BAYLY EXECUTED

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 July 1934, Page 4

BAYLY EXECUTED

PROTESTS HIS INNOCENCE! f

AUCKLAND, This Day.*.,. William Alfred Bayly was in Mt. Eden Prison at 8 o’clock »is morning, for the murder of Samuel and Christobel Lakey, at Ruawaro. , He made a statement from fold protesting his innocence. The condemned man’s statement protesting his innocenqe was. made when the Sheriff, Mr C. J. Hewlett, said: “Do you wish to say anything, Bayly ? ’ ’ “Yes!” said Bayly. “I would like to say lam entirely innocent. The circumstantial evidence may appear to be entirely against me, but there is not a tittle of truth in the circumstantial evidence which has been produced against me. “If I had received the treatment outside which I have received in this place I would never have beeivjhere to-day. Everybody has done aiptliey could for me and I do not body who has helped me here could have done more.”

After a’pause he said: “I don’t think I can say any more,-but I do repeat that I am innocent. A fair and dispassionate statement of the evidence is as much against my accusers as it is against me.” He shook hands with two warders and thanked the prison chaplain, Rev. G. E. Morton, and in less than a minute afterwards he was executed. — (P.A.) DOUBT CAST. MYSTERIOUS DOCUMENT. WELLINGTON, This Day. A document which came into the possession of the police, and understood to throw some doubt on the guilt of William Alfred Bayly, was considered by the Governor-General and Ministers late last night and earlC this morning. Immediately the House rose at 10.30 p.m. a meeting took place in the Prime Minister’s room at there were present Messrs Jjj W. Forbes, J. G. Coates, J. G. the Commissioner of Police, Mr W. Wohlmann, and the Under-Secretary of Justice, Mr Dallard. Shortly before midnight Mr Cobbe called on the Governor-General at Government House and upon returning to Parliament Buildings conferred again with the Prime Minister, who announced at 1 a.m. it was not intended to interfere with the sentence.