EASTBOURNE MURDER CASE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1661, 30 January 1913, Page 5

EASTBOURNE MURDER CASE.

'REPRIEVE REFUSED. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, January 28, All endeavours to secure a respite for John Williams, the burglar, who in vOctobcr last murdered Police-Inspector Walls at the Countess Sztary's house at, Eastbourne, have failed, and the. man is to be hanged tomorrow.

The murder took place at Eastbourne, a seasido resort ,65 miles from London. On October 9, about 8 p.m., a cabman called at,the residence of Countess. Sztary to drive her to ail hotel where sho had an appointment to dine. While lie was waiting for his fare he noticed a man crouching on the portico over the front door, apparently with the object of burglary.' The countess came out of the house, and the ca,bman drove away, but' after proceeding a short distance he pulled up and told the lady what he had seen. She instructed him to drive back to the house, and, as the man was still lying on the portico, she; entered the houeo and rang up the; police station oh the telephone. Inspector Arthur Walls hurried round on a bicycle in answer, to the summons, and he saw'the man had not moved from the portico. He called out to him to como down, but the latter drew a revolver and fired two shots. The inspector i was mortallyr wounded, and expired almost instantly, and the murderer effected his escape before pursuit could be made. No pprson saw him sufficiently clearly to bo able to identify him, but his hat was picked up n few yards from the scene of the crime.

According to a Sunday paper which professes to. have been supplied with full information concerning the prisoner, whose, real name is admitted'not-to be Williams, he is the Fon of a Presbvterian minister—the black sheep of a respectable family. In his 'teens, he was several times in the hands of the police. He served in the Doer war, but robbed a comrade in camp, and was sentenced by court martial to two vears' imprisonment. Shortly < after his release, he was tried at Kimberley for robbery and receiving stolen goods, and was sentenced to 18 months*' imprisonment. He returned to England in 1907: and since then has followed a criminal carper,, and has served three sentences for hfliiwsbrenking and burglary. Tn piving evidence at his trial, he admitted Hint he had been a burglar and had a criminal record.