Murder by a Father.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 153, 8 May 1886, Page 6

Murder by a Father.

Robert Na sh, labourer, was ban ged at S wan sea on March Ist for the murder of his child, whom he threw from the Swansea pier into the sea and drowned because his second wife should not know he had been previously married. The culprit ate a hearty breakfast, and just before eight o'clock submitted himeelf to Berry to undergo the process of pinioning, ■without at all losing his fortitude. He then walked with a firm stop to the place of execution, and in a few minutes was launched into eternity, the words " Lord have mercy on my eoul !" being on his lips. Death was instantani ous. The culprit left in the hands of the chaplain a long letter in which he made a full confession of his crime, admitted the juatice of his sentence, and declared that he preferred death to a reprieve. He professed himself saved through " the blood of Christ," and after thanking the chaplain, doctor, and governor for their kindness, he said he hoped to meet his dead wife and murdered child in neaven. Nash made the following confession of which he was found guilty, in writing toMajor Knight: — " I had planned out what to do. I took her (his child) down to the beach first, and through the tide being co rough, I could not get near enough to the deep water to throw her in, and the pier-head came into my head, and down I went with her, and out about the fourth or sixth seat T made threeattempts. At the third time the ( Old Devil ' said, ' Throw her in, and it will be all right ' ; and I did it. Then I went back a little way and jumped down over the rail and attempted to make my escape. But it was not to be." It will be remembered that Naeh married a second wife eight days before the crime was committed.

The net proceeds of a concert given in aid of sufferers by the Taiaroa disaster amount to £204.