THE WILSON MURDER,

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1922, Page 3

THE WILSON MURDER,

CABLE NEWS.,

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON, June 22. One of the captured men, with blood streaming from his face, caused by someone striking him with a bottle, declared he was an officer. FUIITHER PARTICULARS. LONDON, June 22 Earlier in the afternoon General Wilson unveiled a memorial at Liverpool Street station to 1920 employees of the Great Eastern Railway, who fell in the war. His last words there were six links of Kipling'S Recessional. * The tumult mid the Shouting dies— The Captains and the Kings depart— Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart! Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, „ Lest we forget—lest we forget! As he finished the line many women who were sobbing gently burst into tears. He theyi left on bis journey homeward which terminated so tragically. . , An eyewitness describing the murder said the two assassins were lying ’» wait for Wilson who drove to Ins house in a taxi-cab. The door was hardly open when the men rushed forward, drew revolvers and fired five or six snots at Wilson as he stepped from the cab. Wilson fell on the pavement riddled with bullets and died before assistance could be rendered. The assassins then pointed weapons lit the crib driver add, ordered him to drive awav, bbt the driver refused. The shots had attracted many people to the scene and the assassins bolted, pursued by the policemen in every street Six policemen had joined the chase.and one hurled a truncheon «t the assassins who were dodging behind motor ears and taxis firing at their pursuers. The assassins fired a number of shots and badly wounded cue policeman The murderers’ ammunition was exhausted and one of them fell from a blow.

TRIBUTE IN COMMONS. LONDON, June 22. When the news reached the Commons, Hon Mr Asquith at Mr Lloyd George’s request, crossed the Ileus and conferred with him. Mr Chamberla,in and Mr Asquith speaking with emotion deplored the loss which the country had sustained, of a man who had contributed powerfully to our success in the war. . Mr Chamberlain, in moving the adjournment, after saying a few words, broke down. He said Marshal W.hson s death was not only a national, but a personal tragedy. LONDON. June 22.

Mr Lloyd George has telegrap hod to Lady Wilson :—“I. am deeply .shocked at tjio ghastly crime. I can find no words’ to. express my consternation and grief. Please accept, all. nit' sympathy in vour terrible ‘trouble.” Sir James Craig (Lister Premier! in the Lister Parliament said Sir H. Wilson had laid down his life for Lister. Sir H Wilson told him months ago lie would do all he could in Lister’s cause. Sir H .Wilson was one more stalwart who fought in the desperate battle that Ulster was now furbtin". It would however .make no difference to them in their works. He hoped there would he no further doubt in anyone’s mind ns to what. Lister was up against

Further details. ' LONDON, June 22. Scotland Yard lias, issued a communique which states: Theft* Was sbnic suggestion that a third man was concerned, but nothing is corroborated at pre- * sent. The two. men made a most violent resistance, and they now boai traces of violence. At first they declined to say anything, but later stated they were soldiers, but could not say which regiment they belonged. An official copy of an I.R.A. organ was , found on Connolly, also a letter tending to show he was connected with the I.R.A. Immediately the King heard of the tragedv, he sent an equerry to convey , Lady Wilson "the King and Queen’s , sincere condolences and shock at the ] brutal assassination,” as Wilson was a great personal .friend of the Royal , family. i i Lord Carson- was deeply moved, and , lie remarked" The facts are eloquent all too eloquent.” _ i Lord Birkenhead in the House of Lords, replying to Lord Carson, after a reference to “this criminal, murderous attack,” said he understood the , two men were arrested under eircum- , stances rendering their complicity cor- , tain. < Lord Salisbury moved a resolution \ expressing detestation at the murder , and sympathy with T.adv Wilson, i which was adopted. i A FURTHER DESCRIPTION. i LONDON, June 22. It is difficult to disentangle details . of Sir H. Wilson’s death, though a score of people witnessed the murder, and hundreds partook in the chase of , tre murderers. Wilson had paid the taxi cal) and taken out his latch key , when the first shot was fired. It missed ,find penetrated the front doom Field Marshall Wilson turned round. Three shots followed. All .struck the doomed man, who staggered on the , pnvement, and fell. Servants of his | house ran out and found the master with his face in the gutter. The fatal shot pierced his chest. Sir H. Wilson , was-in full uniform, wearing all his medals, and had his naked sword lying by , his side as though instinctively he drew it in self defence. Meantime several passers Ji.v had seen two idlers, ono man six foot high, and the other a. little fellow ft with a pronounced limn. They were talking together, hut did notliing to attract attention, until thev drew the revolvers of the Weblev Service pattern, and opened fire from the roadway, sheltering behind .a trestle which kept vehicles from a newly tarred section of the road. The roadmenders say when he fell one of them went to Wilson’s assistance, while another dashed after the murderers, who turned round n.nd ran. They threatened a, road repairer with n. ervolver, ho he stopped; hut he did not lose sight of the muderers until they were arrested. Meanwhile people coining from houses and passers-by, attracted bv sounds of firing, joined in the pursuit shouting “murder! murder!” Stop ’em ! The taller man could easily have out run his companion, but lie made no effort to leave the limping man as they dodged the traffic. They both turned occasionally and fired on the pursuers. The first to fall was (‘onstable MJnreh who hurried! up in response to police whistles. He was dangerously wounded in the stomach. 'Hum Detective Sayers, who was in plain clothes, was shot in the ankle. - A horse carriage coming out of a garage, barred the murderers’ escape. The two men instantly decided to pimp in, and shouted to the driver “drive on!” The man however, guessed something was wrong and said he was not going to. One of the murderers replied: “Lrive pn, or we wilj drop you;” The driver

says lie made up his mind to drive the | men -to Gerald Road Police Station, j Perhaps they suspected this, as they | jumped out at the corner of Eaton I Place. The pursuing crowd, now mim- ( , bored hundreds, including two members of the American Embassy, who say 1 ; it took them some moments to realise j it was not a carefully arranged piece , of cinema acting. The end came when a motor car drove across the murder- • ers path. They fired but the police j ; force had the men cornered. One poi lieenian threw his truncheon and hit i the smaller man on the side of the i head. He fell oil the road. In a moment a number of constables and inem- . belts of the crowd fell upon him. Ani other man in the crowd broke a heavy milk bottle over the assassin’s head. The infuriated crowd tried to lynch , the man, • who cried pitifully “have j mercy!” “A lot of mercy you show- | ed,” was the retort. They were enr- ; rierl to the police station, j The House of Commons was stunned i by tile news, which it heard when Sir | AV. Sutherland hurried in'and whisperi ed to Mr Lloyd George and Air Cliamhelain. Like a flash the tidings ran round the benches and the House quick ly filled. Meanwhile questions were being asked and answered, but none heeded them. Air Asquith, speaking with obvious difficulty, addressed a question to Air Chamberlain who gave the facts and paid a. tribute to Sir H. Wilson,’s career. He then moved the '. adjournment. Air Asquith was in tears as lie left, the house, and other close friends of the Field Afarshnl were deeply moved. Afanv members of the House of Commons, besides Wilson, lately received threatening letters from Sinn Foiners. These wore particularly 1 numerous in Wilson's case, as be was th'e Military Advisor to the Ulster Government. hut he took no notice of :

tJioin. The* ireneml impression in the lol)l>v yesterday was this was only the first of n series of outrages in liritain hy Irish extremists. A desire is expressed for a Government statement regarding steps to safeguard the country from a campaign of violence. Scotland Yard’s famous flying squadron was on Thursday evening reinforced by a special branch which, until the sipnillo lII' (hi. Irish .......

"■.■ tiled preventing crimes In tlie Irish Republican Army. Tt carried out a systematic search of different parts of London with hicdi speed motor cars. Lord Arthur Mill, who confirms the drawn sword incident, saw T.adv Wilson run out without -a. hat with a sup of water to her husband, who was too far none to drink, and who died immediately. Lady Wilson did not actually witness the shooting, hut heard the shots, and rushed to the window, and saw her hnslmnd rceliny with his drawn •sword in his hand, lie slandered 1 across the pavement, and collapsed in ' a heap on the kerb. Wilson previous!.v told Hill lie .had been threatened more.than once.

KKKLfXG IX 'UPLAND. Dublin opinion is deeply sloe bed by ♦ lie assassination. lu:t it is not believed it can boar on tin; political situation in ilie South of Ireland. It is feared reprisals will occur in Belfast. Officeis in BellYsl visited ail theatres and kinenias and ordered all British troops to return to harmeks immediately. A. score of pe.b sti iaiis jijiced in (be ■hunt. Hot 1 1 men were overpowered, and convert'd to a police station. They refused to give their names, but they said:—“We ai'e Irish, and proud of it'” Only for the police, the assassins would have been lynched. When they were evorpowcied a crowd tried to lynch them. T!ie assassination stunned London. The fact that the crime appcars*politieal lends a poignant emphasis to'Sir 11. Wilson’s last spo. ck,'loss than an hour before, when unveiling the soldiers memorial. He said that these men fell while doing their duty, in doing what they thought was right, and paid the penalty. These prophetic words can now he apof'ed to y ir !!. Wilson himself. Kvn his enemies never doubted him. Sir 11,. Wilson, it is staled tlnnugliout recent events ach'd with a 'deep sense of duty. Three bullets struck Wilson. His sister and others in his house rushed out. and bore him inside, lie breathed his last in a few minutes. Constable Marsh heard the shoot ins', and chased the assailants, who food and shot Marsh in the .stomach. This constable died in the hospital. Doth prisoners roim-'d to g'vo an account of themselves, bovntid savin \ thev are soldiers. The prompt action of I’ai li- ment in rising in honour of Sir II Wilson s mAieorv was followed short ly at torwards by the King making an nunounccineut that lie Im.d cancelled a private dinuT pnr’v at liis I’aiace in i.u.'mur ot the Prime of Wales’s iii’ thday w hich was intended to he the IToyal !'ainily’s own celebration of the Prince’s .eturn. It is many years since London witnessed suteli a chase as that alter the assassins. It took place in the very heart of the peaceful aristocratic West End. Policemen in a near-hy station in Gerald How heard the hubbub, rush- ’ ed out in shirt- sleeves, and led an in-; I’uriated crowd on the murderers heel-, j Some constables coiumamleied cabs and j motors. The fugitives turned into | South Eaton Place, and thence went | j ii f o Ebury Street, where they weie j rim to earth. A small battle preceded the captures, the police taking no risks with the j-.ini.d assassins. Some flung lln/ir batons in the murderers’ faces. One id the assassins was a big man, over si;; feet in height, weighing sixteen stone and lie whipped out a revolver, and was aiming when a police truncheon dose ruled "hi Ids wrist, and Ids revolver fell. The crowd then attacked the man. and hit him on the head with a shovel. A oar tor Hung a bottle at him. which broke on the assassin’s head, and Ids blood streamed down Ins lace, lie P"ljee were then compelled to protect the -prisoners, the crowd shouting “Lynch them!” A powerful body of police then arrived on th" scene, and enabled the prisoners to he taken to , Gerald How safely. i the deedTnttctpatkd. I LONDON’, June 22. j Sir 11. Wilson had no special police protection, hut the constables on duty' in Ids vicinity were ordered to watch for any suspicious characters near liis house. Police were armed and posted after the murder outside Lord Carson’s residence, which is in the same stre-t as Sir IT. Wilson’s. Major the lion W. It. Hailey, sou of Lord f.lenusk Commander of the King’s Company of Grenadiers, lives six doors from Wilson’s house, and ho says—“On June 3rd my window was chipped in a peculiar way. Two (lavs later Sir H. Wilson’s was cut in a similar manner.” Mr Hory O’Connor, when asked tit Dublin about the matter, declined to make a statement on the subject, remarking lie is too busy. The “Daily Express’s” Belfast correspondent states: —For months past Sir H.W ilson has been regarded ns a marked man here, and was closely guarded. r i Doctors operated on Constable Marsh who is in a serious condition. Sir H.Wi Ison will he accorded a public military funeral.

GRIFFITH CONNDEMNS THE I MURDER, I LONDON. .Tunc 22. ! Mr Arthur Griffith, of the l'rish Free I Stole Government, says:—“Although 1 Sir IT. Wilson’s political views were ' opposed to those of the vast majority of my countrymen, .1 know that the vast majority of them are unanimous in con- ' demning and deploring this anarchic i The “Irish Independent” says: I “• ,-adeis cannot even pretent to know t'o motive behind the horrifying deed, ! : it is obvious, from the various public references; that it is attributed < lui the bitterness aioused by the par- • tition of Ireland, and to the liollast Pogroms. Whatever the cause, the tragic ending of Sir H. Wilson’s career is extremely regrettable. It is in every way deplorable. This unchristian act may produce infinite harm. It certainly will tend to inflame passion and intensify existing troubles, instead of ntddifvidg the difficult situation.” i *___ I THE ACCUSE Ij. j (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) 1 LONDON, June 23. I O’Hrien and Connolly were charged at j Westminster Police Court and remanded : for six days. They are ex-soldiers. I 0’ I'-rien has lieen employed as a lues- ] seiiger in the LabotirMinistry Office. ’ |!<- obtained the job on the strength of; his Army service. Me left for lunch ; \. sterdav and did not return. j I A CONSPIRACY OF .MURDER. ! LONDON. June 23. tv.n-atiniml documents have come into possession of the Police, disclosing a conspiracy to take the lives ot prominent persons, also a campaign of outrage. Mr Chamberlain in the Commons, stated places ill London were searched las! night. Fifteen men and one woman

j wriv detained. Soni'.' anus and . iticenI <li.iv\- |uses were discovered. M ith tin 1 I . Mfption of the woman, those detained . j i. last night’s raid wore later reHised.- ! orKSTIOXSOKPKHSONAM’HOTKCTION. ! LONDON. .Inlie *J3 Mr ('luiniherlain added that acting under .Scotland Yard's advice ajipnrentlv owing to llie improved Iri.-li si: nation. protection had recent l\ been withdrawn in regard, to .Members of the , ,' jdiiiiel slid others eoneerned in the j !rish question. - Mi b'lmrlt nnHworinjr questions, ksikl tlmt prnUM-tion had boon n-movoil Ironi i wrvom* <>xi(*i>t liimseli. Cries of “Oh.” f ! i.c- guards v.osc now instorcd.