WINIATA, THE MURDERER.

Patea Mail, 19 July 1882, Page 4

WINIATA, THE MURDERER.

On the resumption of Winiata’s case at Auckland on the 15th, Clement Newton, a half-caste, deposed to Winiata’s confessing to him in 1880 at Hikurangj that a half-caste called Harry killed Packer and he assisted in the murder. Robert Barlow, half-caste, and Constable Gillies deposed to Winiata’s capture. Mr Dufanr, counsel'for Winiatn, called no witnesses for the defence, but made a brief address to the jury, in which he said Winiata’s confession was untrue, and simply Maori bounce. Accused was only connected with the murder through Mrs Austin's evidence. The Crown Prosecutor addressed the jury at length, reviewing the evidence. The judge’s summing up lasted an hour. He asked the jury to consider the whole evidence dispassionately. The jury were out for half an hour considering their verdict’, and returned with a verdict of guilty. The court was crowded to excess, and Winiata received the verdict VFithotrt visible emotion. Xn rep]j r to the challenge why sentence of death should not be passed on him, he made a statement of half an hour’s duration, identical with that already published, as to the half-caste Harry committing the deed, and that he ran away from fear of being charged with the crime. His Honor, in passing sentence of death, said the evidence was so clear that no denial could affect the mind of anyone who heard it. It was a foul, deliberate, and unprovoked murder. Prisoner had long escaped justice, but it had at length overtaken him. There was but one punishment for his offence—death. Prisoner, who appeared agitated, held up his hand as if he wished to say something in reply ; but lie was hurried out of the dock by the attendants before he could speak, and got into a cab, accompanied by two warders and Mr' O’Brien, gaoler, before the crowd could get round to the Avenue, and was O * driven rapidly away to Mount Eden gaol.