EXECUTION OF WINIATA.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1115, 5 August 1882, Page 2

EXECUTION OF WINIATA.

ecar.izLa s:ara, (By TELEGBAFn) [PER UNITED PREB3 ASSOCIATION.) Avckland, Thlrljay. Accocnts given of the final seen* bt Win!afi's exception appear to »how it . wM sadiy bungled. The warder*, stepped from.the, aid*/ of the boritict vihfl WM'.lm' standing Alon*, .wjth the rope roundbis tocki btoirid him WO*' the executioner with a mask on, and as.he placed his hand upon- thole,Ver th* trap-door flew open with a crash,' ind Winiata disappeared frojn view with a dull thudi- Rnnning nimbly down th* etep*-the exaautioner entered by small, door bdow the scaffold, and, the novelty of Huff proceeding caused a number of . the spectators to approach close to the foot 9f to® scaffold. The sound* which met their ears Ifere horrible, Tire drop had ’ failed to a cause; in,tai|t»nequsileath, and the dean and stifled biWthirig* of th* convict’ were clirtlnotly audible through tnb L cfcrlct*. The eXeputionor cou)d be plainly *eoi) engasqd in th* hovribl* t**k of tugging-at tire hangrag iriari’* legs for the purpose of oomplsting the strangulation;,., vphile ; Winiata. .writhed and twisted in a sickening 'mariner. Gradually .the sonnds of choking and stifled breathing died away,, the violent vibrations of the rqpe ceased, qpd 10 miputes af terithe drop fall the executionei 1 iiaipe foyth frogHiii ghtoflyhole gridslipped away.; Tl;c wholp proceeding*, were of a matt • fytehjP’bmf and ’totoi'tah’ut character. After hanging for an hour tlie body was .out, down, and it was. then found that the nopje,, instead bf being behind the oar was Immedi-ately-under the afilhj and’ was hdt dfiii'fi 1 '

the neck, . It was evidenti from the tire” ropb;' tliaVithe sufftointo' miisthftre been prolonged and painful. 'RhA tope Was used-wes far'tbol thick and cqarsb for the purpose; and iltogethar flbq .execution of.;(.lie matu-was '* shockingly bungled- atol mismanaged affair, acgtie enacted below the scaffold was BjutSFrand revolting. Tn obedience to Winiatas wish, Mr Cleghorn jun., was present at his execution, but the only final statement he made to him was

that made from the Gallows. At an interview yesterday with Mr Cleghorn, the latter urged him not to die with a lie ori'his lips, but he persisted that it was the half-caste who had committed the murder. Mr Cleghorn asked .him why he had on the previous evening sharpened the billhook;; with . which the murder was committed ? -This hb denied, when Cleghorn assured him that it was useless denying it, as he himself had seen him in the acto ; Winiata toen commenced to cry and made ho mbre allusion to the doed.

The day before his trial lie remarked to one of the’ prison officials “ suppose I get off, let that half-caste look oifli,” referring to. Barlow his capturer, thus showing his revengeful ispiriK .; . ; e?,. c.b-.r.-IVIj 'is

Among the'spectators present was Captain Jackson Barry, who was not permitted to take a plaster caste of the head and face of Winiata.