KEREOPA'S CRIME.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 206, 11 January 1872, Page 7

KEREOPA'S CRIME.

As "the ciPcnnistances surrouucUngthe diabolical outrage for the commission of which that incarnate fiend Kereopa has just been executed, have probably faded from the recollection of our leaders, we republish from the '• Haw Ice's Bay Herald " the evidence adduced at the miscreant's trial by Mr. Levy, which gives a succinct description of the tragedy : — On the 27th of February, 18G5, 1 left Auckland in my vessel, the Eclipse, for Opotiki. I was master a well as owner of the Eclipse. We arrived at Opotiki, at my own wharf, on the Ist March, 1865. On making the vessel fast, a number of ratives came on board. One of the natives went for Kereopa, and brought Jiim. I went to see Kereopa at a whare, distant about two or three hundred yards from my house. I spoke to Kereopa. I know sufficient Maori to make myself understood. Kereopa told me he would kill every minister and soldier he could find. At the time ho had with him the head of a drummer boy. A military forage cap was stuck on the head, and the number 58 was on the cap. I told him I would give him my stores and ship if he would let me go away with the ministers. I also offered him £1,000. I never saw Kereopa before that day. He refused to let us go or to take the money. He said he would murder Volkner at Opotiki, and crucify Mr. Grace at Taranaki. I then went back to my vessel. Mr. Volkner was in the cabin. The Opotiki natives prevented him from going ashore when he attempted to do so. I offered them m^ goods to save Mr. Volkner. They devided them amongst themselves. I know some of these natives,' and have seen one or two of them in Napier. After that some of thoso natives who had taken my goods took Mr. Volkner and Mr. Grace away as prisoners. Mr. Volkner was dressed in black. They took them to a whare, three or four hundred yards from the village. I went to the whare about 6 o'clock in the evening. It was about 4 p.m. when they took him there. There were a number of natives (mostly half : castes), belonging to Opotiki, guarding the whare. Tb.e natives let me into the w l iara. When I was in the whare, Mr. Volkner gave me his* gold watch and chain, and some £12 in money, to take ear a of. The same evening four of my crew andthe man who cooked at my whare were locked up. Ail that night the church bells were ringing, and the women were- lying about in a state of nudity. Kereopa and others ' were dancing round a Hauhau pole. , He also preached from the pulpit in the church. Kereopa was taking the leading part-.

Patara had not arrived there at that time. During the Hauhau ceremonies their great prayer was : " O tna pata. 0 ma gloria Pai Marire." Kereopa also assured my brother and myself that we would not be molested, because we were Jews. We were informed that all Jews were safe when we first landed. I did not sleep that night. The natives were in a state of great excitement. On the following day, my brother and myself were sent | for to the whare. My brother went in and I stopped outside. Tho door was open, and I could see what went on inside the whare. I saw Mr. Volkner ; he was dressed. In consequence of what he said, we gave him back his watch aud chain, which we had hid the previous day for safety. I afterwards saw armed natives arriving from all parts of Opotiki. They went in the direction of the whare in which Mr. Volkuer was held a prisoner. Tnis was between 9 and 10 o'clock in the morning. I next saw them leading Mr. Volkner towards the church. Kereopa was marching five or six yards behind Mr. Volkner. The procession stopped 30 or 40 yards off, abreast of my house. A Maori came into our house and asked for Mr. Volkner's prayer-book. I saw Mr. Volkner, when he got the book, kneel down and pray for a quarter of an hour. I saw a Maori jjo on board the Eclipse ojnd take »wa.-v- a. Vlo<;U, n strop, and some three-inch Manila rope. The party then all advanced in the direction of the willow tree. I followed 50 or 60 yards behind the party. I also saw Kereopa pointing to a branch of the tree, on which wei*e two natives fixing the rope, block, and strop. I afterwards saw the natives gather in a circle round fie tree and sit down. Kereopa was 10 of 15 yards from the tree. I then turned away my head. 1 looked again at tho tree some three or four minutes afterwards, and saw them pulling a body up and down, by means of a rope. The natives were at one end and Mr. Volkner's body at She other. Mr. Volkner's trousers were on. They lowered the body very nearly to the ground. I then saw Kereopa pulling to get the trousers oft*. Kereopa was conspicuous, on account of having sea-gull feathers stuck in his head. After that I ran away and saw my brother. We went to the ford, but found the crossing-place had been iapued, aud were ordered back by armed natives. I then went back to the willow tree on which Mr. Volkner had been hung. No one was there. I then went to the English Church. I saw a great crowd there. Mr. Volkner's body was in the enclosure, on a kind of platform. Nothing was on tho body, except his drawers. Prisoner was inside the enclosure. He had a knife in his hand, and was pointing out how to cut off the head, so as to preservo it. I saw some one with a tomahawk chopping at the body. I afterwards saw Mr.JVolkner's head in the church. Ke fed" p~a~\vas " tfren "in" ttrc~ pulpit, and Mr. Volkner's head was before him. Some four or five days after Mr. Volkner was hung I saw the prisoner. He then pulled Mr. Volknor's gold watch and chain out of his pocket and showed it to me. The chain was hung around his neck. The day following that on which Mr. Volkner was hung, I saw his head cooking in a Maori oven. Two old men wee sitting alongside, assisting in steamiug the head. Some four or five days afterwards I found the headless body of Mr. Volkner under a seat in the water-closet behind the church. I went to the Maoris and bought the body from them. I gave them some of my goods in exchange for the body, and we then buried it. I recognised the body as that of Carl Sylvius Volkner. Mr. Grace was then a prisoner. My brother and myself were responsible for Mr. Grace.