EXECUTION OF MUNN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20629, 30 July 1930, Page 13

EXECUTION OF MUNN.

UNPERTURBED TO THE MTL PRISONER'S FINAL WORDS* SHORT WRITTEN STATEMENT*, NO CONFESSION OF CRIME* The execution ot* Arthur Thomas Munn» convicted of the murder of nis wife at Nor thro te on t obruary 11, took placo at Mount Eden Prison at eight, o'clock yester(iav morning. He maintained his fortitude unbroken to the end. and made his last) brief requests from the soiffold in a cicar voieo without, n tremor. Maim neither uttered nor left, any confession. No doubt in the hope of seeing * flag hoisted or some other such sign a considerable crowd gathered in Boston Boad opposite the gaol and some lingered until well past nine o'clock, but their curiosity was unrewarded by any symbol or sound. The hoisting of a black and the tolling of a bell on such occasions have Ions; been abolished here. After an unusually prolonged trial afc the May sessions of the Supreme Court Munn was found guilty of the murder of his wife, and was sentenced to death by Mr. Justice Herdman on May 27. An appeal on his behalf was decided against him by the Court of Appeal whoso decision was ratified by the Executive Council and a further petition by him for retrial or release was not granted. The Appointed Hour. As the appointed hour for the execution drew near Munn showed no change in the imperturbable bearing that characterised him from the timo of his arrest..Ho took supper on his last evening, and slept for part of the night. Shortly after 6 a.m. yesterday he enjoyed a good breakfast. Every detail of the execution was planned with the utmost consideration not only for the condemned man, but for all others concerned. At about a quarter to eight Mann was taken from the two large cells he has been occupying across the gaol to a smaller cell, known as the punishment ceil, whick happens to be only perhaps 20 paces from the " scaffold." At three minutes to eight the sheriff, Mr. C. J„ Hewlett, demanded the production of th® prisoner, and a small procession of seven made its way to the platform of execution. Among them was Staff Captain Holmes, of the Salvation Army, who read appropriate passages of Scripture. Tha prisoner mounted the steps unaided. Prisoner's Last Bequest. " Have you anything to say, Munn ***■ asked the sheriff. I have made my last request to th» gaoler,'' came the clear response, "and I ask that a small statement that 1 made at one o'clock this morning be published. That is my last request-." There was a moment's pause, and Munn added: " I have also asked that my eyes should not be covered. '

His request, however, couid nob be granted, and the executioner quickly ad«-.. justed the white hood and the rope. Jt'i signal from the sheriff, tins bolt was 1 •withdrawn, and the condemned man tiis— : * appeared from the view of all but thes» standing immediately above. The gaal surgeon. Dr. C. H. Tewsley. afterwards' officially confirmed thai death had instantaneous. The spectators withdrew after the doctor bad made his brief examination behind the .screen.

In addition to those already mentioned, the execution was witnessed by 3fr. -T c Diekison. superintendent of Mount Edea prison. Mr. C. E. Spittal. chief warder," Mr. C. E. Anderson, chief cierk, other gaol officials, the Bev. Jasper Caider and the Rev. G. E. Moreton. gaol chaplains, four pressmen, and two visitors. Mr. E. Norman Torrv. an English novelist, and Major tT. Hope-Johnstone, J.P. Th® sheriff's certificate that sentence had been duly executed was signed by several of these. Statement Left by Mann. The small statement referred to by Munn from the platform was a written document covering six pages of foolscap which Munn handed to the chief warder yesterday morning. Later in tiie day it was read by Mr. B. L. Dallard, Con-troller-General of Prisons, who stated that it contained no confession, but merely a traversing of the evidence given ' in the Supreme Court against him and a denial of much of it. This document Munn prepared in substitution for a much: longer account, of his life that he had written earlier in his imprisonment. Shortly after nine o'clock the inquest on the body was conducted by Mr- F. K Hunt, S.M., coroner. Formal evidencat was given by the prison superintendent, by the sheriff and by Dr. Tewsley, who certified that death was caused by a complete fracture of the vertebral column. The coroner returned his verdict fchati the prisoner, Arthur Thomas Munn, was sentenced to death at the sittings of the Supreme Court in Auckland on May 27, 1930. and that such sentence was duly earned into effect on him at Mount Eden, prison, and that the canse of death was complete fracturo of the vertebral column resultant upon the carrying out of thf« i sentence in accordance with the law and under warrant of His Excellency tb» Governor-General.

A curious circumstance indicating how little, Munn allowed his impending fats t<s prey upon his mind is that he actually gained 71b. in weight during his im« prisonment.

This was ilie first nxeciltion carried oufct in Auckland since that of Robert Scott.' whi> was put to death ;n 1924 for th® murder of a young girl m the Gisbornadistrkt.