Execution of Caffrey and Penn.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2531, 22 February 1887, Page 2

Execution of Caffrey and Penn.

Auckland, February 21. The execution of Caffrey find Penn for the Grea : t Barrier muroVtook place at eight o'clock this s|r«iig. A few minutes before 8 the gall! "bell sounded, and the procession ofwardora and condemned men and chaplains passed from ; tlio refractory yard, Aa they passed up the yard the Rev. Mr Hill made the remark to Caffrey that

henmsfc not mind the presence of a few friends who'had come to sea them, and the doomed man smiled in response Behind two warders, and then followed Penn along with Mr Brackenridge, the lay reader. The solemn procession was closed by &o gaol (warders, The executioner, wjs> wore ft band of orape across his fac6, was a sparsely built young man who seemed quite at his ease, and had all his apparatus ready. The : prisoners, after taking tip'lhoir positions upon the scaffold kiBSOd each other, and thon

the oliuroh Bbrvibfi bogan, Asit concluded, the exeoutioner completed his pinioning of the condemned men, and drew the whito cap over their heads, finishing .up by adjusting the halters round their, necks.. Tho prisoners apparently:died.-Without a struggle, and the execution! was carried out without anyweident to. heighten the horror msepjablifroni the Bidden

launching of-two-human boijHfinto eternity. No-'statement or Trfdress of any kind; was J made from the scaffold. Penn waijrppared first, and Caffrey standing opposite him waited his.turn without;itremor, Almost boforo the flpectatorfhad time to draw breath, the drop door swung back with a_ creaking noise; and the prisoners

disappeared from ...view into tho an* closure beneath. The ropos and then, almost without a .tremor, thoexeoution was complete. It was noticeable that there was hardly any motion in tho straightened ropes. The executioner, after a brief pm, ran round to the back of the scaffold, and disappeared frpin view. |omo 80 or

40 persons, collected about the prooints of the gaol, but, tWe was no ■ chance for, anybody outside seeing anything of.the v .oxeoution, as Sergeant Pratt had stationed a dozen 1 constables on the'bfjly; joints of vantage, with strict'ordorOo dislodgo any would-bfl. viewers of'ilid scone. ■ ,

NEW SPECIAL SETTLEMENT. ■ ■■•*■'{■'■ ' . ' 1 Betweenjthirty and forty jßsons assembled An the auction rooms of .Messrs'if ftjnes Brown and Co last even- J 1 ingin answer to an advertisement ty r forming, an association to .take a Mock of land at Bawera under ; t'he Special Settlement regulations. ..' . „-i. $ Mr G. Manseirtook tht'chair' aricj after reading the advertisement convening the meeting,' cajled upon. My Brown to explain the.position of thii proposed block and thef.rosrjeqts of jm tending members. '•', .'• i^,^ Mr Brown stated that hYhad called tho meeting in response to thVjnvitalion of soveral gentlemen. l who,' r were

anxioua to take up land'imder tho special eettlemont sygteim, M and had written to the 'Minister of Lands on the subject of acquiring a block of land at Hawera,' about six miles Korth of Eketahuna, but it. wjb first necessary to form the Association boforo a promise would be given, He thon.read tho rules.am} governing Special Settlement Ass'ocia. tions. -■ :

[ Affer sope discussion Mr' Whitt proposed, and Mr .0. Ewington seconded, "That this meeting form itself into an Association for tho purpose of acquiring a blook of land at Hawera, Forty.Milo Bush, under. the Sowiali Settlement regulations.'.*. ..• CfiLir unanimously. ■ .•' * \

Mr James Brown was.eleoted Seorei tary to the Association, and the follow- ! ing committoo were elected oat of twelve nominations -.-Messrs ft M. ■Jlloway, T. J ag o, ,F. King,. 0. Ewington, J. Franois, B. Houuslow andG. Maunsell,- ,•• - ,■•• : ;,' :" Thirty.fve npes wor'p giyeu !«TOj a depqsjt of a> each], as. lfig members of .thj.np.f Assoftisj'tiin,. and after transacting qome formal business the meeting adjourijecf, .••"' At a committee meeting held auk sequently, Mr E, M. Galloway was elected Chairman, and Mr-James Brown, Treasurer. "■ '.;"."*; The Secretary was instructed to take ' I the necessary steps to obtain a'bjoqk' of land in tho.Hawera district from the Minister of Lands., ',,",, It was decided that the offico qf the A Association be at Messrs Jas. Brown Li and Co/s auetion rooms, .Qaefa t&