Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1882-10-14 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

NEW ZEALAND EXECUTION. EXTRAORDINAILY KENJI.  New Zealand newspapers just received contain accounts of the execution of a Maori named Winiata under horrible circumstances. Some years ago Winiat t murdered a young Englishman employed as a fellow-servant with hint on a farm in the Auckland district, and escaped to the wilds of the native territory. A half-caste, named Barlow, desirous of obtaining the money set upon the head of the fugitive, recently entrapped him and handed him over to the police authorities. Winiata Win tried, condemned, andexecuted• Re protested his innocence to the lase The convict stepped out of the cell and walked firmly towards the scaffold, nodding to the sheriff and spectators. The Rev. Mr. Wallis, who had been with him Ilium the trial, ascended the scaffold with the murderer, and repeated the prayers for the dying. Winiata said: " Friends, Europeans, lam going to give my body to be killed. Listen to me, all of you. My bands did not kill that European; this is the end of my body. I have now a word to say to God." Raising his eyes to heaven, he continued, "I am delivering my soul into Thy hands; remember me when I come into Thy kingdom. This is all I have to say." The cap was then adjuated over his head, and on a signal from the sheriff the executioner drew the bolt. The executioner W. a convict, ' about 21 years of age, of short stature and stout build. The account given of the final scene of Winiates execution appear to show that it was sadly bungled. The warders stepped from the side of the convict, who was left stauding alone with the rope round his neck. Behind him was the executioner with a mask on, and as he placed his hand upon the Inter, the trap door fiew open will a crash, and Winiata Reappeared from view with a dull thud. Running nimbly down the steps the executioner entered by a small door below the scaffold, and the novelty of this proceeding caused a number of the spectators to approach close to the foot of the scaffold. The sounds which met their ears were horrible. The drop had failed to cause instantaneous death, and the deep and stilled breathings of the half - strangled convict were distinctly audible through the crevices. The executiouer could be plainly teen engaged in the horrible task of tugging at the hanging mane legs for the purpose of completing the strangulation, whilst Winiata writhed and twisted in a sickening manner. Gradually the sounds of choking and stided breathing died away, the violent vibrations of the rope ceased, and ten minutes after the rope was pulled, the executioner came forth from his ghastly bob and slipped away. The whole proceedings were of a most barbarous and scandalous character. After hanging for an hour, the body was out down. It was then found that the noose, instead of being behind the ear, was immediately under the chin, and was not drawn tightly round the neck. It is evident from the poeition of the rope that the sufferings must have been prolong d and painful. The rope which was used was far too thick and coarse for the purpose, and altogether the execution of the unfortunate man was n shockingly bungled and Wsman Ted affair. The scene enacted below the scaffold 'WM brutal and revolting. One of the medical men who witnessed the execution remarked to another spectator after viewing the body, "Well, I don't think this any imprre ement on the last hangman." An oflicial statement is to the effect that the alleged bungling is untrue or exaggerated, but the writer asserts that he stated nothing but facts, which he is prepared to prove.