The Execution of Winiata.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4241, 4 August 1882, Page 3

The Execution of Winiata.

[By Telegraph.] (fbom ovb. oto cobbesponbent.) Auckland, Last night. Winiata still asserts bis innocence, aDd it is the opinion of the clergyman in attendance that he will not confess even on the scaffold. It is probable the only present at the execution will W the Eev. Wallis, Wesleyan.

This day. was hanged at 8 this morning. While the deepest detestation must be felt for, the crime of which he was guilty, one cannot but admire the stoicism which the has evinced since the trial. He * :B«f obnTerßed daily about the execution •' withouttraee of fear, indeed he appeared . to take morbid delight in contemplating the approach of his end. On Wednesday he asked the Ber Mr Wallis who stood by him to the end. would his hands be pinioned before or behind, and the clergy* man having described to him the usual method of pinioning, Winiata asked would death be instantaneous. Mr Wallis replied that according to the opinions of all medical men death immediately fol* Joired the. drop. The condemned man then asked would he be permitted to say anything from the scaffold, being answered in the affirmative, he again quoted, " but how can I speak when the black cap is over my bend." Mr Wallis assured him that he would have an opportunity of 3peaking lt then" remarked Winiata, "I will speak a little—Not much." Yesterday he wrote a number of letters one of which he told Mr Walls was intended for all pakehas in the colony. What the letter contains is not jet known and it will probably not be published until sent to the authorities at Wellington. Yesterday Archdeacon Maunsell administered the Sacrament, as Winiata was confirmed a member of the Church of England. On Wednesday last Mr Singleton Bochefort telegraphed to the Minister of Justice asking for a reprieve for a fortnight on the ground that Winiata had not had time to prepare for the trial, and that there were two classes of evidence, circumstantial and confessional, which, contradicted each other, and that both were insufficient to warrant conviction.,.. The * following reply was received fronrthe Colonial Secretary yesterday:— "Ke your telegram about Winiata. Case has been twice before the Executive Council, and has been most carefully considered. There does not appear any'grounds for interfering with the sentence." Mr Eochforjk. telegraphed again that certain evidence^favorable to Winiata was not brought out at the trial, but which had been giren at the inquest. No reply has yet been received. Before describing the execution; I quote the following remarkable jrtory. from the Auckland Star :~ " Bmnorshaving gained circulation yesday to \be effect that the condemned man had not been officially warned of the date of the execution for some days after receipt bj the sheriff of the Governor's warrant, a reporter of the Star inter-' viewed the Bey. Mr Wailis on the matter this morning. Mr Wallis states that seeing in Monday night's Star,,that- Mr Brewer had fixed Friday as the date of the execution, he visited Winiata on Tuesday at noon in the full belief tbat he had been warned by the sheriff of the date. In reply to the rev. gentleman's queries, W.iniata stated that he had bad a visit from Mr Brewer and Mr Brown, interpreter) thatfmorning, but that nothing, had been said in reference to the'date of the execution. Brown bad merely mentioned that they would call again on Monday. Convinced tbat the object of the sheriff's visit bad not been understood by the native, Mr Wallis communicated with the. Governor of the gaol, and. yesterday Mr Brewer again visited the murderer, and officially intimated to him that Friday was tbe day appointed for the carrying out of the sentence. One of two things is certain, either Winiata is speaking falsely when he asserts that the date was not communicated to him, or Mr ~ Brown, actuated by a sense of delicacy, - did not make the intimation sufficiently explicit.