The Pakiri Murderer.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1819, 31 October 1874, Page 2

The Pakiri Murderer.

Dyer's Last Words.

The following particulars of the execution of Dyer, and his last words, are from the Auckland Star :—

Shortly before eight o'clock a body of police, under Sergeant-Major Pardy, took their iposition in front of the scaffold, and the clock had scarely struck when the bell of the prison began to toll and the mournful procession issued from the condemned cell. This consisted of the Bishop in his surplice, walking first; the prisoner (already pinioned) accompanied by the chief warder, Mr. O'Brien, next; and the executioner. Both the prisoner and the executoner were dressed in prison clothes.: Dyer looked very pale, but walked with a firm step up the ladder, and placed himself under the beam. Up to this the Bishop continued reading portions of the Burial Service, principally the Psalms. When his Lordship came to the Lord's Prayer, the prisoner repeated it after him aloud, as he also did the benediction. The Bishop then shook hands with him, and bade him farewell, tho prisoner replying " Goodbye, sir, good-bye." When the executioner's arrangements were completed the culprit expressed a wish to say a few words. Permission being of course given to him, lie spoke as follows:—"Officials of this gaol, I feel thankful to you one and all for the kindness which I have received since I have been here. I have got no animosity against any one, and freely forgive any one who has offended me. lam ready. Good-bye. God save me. God be merciful to me a sinner." As the last words issued from the unfortunate man's lips, the drop fell and he appeared to die instantaaeously. After hanging the usual time, and Dr. Philson having pronounced life extinct the body was cut d.own. At noon, an inquest was held before Dr. Goldsboro and a jury, and tho formal evidence having been given a verdict was returned —"That deceased died *at the hands of justice.'' In deference to Bishop Cowie's furtherance of the unhappy man'^ prayer that his body should be buried in the cemetery, the usual procedure was departed from in this instance, and the body was during the afternoon, handed ever to the friends of the deceased..

During the Bishop's last interview with the culprit, Dyer, besides dictating his confession, desired His Lordship to convey to Judge Arney his thanks for the patient manner in which his trial had been conducted. He also wished toretract tho words he made use of after receiving sentence — " That man Munro is my murderer." Dyer informed the Bishop that he never expressed a wish to have his sentence commuted. He felt he was justly punished.