THE EPSOM MURDER. EXECUTION OF WINIATA. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, Last Night.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1574, 5 August 1882, Page 2

THE EPSOM MURDER. EXECUTION OF WINIATA. [BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, Last Night.

Winiata was executed at 8 o'clock this morning. Ho was persistent hi his assertion that it was the half-caste that committed the minder. Yesterday lie wrote a letter to his younger bi other, in which he made use of the expression thnt "Just as the thief on the Cross said that he Avas receiving his due, so by giving his body he was receiving his due. The Rev. Mr Wallis on this point interrogated Wiuiata as to whether by that he meant to confess that he did the deed. Idle replied, " Oh, no ! I mean that Christ has said that those who believe in Him shall have everlasting life, and so 1 believe." He retired to rest at the usual hour last night attended by a warder, but had only broken sleep during the night, caused possibly by the boisterous state of the \\ eather. At 6 o'clock this morning on the Rev. Mr Wallis entering his coll he found the doomed man on his knees, praying very fervently. The minister remained with him, engaged in prayer and religious exercise until the fatal moment. The sheriff arrived at the gaol shortly before 8 o'clock, and demanded of the gaoler the body of Winiata for execution, according to law, and at once set about seeing to the completeness of the arrangements. The scaffold was erected in the usual place in the penal yard, and abutting against the inner wall, and facing the penal cells. It was a similar structure to that previously used, with the exception that it was closely boaided in beneath the diop, thus completely hiding the body from viewafter execution. The xopc was a new one, and in place of the usual hangman's knot a brass eyelet had boon inserted, with a leather stop to keep r.he nooso from slipping after adjustment. The task of executing Winiata was entrusted to a prisoner in the gaol who has thrice officiated on similar occasions in thi& colony, and has also executed three murdeiers in New South Wales. The executioner was attired in prison clothing, and had a white cap on his head with a domino over his face, having two holes for his eyes. This prevented any person present from observing his features. At eight o'clock precisely, Mr OBrien, the governor of the gaol, proceeded to the condemned cell, accompanied by the executioner, who was provided with pinioning straps similar to those used hi Bugland by Marwood. Mr OBrien called on the wardeis to hold the prisoner whilst the executioner pinioned him, but this was found to be unnecessary, Winiata being perfectly self-possessed, and immediately took off his coat. The strap was then placed around his body, with two small straps attached which encircled his aims close to the elbows, leaving the hands fiee. The procession to the drop then moved slowly forward, the Rev. Mrj Wallis leading, reading the prayers for the dying. The condemned man, as he emerged from the cell, gave an anxious glance at the spectators and made to each one as he passed a respectful bow. He was barefooted and bareheaded, and dressed in convict's clothing. The drizzling lain was coming down all the time the prison bell tolled out its ominous sounds. Winiata was supported on each side by two pnson warders, but appeared quite able to proceed without assistance. Pie neither trembled nor faltered. Without hesitation he followed the minister up the steps leading to the gallows, and placed himself beneath the beam, Here he quietly surveyed the scene below. The executioner lost no time in strapping his feet, and placing himself behind the culprit, awaited the sijnal to raise the lever, Wmi.xta watching the process while Mr Wallis commenced the funeral service in the Maori language. The time occupied m reading seemed rather too long for the occasion. At its finish Wmiata, slightly inclined his head and intimated that he wished to speak. He then in a solemn and impressive manner, made the following statement in Maori, the words being interpreted by the Rev. Mr Wallis. " Listen to me you Europeans. (Long pause.) I have one woid to say to you. Although lam giving my body to God, if Ido not have love in my heart, it will be of no use. Listen to me. My hand did not touch that European. That i& the end of my talk to you. Good bye to you all. The matter is ended. This is a word addressed to God. 'I am calling upon you, 0 God. (Looking upward to the sky.) lam delivering my soul into Thy hands, but remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom.' This is all I have to say." Winiata spokeinafhm, clear voice, and only hesitated once, during the long pause indicated abovo, when he appeared to be deliberating as to what he should say. The interpreter's voice, however, was very tremulous with emotion, and towards the end he nearly broke down. The expressions, "Kahore i pa taku riuga ki taua pakeha," literally mean, "My hand did not touch that European." It was suggested by some of those who witnessed the execution, and who disbelieve Winiata's disclaimer of the murder, that this expression was a mere quibble, leaving room for the inference that though his hand did not actually come into contact with the murdered man, yet he might have struck him with a weapon, but the phrase in Maori does not justify such a theory. It is an absolute denial of murder. It is as much as to say, " I had no hand, whatever, in the killing of the European." The hangman at once produced the white cap, which he pulled over the condemned man's face, Winiata quietly submitting without a tremble being apparent. He then adjusted the rope, placing the slip under the chin, and raising the white cap to enable the rope to encircle the naked throat. The warder's who had been holding the prisoner at each side, relaxed their grasp just as the hangman withdrew the bolt, and Winiata was launched into eternity. The body disappeared from view, but for some minutes the vibration of the rope showed that convulsive throes were proceeding from the body. The drop was between Bft a.ud 9ft, so that death must have been almost instantaneous. Winiata, although not tall, was very stoutly built, and must have weighed twelve stone at the time of his execution. There appeared to be a difference of opinion amongst those present as to the effects of the drop, some asserting from the stertorous noise proceeding from the throat that death did not take place for fully eight minutes, but the executioner who immediately aftei\the drop ran down and entered the * enclosed - space where the body was hanging, states that death was immediate. ' After the" hody had been suspended for the usual hpur, the coffin, which had been placed in one of the outbuildings in readiness, , was brought in and the services' of the hangman procured , to take the corpse down.- This he did,' not. by Jbhe usual cutting-down,^ocess, but' by ascending, by, a ladder' to i the' -be<*m and eaisting off the rope.' After the .bodyvbadfb'een\lq\(rere'd -into the shell^th'e .yrere removed and the, cap raised, r and\the tjocly subjected' ;to , the^exibninai 1 ,Haoh;6f £|h^su_rgeqri;>= ;<"*The 'nec%apßeared ; iitfjJjMi 'considerably 5 , by'M^ HinVknAtift uf h^montii il' ■ ali^HtlvjVUß- v r lUlwlll/^iHfXij^cUiUS c IJJ.UUUU jJrVtfO-MCJIIgHUIjf L^JLIK) *J.v

The hands, which were operi r at the time' of the execution, were-tightiy clutched in death, as if in agony. Dr Philson wash unable to say, without making a post mortem examination, whether the neck had been dislocated, but to all appearances this was the fact, and thus ended Winiata. " Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." In obedience to Winiata's wish, Mr Cleghorn, jun., was present at the execution, but the only final statement he made him was that made from the gallows. It may be stated that at the interview" yesterday with Mr Cleghorn, the latter urged him not to die with a lie on his lips, but he persisted that it was the half-cabte.that had committed the murder. Mr Cleghorn asked him why he had the previous evening sharpened the bill-hook with which the murder was committed. I his he denied, when Mr Cleghorn assured him < that it was useless denying it, as he himself had seen him in the act. Winiata then commenced to cry, and made no more, allusion to the deed. The day before his trial he is stated to have remarked to one of the prison officials, "Suppose I get off, let that half-caste look out " (referring to Bailow, his captor), thus showing his revengeful spirit. His demeanour throughout was calm and expressive of deep humility and resignation. He slept well during the night, 'awaking once and reading the bible and praying fervently. He eat heartily of bread and tea at 6 o'clock.