MURDER TRIAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1815, 30 July 1913, Page 5

MURDER TRIAL.

t CHAEGE OP SnOOTING A POLICE OFFICER. . By Telteraph—Pioss Association—Copyrieht i (Reel July 29, 8.30 p.m.) Sydney, July 29. ] The trial of Thomas Edwin Brown, on i <i. charge of murdering Police-Sergoant Hickey 6n May 1 last, is now proceeding. 1 Brown, who is conducting his own defonce, is backed by many law books and documents. •He 'argued ( that the , whole 1 affair waS'th&'otitcdiiib'bf iiiUlice/'becauso during certain legal proceedings regard- 1 ing his property, extending over several j years, lie had taken proceedings against people in high positions. The accused , also argued in support of his contention ] that tlio shooting was accidental. 1 Tho iudge was frequently compelled to J interrupt him. , On the occasion of the. tragedy, Sergeant 1 Edwin Hickey, with Constable Barclay, 1 went to St. Ives, twelve miles north of. Sydney, to serve two commitment war- ! rants upon Thomas' Edwin Brown, an i orchardist there., They fonnd Brown, who is aged fifty, at the foot of his i orchard, and when he learned their business he invited the officers to come intp the house. The trio walked there, chatting amicably, and Brown led the police officers into the sitting-room. Then, turning . suddenly, lie asked tliem what they meant by co'nring to his house, and ordered them out. Constnblo Barclay then told Brown to consider himself under arrest. The. other members of the family then entered tho room, nnd Constable Barclay attempted to seize hold of BrowTi. Sergeant Hickey also jumped towards Brown, and was almost touching him when three shots- rang out in quick succession, and a fourth report a little later. Sergeant Hickey collapsed immediately, three of the bullets having lodged in' his stomach, and he died on the way to the hospital. Brown has attracted considerable public attention of late vears owing to his persistent appearanco'in the Supromo and other Courts as a litigant. He. has filed, affidavits on various occasions alleging corruption among the Judiciary Law Officers, and a number of high officials.