EXECUTION OF RUARANGI AND OKEROA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 172, 29 April 1864, Page 4

EXECUTION OF RUARANGI AND OKEROA.

(Prom the iV. Z. Herald , April 19.) Yesterday morning these two convicts, the former sentenced for the murders of Mrs. Thompson and her daughter, at Kaipara, and the latter for killing a Maori named Waitai, at the Bay of Islands, were executed within the gaol at the Mount Eden Stockade, soon after sunrise. Although admission was granted only to about a dozen persons besides those officially present, we were glad to see that the expression of public feeling against the execution of criminals in secret was so far regarded, that in the manner in which the Scaffold was erected two side views of it were obtainable by the public outside the prison walls. The ground rises immediately on either side of of the prison and between two and three hundred persons were collected in two groups, one on either side to see the execution of these two men. At a quarter to six a party of a dozen of the armed police were drawn up in double file between the Scaffold and the pinioning room, but some little delay arose from" the difficulty of knocking off the rivets of the prisoners irons, and waiting for the arrival of the medical man who had been appointed to witness the ceremony, and give in a certificate of the actual death of the convicts, and it was fully half-past six o’clock, when Ruarangi, preceded by the Revd. W. Baker reading the Church of England burial service in the Maori language, and attended by the Revd. T. Buddie and J. Wallis, appeared in the Court yard of the jail. Okeroa brought up the rear attended by the very Revd. Dr. Macdonald, V.G. The two convicts walked with firm steps to the scaffold and mounting the narrow stairs were at once ushered on to the drop. Their arms were pinioned above elbows but the hands were loose and Ruarangi allowed his to drop into the pockets of his coat as he stood upon the drop. The remainder of the burial service was read by the Clergyman while the process of tying the legs of the prisoners at the ancle with a piece of cord was performed by the hangman, and quietly submitted to. Two ropes had been previously tied to the same beam about eight feet length of rope had been allowed by the hangman. Whilst the rope had been adjusted around their necks and to the last moment, the Revd. Mr. Buddie remained praying with Ruarangi and Dr. Macdonald pressed the cross to the lips of Okeroa. Ruarangi remained positive as ever in his assertions that he was innocent of the crime for which ho had been convicted, and at the last moment when the cap was about to be drawn over his face again repeated what he previously stated that the question now lay between himself and the girls (Thompsons), and that God would decide. Having shaken hands with the gailor and clergy the bolt was withdrawn and'the two poor wretches fell with a heavy thud. The body of Okeroa swung for a moment with his hands in the same position, laid calmly in one another, as when ho stood upon the drop. Ruarangi died less easily, his body quivering convulsively for a space of two or three minutes his legs being drawn up and let down with a spasmodic effort fearful to witness.

Both men appeared calm, indeed Okeroa, who was evidently iidotic and has indeed been known to be so for this ten years past, appeared to bo quite indifferent to his fate. We hear that to the last Okeroa gave no signs of intelligence, when his warrant was read to him he simply said that lie was going away with the priest, Dr. Macdonald 5 indeed the only answer to any question put to him was “Epicopa Macdonald.” It would be wrong to say that he died either penitent or impenitent, his reasoning faculties were not sufficiently developed to enable the ministers of religion to make any impression on his mind. Not once since his incarceration has he been known to give an intelligent answer to any question put to him. It was not until the rope was fastened round his neck that he seemed to have any fixed idea that any harm was intended him, but from that moment till the drop fell ho could be seen to tremble. Those present before leaving the gaol signed a document to the effect that they had witnessed the due performance of the execution of these men and a copy of the same will be gazetted for public information. Four native chiefs were present at the execution. Two from the Bay of Islands, Wiremu To Tete, and Parata Puariri; and two belonging to Ruarangi’s tribe, Reihana, and Waterhouse. The body of Ruarangi was to be delivered to them after the inquest, which took place yesterday afternoon.