The following is the confession of the misguided man :— '- Wellington Gaol, April 17th, 1849. To Puou, to my Sister, —O madum, salutations to you : my love for you is great. My sin was sought out by myself. My body is dead at Wellington, my spirit has gone to Heaven —it has seen your departed husband. Let not your heart Make enquiries with reference to my crime, because, by me only was my sin committed. The judges are right j I find no fault. 1 am willing to suffer death, because the Almighty has become ray near friend. The European was killed on account of my being tied up, also on account of tho watch and money. " My love to thee is borne along By breezes from the North, Oh I these tears, how rapidly they flow !" My speeches to you are concluded—l have been named Henry. Na llenere Maroro. Wellington Jail, • April 17th, 1819. To Pokorua—lo all of you living at Te Wairoa. Friknds—Great is my love for you. I have sulfered. Let my decease be known to you. As my sin was committed by myself, let not your hearts he. dark with respect to my misfortune. When my mother bore mu, I I was as one of yourselves; bat now I am a sponger. Had I remained with you, no evil would be near me this day. I have done wickedly, as also my body, the payment for which will be myself. Friends —be not dark with reference to my death, because my wicked deed was of myself. lam willing to die for my crime. I used to sit and muse on Main's eminence) And scan the re.ilms around. Gazing awhile On Tokaroa's crags, while fancy led me O'er Ngauko's sands.—Past scenes, ye still are sacred. My speech to all of you is ended. I have been named Henry Muroro. , Hknarf. Marouo. This is my confession to all of you.— 1. I alone killed the European; Iliad no companion. No native knew that I was going off to kill white men, nor did any European. 2. The reason why I killed the European, was my confinement in jail, also on account of the watch, the drawers, and the cap. 3. 1 had not seen him before. We had not conversed with e.icli other. I had no ill feeling towards him. 4. This act was not premeditated. Because I saw him. I killed liinn 5. On the third day (Wednesday) 1 determined upon killing an European. On that day, at five o'clock in the evening, I went from Wellington to the Porirua road ; the Europeans had left off work. I seated myself in the wood, on this side Mr. Cole's Church (or house of worship), I slept at that place. In the morning I went to Tekenepuru. I returned alone, carrying the axe. I came along until I reached the house of tho European, who was killed between the hours of seven and eight. It had been dark some time. I then killed the European; no native knew of my work. 0. After the death of the European, I came to Wellington. I saw one European at Kaiwarawara, he said to me, " Whither arc you going?" I said to him, "I am going to Pitoni, to Te Puni*9 pa." This was the whole of our conversation. I came along, and slept at the stone house above the Raurina. I slept there alone. In the morning I came on, did not conceal myself, I arrived at Te Aro, at eight o'clock. One policeman saw me, he was a European. 1 did not reveal my crime to either native or European. I showed the Europeans the watch, and said that it belonged to my brother. After my leaving tho gaol, I saw Tauteka; he gave me some bread; wc ate together, and tore up an old blanket. I did not say that I should commit suicide. These my letters will suffice, having written to the Governor. My speeches are finished.