The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-12 00:00:00

Extraordinary Execution at New York,

The execution of Robert Kennedy, found guilty
of acting as a spy and of participation in the at-
tempt to fire the hotels of New York, took place at
Fort Lafayette on the 25th ult., in the presence of
many hundred spectators.
Before his death he made the following confession:
" After my escape from Johnson's Island, I went
direct to Canada, where I met a number of Confe-
derate officers. They asked me if I was willing to
go on an expedition. I said, Yes, if it's in the ser-
vice of my country.' To which they replied, It's
all right,' but gave no intimation as to its nature,
nor did I ask for any. I was shortly after sent to
New York, where I stayed some time. There were
eight of us in the party, and after we had been in
the city three weeks we were told that the object of
the expedition was to retaliate upon the North for
the atrocities of Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley.
It was originally intended to set fire to the city on
the night of the Presidential election, but as the
phosphorus was not prepared, it was postponed un-
til the night of the 25th November. Of the eight
men who formed the original party two fled to
Canada, leaving but six. I was at first stopping at
the Belmont House, in Fulton-street, but after-
wards moved into Prince-street. I set fire to four
hotels, or rather to Barnum's Museum, Lovejoy's
Hotel, Tummany Hotel, and the New England
House. The others only set fire to the house in
which each was stopping, and then cut off. Had the
entire eight clone as I did we would have set fire to
32 houses, and played a big joke on the fire depart-
ment. I know that lam to be hanged for setting
fire to Barnum's Museum, but the fact is, that that
affair was simply a reckless joke. I had no idea of
doing it ; but when we were in there, for the mere
fun of the thing, I emptied a bottle of phosphorus
on the floor, just to scare the people. I knew it
wouldn't set fire to wood, for we had tried that be-
fore, and had at one time about concluded to give it
up. There was no fiendishness about it. The Mu-
seum was set on fire by merest accident, after I had
been drinking, and just for the fun of a scare. After
setting fire to my four places, I walked the street all
night, until near morning, when I went to the Ex-
change Hotel. There we all met the next morning
and again at night. My friend and I had rooms
there, but we sat the most of the day in the office,
reading the papers, while the detectives, who were
thick, watched us. I expected then that I should be
caught, and if caught I expected to die. Had I done
so then it would have been all right, but I think
now it's rather rough. I escaped to Canada, as did
all the rest, and very glad I was to get safely across
the bridge. I was restless, however, and wanted to
rejoin my command. I started with my friend, via
Detroit. Just before we reached the city he received
an intimation that the detectives were on the look
out for us, and, giving me a signal, he jumped from
the cars. I didn't notice the signal, but kept on,
and was arrested in the depot. I wish to say that
the killing of women and children was the last thing
we thought of. We wanted to let the people of the
North understand and feel that there are two sides
to the war, and that they can't be rolling in wealth
and comfort while we in the South are bearing all
the hardships and privations. In retaliation for
Sheridan's atrocities in the Shenandoah we desired
to destroy property, not the lives of women and
children, although that of course would have fol-
lowed in the train."

On the morning of the hanging, the executioner,
a Maine deserter, who for this work was pardoned
his offence, was placed in a box, where he could cut the
rope without being seen, and, the hour having
arrived, the officials proceeded to the room of the
condemned. The officer of the day, First-Lieut.
Samuel W. Black, 17th United States Infantry,
with attendants, stood at the door, while Colonel
Burke, Marshal Murray, and Isaacs entered. Ken-
nedy stood near the fire, with General Beall and the
chaplain. Starting forward, he said, excitedly, "phi
I know what you want ; lam prepared for it," and
passed to the further end of the room for something,
when he noticed the undertaker, Isaacs, and said,
"I don't know you, nor who the you are."
----
Beall restrained him, and Marshal Murray told him
that it was time for him to be prepared, as the hour
had arrived. "All right," said he, " I'm ready ;
I'm prepared for this thing ; tie my arms ;" and then,
after a moment's quiet, he shouted, " This is hard
for you -- Yankees to use me so. I'm a regular
soldier in the Confederate army, and have been
since the war." To the reporter of the New York
Times he said, " Good-bye, old fellow you'll do me
justice in that statement (referring to his confession)
won't you. You'll put it all in ?" Isaacs having
bound his arms, placed the black cap on his head,
at which he. started, saying, "Aml to wear this
thing to the gallows ?" He was told that he
was, and as he was again about repeating some-
thing about the Yankees, General Beall interrupted,
saying, " These gentlemen have nothing to do with
that, Kennedy," and he stopped. The procession,
under charge of Lieutenant Black, then marched

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to the gallows, upon the scaffold of whi sd
a backless chair, and near which were the reporters
of some of the papers. For a moment Kennedy
sat down, smiled, and then caught hold of his
black cap, the end .of which tickled his face, and
threw it spitefully on the board. He then stood up,
while Capt. T. H. French, 10th United States In-
fantry, Post Adjutant, read the long review of the
case, recently issued by Gen. Dix, in General Orders
No. 24. Capt. French read it distinctly and fluently,
but during the ten minutes he consumed, Kennedy
frequentlyinterrupted him, saying, " It's a —lie,"
and laughing loudly and offensively. At its conclu-
sion, the chaplain read the appropriate service, and
then, kneeling, offered a touching appeal in behalf
of the wretched man, who refused to kneel, and
seemed scarcely human in his levity, while all around
him. were hushed with reverence. Isaacs stepped
forward, but Kennedy, placing his back against the
upright plank, said—" Colonel, I wish to make a
statement. Gentlemen, this is a judicial murder.
Colonel, lam ready. This is a judicial, cowardly
murder. There's no occasion for the United States
to treat me in this way. I say, Colonel, can't you
give me a drink before I go up ?"
At the signal Isaacs again approached to adjust
the knot and pull down the cap, when Kennedy
startled every one present by suddenly shouting
forth the stanza :
" Trust to luck, trust to luck,
Stare your fate in the face,
Sure your heart will be airy,
If it's in the right place,"
the final note of which yet rang in the ear, when the
whirl of Lieut. Black's blade gave the signal, and
the broken-necked corpse of the incendiary was
swinging in the air.

His death was instantaneous. The body moved
gently back and forth for a few moments, was cut
down, encoffined, and taken off.

NEW ZEALAND.

(From the Argus.)
The month has been fruitful in events of grave impor-
tance. The leading incidents are the surrender of Wiremu
Tamihana, the Maori king maker, and the blazing out of
active hostilities on the western coast.

The great native meeting at Hangatike, at which Thomp-
son had intimated that Governor Grey's peace proposals
would be considered, was duly held. It.was attended by
more than a thousand Maories, and both Thompson and
Rewi, the leading Nga.timaniopoto chief, by whom the war
was originally fomented, were present. Thompson spoko
for peace, while Rewi declared for war to the knife, and the
latter is understood to have carried the tribes with him.
He is reported to have left for the scene of operations at
Wanganui, at the head of the fighting men of his own and
the dispossessed Waikatoo tribes. The next heard of
Thompson was that he had communicated with Brigadier-
General Carey, who commands in the Waikato, offering to
surrender to any officer who might be deputed to receive
him. The telegraph briefly informs us that Capt. Blewitt,
of the 60th, and Captain Baker, of the 18th, proceeded on
this mission, and have returned to head-quarters, accom-
panied by Thompson. This redoubtable chieftain, it will
be borne in mind, is the founder of the king movement. He
it was who conceived the idea of uniting the tribes under a
monarch, that they might act together to resist the advance
of the white man ; and he has carried out the scheme with
equal zeal and ability. It has long been known, however,
that he is convinced of the failure of the movement, for a
failure it is, as shown by the facts that the war was entered
upon against the king's wishes and commands, and that of
late the monarch has sunk into a nonentity. How far
Thompson is acting in concert with the tribes which onco
acknowledged his influence we have yet to learn.
The scene of action is now shifted from the Waikato to
the western coast. A distinguishing feature in the war
policy of the Weld ministry is the construction of roads
through the disturbed districts along the west coast to
Wellington and the adjacent settlements. This is the very
thing the natives have always forbidden Europeans to do,
and the local rebels, with their Waikato allies, are now
erecting pahs to stop the progress of the troops, of whom
there are upwards of 3,000 in the district, under the com-
mand of Brigadier General Waddy. In the meantime, the
loyal natives and the out-settlers about Wanganui are suf-
fering severely. In one instance, a chief named Rio, toge-
ther with many men, women, and children, were surprised
and brutally murdered on account of their refusal to join
the rebel cause. In another, Mr. J. D. Hewitt, a member
of the Provincial Council, was shot in his own house, and
subsequently his head was cut off.

A severe action has already taken place. The natives
had erected a pah on theWaitotara block recently purchased
by the Government, but the sale of which the rebels dis-
pute. Gen. Cameron ordered Brigadier Waddy to form an
advanced camp close to this place. On the 24th a skirmish
took place, in which we have to regret the loss of Lieut.
Johnston, D.A.A.G. 40th Regiment, an officer who has
served with distinction, and whose death will be sincerely
regretted. Three men were killed and 7 severely wounded.
Next day the Maories attacked the camp in force. They
opened fire upon an outlying picket of the 50th, drove it in
with severe loss, and while the fighting was proceeding
here, they burst in on the other side of the camp in such
force and with such fury as to drive the troops before them
in a hand-to-hand fight, in which they used their long-
handled tomahawks with deadly effect. The British sol-
diers were soon rallied by their officers, a detachment of
mounted artillery charged the natives in the rear, and
without having actually penetrated the camp, the Maories
were driven.back to the bush. Our loss was 17 killed and
33 wounded, the list of the latter including Lieut. Wilson
and Ensign Grant, of the 50th. Twenty-three Maori bodies
were recovered, and the total loss of the enemy is esti-
mated at 60 or 70 men killed. Three hundred men of the
18th Regiment and 500 men of the 50th were engaged, and
the Maories are believed to have been 600 strong.
It is said that 2,000 fighting men are in arms at Wan-
ganui—as many as took the field last year in the Waikato.
The country is most difficult to operate in, for there is no
river to facilitate transport, and whore the land is not
covered with an impenetrable forest it is overgrown with
the tall native flax plant which affords a, dense cover. The
Wanganui natives have abandoned themselves to the delu-
sions of the mad prophet who has been recently preaching
a crusade against the Europeans, ordered, as ho says, by
the angel Gabriel. Our troops have, therefore, to encoun-
ter fanatics as well as savages. The adherents of the Pai
Mairre superstition, as it is termed, were promised invul-
nerability, and this, it is said, induced them to make the
bold and open attack on the Nukumaru camp. It is hoped
that they are now undeceived.