THE EXECUTION OF HATRA. TE PERT.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 298, 14 May 1889, Page 2

THE EXECUTION OF HATRA. TE PERT.

HIS LAST CONFESSION.

Natieb, yesterday.

Haira te Peri, the Maori murierer, confessed last night to killing Mr Pook and Berti! Pook (the child), and aecuiea his brother, Hohepa, of killing Mrs Poqk. On the scaffold Haifa was cool, and evinced no emotion whatever.

The Sheriff of the Supreme Court was placed in rather an awkward position on Saturday last. The passengers by the Auckland steamer could not get aehqre, aod as one <4 them was the individual wflo had been engaged to hang Haira te Peri, tbe anxiety can well ba imagined. The steam w was detained till yesterday morning, but as the sea was still raging as high as ever she was obliged to go on. He-e was a pretty s'ate ot things, an ex. eoution fixed to take place at eight o'clock this morning and no hangman to carry out tha law.

The police at ones instituted enquiries as tn where a suitable man could be found, and were successful in thair efforts.

A man was procured and, for an amateur, ho carried out the execution remarkably well. He was of course disguised, and tha spectator! were in the dark as to hie identity. Haira expressed awiah, one day last wei k, that ha would like to have his “ photo '? taken, so that his wife might have his like, nees. One of our looal photographers accordingly carried out his wish. Being visit, d after a “ photo ’’ bad been presented to him, he was seen steadfastly gazing at the portrait, over whioh he cried bitterly,