EXECUTION OF BURGESS, KELLY AND LEVY.

West Coast Times, Issue 331, 15 October 1866, Page 3

EXECUTION OF BURGESS, KELLY AND LEVY.

(By Electric Telegraph.)

(if-ROH TH-E IA'XTkLTON TIMES*.) Nelson, Oct. 5; 3.30 p.m. Burgess, Kelly, and Levy were executed in the gaol yard this morning.

They died protesting that the statements made by- them on tlie trial were true and accurate.

Kelly and Levy repeatedly -declared their innocence.

Burgess spoke first. He declared by God above, whom he adored, that Sul-« livan was guilty of the murder of Battle and Mathieu, aud also of the murder of Dobson. ' The poor Jew and Kelly, he said, were innocent of all the murders. Sullivan was concerned in all six, and was the actual murderer of Dobson. He was himself morally guilty of Dobson' s murdcv, as knew of it before and after it took place. Kelly read a long statement,^ in which he called down the most fearful imprecation's on his head for punishment hereafter, if , his last declaration and dying words were not the truth. He said. " May the Devil fly away with my soul if such is y not the case!" He declared that .he had no part in the murders, and that he knew nothing of them till Sullivan confessed.

Burgess ag.iiu spoke, saying that he felt happy this glovious and bright morning. He expressed/ great sympathy for Kelly and Levy,- and declared that Sullivan was his '.only confederate. " Were it not for JCelly. and Levy," said Burgess, " I could die happy, — almost joyous." Levy, who was, the most staid, and gave evidence of least emotion, cora,pla:iied that when he applied to the authorities for some money which they owed him, they refused to give it up. He wanted the { money to defray the expenses of his defence. He also said that when he applied to the authorities to know whether they would assist him in subpoenaing, witnesses, they refused assistance, and merely said the witnesses would be subpoenaed. He complained of the treatment he had received from the press, and said that if he had been tried elsewhere, he would have been acquitted. 'He appealed to the editor of the " Colonist," to give his statement full publicity, and declared by Jehovah (putting on his hat) that when the murder of the four hit>ii took place, both he and Kelly had been twenty-six hours away from the society of Burgess and Sullivan. When he came to New Zealand ,from Melbourne, in September last year, he brought with him LSOO or L6OO, and was never at Wood's Point in his life, although the newspapers had said so. He complained of his treatment , in prison, and of favor shown to Sullivan, and concludediby protesting his innocence. Burgess spoke a third time, professing penitence, aud hope in Gou. He thanked all the officials for their kindness, and said, '• I am quite ready to obey the sentence of the ljrw." Kelly, at this moment, 'ejaculated "Oh, God ! I am not ready ; -give me a few minutes-to speak. "

All this t^ook place iv the gaol*y;irrl. , The men then ascended the scaffold', accompanied by their religious advisers. All three knelt down in prayer. The ropes, were then adjusted, and the caps drawn over their eyes. Levy, while $till kneeling on tlie drop, cried in a loud, distinct voice, " I am innocent." . . ' Kelly, while kneeling on the drop, attempted, to rise and address those assembled. * He called out, "I am not being hanged, I am being murdered. ' The voice of the minister was then heard' reading Hie solemn words. " -In the midst c-f life we are in death." ' The drop fell, and in a short time the men were dead. } Burgess seemed to . die instantly, s \yithoi\t struggling, ,

Levy gave two or three slight convulsive' movements Kelly showed signs of life the longest.