POLICEMAN KILLED

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1933, Page 2

POLICEMAN KILLED

SUICIDE OF HIS SLAYER MONTREAL, Sept. 11. Tlie murder of a policeman, a running gun-fight with bandits and the penitent suicide of one of them'after capture, were dramatic incidents associated with the recovery of stolen pain/b----ings to-day. The pictures were' valued at £IO,OOO and were stolen .several months ago from the Montreal Art Gallery. A. The editor of a Montreal newspaper received half, of the canvas, with a demand for £6ooo.,ransom; otherwise the pictures would .be /out; Into a jig-saw. No - communication' was made With the robbers. V 1 " >. ’/ The solution '.came/ in an unexpected fashion when a Cahadian-Papific R.aClway. constable,' Mackie, and an associate attempted to- arrest two men' fhr robbing a ' freight .car in the railway yards. One /robber' turned and fired ;pont-blnnk at Mnckfe, who subsequently died. The pair were captured after a chase and the firing of many shots. ■ ' Paul Thosin was charged with murder. When/told that Mackie had died'' he wept and took the officers to bis cache, 50 miles away, where the paintings were all hidden: He Wag returned to Iks cell, where later he was found dead from poison, which he had hidden in the heel of his shoe, .