KAKA PASSES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9543, 21 June 1911, Page 5

KAKA PASSES.

PAYS THE PENALTY WITH EQUANIMITY.

"HOPE I WILL BE THE LAST MAN

HANGED."

(Per Press Association,) AUCKLAND, June 21. Tahi Kaka, for the murder of John Freeman at Whangiirci. on April 5, \m ■nanged at Mount Eden Gaol this morning. Death was instantaneous. Just beforo eight the hangman entered .the condemned eel! and pinioned Kakas arms behind and Iho mournful procession then commenced, Rev. Hawkins reading the first thro,, sentences of the .burial service in .Maori as they wended their wav to the scaffold. Kaka. dressed in prison garb, walked .firmly between two warders, ascended the thirteen stops to the scaffold, and took • his stand on the drop without assistance or the slightest trenionr. Rev. Hawkins recited the Lord's Prayer, which Kaka, in a steady voice, repented. . , . ■ Asked by tho Sheriff if ho had anything to say, ho.replied firmly: "I hope I am tho last man to bo hanged, any how!'' As the hangman pinioned his feet he said: "You are pretty smart at your work." Just before the lover was pulled he-said: "Hoorali!" The bolts were withdrawn, a slight tremour ii the rope, and Kaka had paid'tho full penalty of his crime. The time from his emerging from the gate till the final scene- was enacted was exacily 4 minutes 15 seconds. Tho whole proceedings wont without a hitch. Tho scaffold was in a comer of tho punishment yard. Those present were tho gaol ofii-' ends, tho sheriff, the gaol surgeon, Revs. Hawkins. Budd, McPhorson, and representatives of tho press. As Kaka came to the scaffold his boy-

.ishncss was painfully apparent. His shorti cropped, hair, smooth face, and altogether 'handsome appearand) wore stamped on ■ one's mind. The condemned man, from it-he time he was sunlonccd, was resigned to his fate, slept well, put ting on a stono in weight, At tho timo of his execution h e weighed 160 pounds, During tho past few days he showed signs of restlessness. He spent most of his time in writing. Ho was visited at eleven last night by tho Rev. Hawkins, who remained some time. He was persuaded to go to bed at ton ■minutes to one, and slept fairly soundly till just before 6 o'clock. He did not ask for any breakfast. As the warder in charge left the cell : he said "Goodbye." To another warder -.'he paid: "Will moot yon in tho next world." Just before reaching the scaffold Kaka shook hands behind his back with one of the warders in attendance, and with a coloured picture of the C'rucilication in 'his hand he met his fate in tho samp resigned manner in which ho took the sentence. This was attributed by tho

Rev. Hawkins to his belief that ho had 1 made his peace with his Maker, and would be forgiven in the next world. Revs. Hawkins and Build enter an emphatic protest about the manner in which •the scaffold was erected within sight and hearing of the condemned coll. The customary inquest was held, and K 'tho usual verdict was returned.