EXECUTION OF EGGERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 March 1918, Page 7

EXECUTION OF EGGERS.

'LEXGTUY STATEMENT MADE. PROTESTATION OF INNOCENCE. The Rnnanga murderer, Frederick William Eggors, was banned at eight o'clock on Monday. Death was instantaneous. Eggers was calm and walked firmly to the scaffold. He had declined breakfast. It was remarked that his power to taks hold of himself was extraordinary, as he had betrayed some emotion during the 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, nnd after that he expressed a desire to make a statement. Earlier in the morning Eggers had stated that lie 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.

The 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 emotion. Eggers asked that a sum of £SOO, which he claimed was not part of the money stolen, should be paid to Mrs. McMahon. He added that he i had prepared 85 foolscap sheets, cover-' ing 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 the three warders who had been in personal attendance on him. "I a.m sorry," the condemned man was heard to say, "that I cannot say the same for the police." He complained bitterly of unfair treatment at the hands of the police, and stated that he did not get justice. Raising his voice a little, Eggers declared that he would go out unflinchingly, realising that lie was Tclying on his Creator. "Standing here as a condemned man with two moments to live," he added, "I say I am not the man that did the shooting." He repeated this phrase three times, and added: "Lot it be the last words I speak—-I 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 3, 1913, and also hanged Rothman and Bennier subsequently in the North Island. There is an air of mystery regarding this man, who was described by the Wellington papers as a farmer in the Wairarapa district. After, the executiou of Biddle the hangman informed a newspaper representative that he was a small farmer, and had volunteered for the position, believing that it was the duty of any man to assist in protecting farmers' wives in the country. In tl e case of Bennier it was stated the hangman, after deducting expenses, handed tin balance of his fee of £25 to the Red Cross.