THE LONDON HOTEL MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9635, 6 October 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LONDON HOTEL MURDER.

KAZULAR HANGED PROTESTING HIS INNOCENCE.

Precisely at nine o'clock in the morning Paul Kazular paid the last dread penalty of the law within the grim walls of Newgate for the murder of Mrs. Rasch. The convict at first appeared in very good spirits, but towards the end ho altered considerably, and became very dejected and broken down. Two warders have been constantly in attendance on the condemned man both day and night, and their unpleasant task has been the more monoton ous as the convict could neither speak nor understand English. On the previous morning Mr. Osborne, his solicitor, had a final interview with the condemned man, in the course of which the convict, who was very downhearted, again asserted his innocence. Soon after Mr. Osborne left the gaol Mrs. Kazular and Eleanor Hamann, one of the witnesses at the trial, who had been waiting in the prison, were admitted to the yard where the farewell takes place. The meeting of the husband and wife, and the parting, was naturally of the most painful and distressing character. The interview was not a prolonged one, the wife being completely overcome. The convict was attended for some time during the rest of the day by his spiritual adviser, to whose ministrations and good counsel he paid earnest heed. He grew calmer, and became, apparently, quito resigned to his fate. The parting from his wife seemed to unnerve the convict, and to make him lose the fortitude he had shown previously.

A RESTLESS NIGHT. The convict was very restless throughout the night, and slept but little. He was aroused shortly after seven o'clock, when he hastily attired himself in tho clothes which ho wore on his trial, and having washed, breakfast, which consisted of a pot. of tea, two eggs, and bread and butter, was brought to the cell. He showed, however, no signs of appetite, and the meal remained practically untouched. Father Darney was attain in attendance on the condemned man, with whom ho remained in close devotion till the hour for the execution. The exhortations of the chaplain appeared to make a very favourable impression on the convict during this trying moment. Colonel Milman, the Governor of Newgate Prison, and Dr. Walker, the prison surgeon, arrived at the gaol shortly before nine o'clock, and they were folbwed by Mr. Under-sheriff Metcalfe, who superintended the arrangements for the execution, acting on behalf of the High Sheriff for the County of London. THE LAST SCENES.

At a quarter to nine the passing-bell of the prison commenced to toll, giving warning to the condemned man of the approach of death, an ofiice performed formerly by the bell ofSt. Sepulchre's Church. A few minutes before nine o'clock Colonel Milman, Mr. UinJer-Shertff Metcalfe, ami Dr. Walker, accompanied by Billington, entered the condemned cell, where the process of pinioning was quietly and expeditiously performed. Kazular offered no resistance, nor did he make any remark during the operation. Having shaken hands with the warders, he thanked them in broken English, and bade them "Goodbye." He also expressed his gratitude to Colonel Milman and Dr. Walker for their kindness. A procession, headed by Father Darney, carrying a crucifix, emerged from the condemned cell into a corridor leading to Due scaffold on the stroke of the hour. The convict, who seemed dazed, walked at the rear by the side of two warders, and behind him followed Billington and Mr. Scott, the chief warder. The distance to be traversed was only a lew paces, the scaffold, which was erected in a shed at the north-wes't corner of the prison, beinu: reached by a door cub through a brick wall which bounds ono of the exerci.-e yards. Kazular walked to the drop and took up his position under the beam with out assistance. The final preparations were soon carried out, and, on a signal from the Uuder-Sheriff, Billington stepped back, and lifting a pin which locked the bolts of the drop, pulled the lever. The convict, who was a short slim man, weighing 14Glb, was given a drop of about seven feet. Death was stated to have been instantaneous. As usual, a number of persons congregated outside theyaol to witness the hoisting of the black flag over the debtors' door, which was run up simultaneously with tho falling of the drop.

THE CONDEMNED MAN'S FORTITUDE.

The condemned man bore up with remarkable fortitude, and walked quickly to the drop without any assistance. On kav in;,' his cell he was asked by the governor of the gaol if lie wished to make any statement, through which the convict, through his priest, replied, "I am innocent." When on the drop, and at the very last moment, the convict turned to his spiritual adviser.—two of whom were in attendance, the Rev. Father Vees, of the German Church, Whitechapel, and the Rev. Father Doering —and said, alluding to the future welfare of his wife, "Remember your promise." These were the last words that he uttered. It is understood that the priests have kindly interested themselves on behalf of Mrs. Kazular, and they promised the convict they would see that she was taken care of, and also send some letters containing his last wishes to his relatives in Germany.