GERMAN POACHER GANG

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1931, Page 2

GERMAN POACHER GANG

LEADER KILLED BY POLICE. BERLIN, August 23. In the State forests of Ergebirge. which border on Bohemia, a band cf poachers has for 20 years past) led a glorious life and has terrorised the foresters within an area of many square miles. Its leader. Hubert Hippnuuin, who has now been killed in an affray witn the police, was known to everybody in this wide district, but although Roosters and frontier guards have watched for him day and night, lie has always managed to evade them, and the moment they relaxed their vigilance on a given signal the band collected an t l deer and qtlier game again disappeared in alarming numbers. Hippmaim and his followers were also first-class shots, and were all provided with excellent folding guns that could he carried in the hip pocket. But although the dwelling-place of the poachers had frequently been searched in the course of years, no* one of these guns was ever found. Tinband did not restrict itself to fores* game, but also poached trout streams, and for whatever game and fish fell into their hands, they found eager buyers on both the Bohemian and Sax on sides of the frontier. DETECTIVE’S GOOD WORK. During the past few months the depredations of the poachers had become so serious that the Saxon Forest Administration appealed to Berlin for help. A detective was sent, and took rooms in an inn in the midst of the forest, posing as a racer in the automobile' business who needed rest. After making cautious observations for several weeks the detective sueI coeded in making the (acquaintance l of Hippninnn, which lie carefully developed. The poacher frequently joined him in excursions through the forest on a motor-cycle lie had brought from Berlin for his amusement, and finally boasted of his exploits. He gloried in having led by the nose numberless foresters for a period of 20 years. He said that the stags lie ahd his hand had shot numbered hundreds, while thousands) of ordinary deer and hares had fallen to their guns. Finally Hippninnn invited his supposed friend to a shoot he had a.rrn.nged for last Sunday. He however, found himself surrounded at the critical moment by foresters and police. with rifles pointed at him. Hippmann had always threatened that any forester who dared to arrest him would immediately bite the ground, and he would certainly have fired when he syvw the danger, but he could not get his folding gun out in time to shoot first. AAHiile he was about to aim the foresters fired, and the man who had kept a small arm v of guards at bay for 20 years fell mortally wounded. All the rest of the gang have been arrested during the week.