AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1927, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

(Australian A N.Z. Cable Association.) MURDER TRIAL. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m). SYDNEY, Doc. 13. Interest, in the Higgs trial is unabated. Great crowds are daily besieging the Court. Counsel for the defence are fighting .stubbornly against the Crown case, which they claim is purely circumstantial and as far as actual proof, is very weak. To-day’s evidence was punctuated with objection after objection by Mr Windeyer for the defence. The objections generally are being upheld by the Bench. The principal objection was that the detectives cross-examined William Higgs while he was under their control, and that the cross-examina-tion is now tieing used against him in the trial, contrary to the principles of the administration of justice in Australia.

The Judge ruled that the application by Che Crown Prosecutor to ask AVi 1 - liam Higgs about his previous character should not he allowed, and also he refused leave for cross-examination on his character or antecedents in relation to his character prior to the 12th. of* October. 'William Higgs evidencing said when he was taken to the detective office on October 13th. he was under the impression that he was suspected of being connected with a robbery at, a Bondi garage, of which he had been told, and not of the murder <sf Leslie, which occurred the day before. He said he was utterly surprised when a charge of murder was launched against him.