EXECUTION OF TA KEREI, THE MURDERER AT PICTON.

Colonist, Volume VI, Issue 598, 17 July 1863, Page 2

EXECUTION OF TA KEREI, THE MURDERER AT PICTON.

On Friday last, the Marlborough Press informs us, the extreme penalty of ; the law was carried out upon Ta Kerei, who was sentenced to death at the last criminal sittings of the Supreme Court, in Nelson, for the Amuri murders. He was executed at the usual hour, within the precincts of Picton Gaol, in presence of his Honor the Superintendent, the Sheriff, Mr. W. Adams, J.P., Dr. Kilgour, Mr. Alexander, the Gaoler, the Constable, and several natives, one of whom officiated as clergyman. The demeanor of the criminal was dejected, but resigned; and so far from offering any opposition to the fatal preparations, he rather aided them than otherwise. He made no observations upon the scaffold ; nor, we believe, did he say anything prior to his death. An inquest was held upon the body, at noon, Mr. W. Adams acting as Coroner.; aaJ :: vr/liet was returned in accordance with the evidence of the officials present at the execution. We are informed from a private source that there was very great difficulty in getting a person to of* ficiate as hangman ; and it is stated that the man who acted as finisher of the law, became so unpopular in Picton that he had to leave the place.