Shooting Sensation.

Manawatu Herald, 29 July 1902, Page 2

Shooting Sensation.

The two men suspected in connection with the shooting of Constable Guilfoyle last week were surprised by the police near Queanbeyan, 194 miles south-west of Sydney. A constable called on them •to surrender. One raised his rifle as the constable covered him with a revolver, but the constable shot him dead, and captured the other. FEARS OF A MISTAKE.

Until the police who left Sydney on the 25th arrive at Queanbeyan the question of identity remains in doubt, but there are grave reasons for supposing that the murder of Guilfoyle has resulted in a second tragedy. A wire from Yaps states that there are good reasons for believing that the man shot and his companion were two chair-menders who had been touring the district, and who left Yass in the direction of Queanbeyan on Wednesday last. The description of the man shot supplied to the police, while tallying in some respects with one of those suspected of Guilfoyle’s murder, also tallies with one of the chair-menders named Heaps. Heaps was accompanied by , a youth, and the prisoner is a youth answering to the description ot Heaps’s companion, whereas the second suspect of the Guilfoyle murder is a middle-aged. The police are still actively searching the Hornsby district. There is considerable 'excitement among the outlying districts. THE WRONG MAN SHOT. There How appears to bo little doubt that the wrong man was shot at Queanbeyan by the police, in attempting his arrest on suspicion of having murdered Constable, Guilfoyle. His companion gives his own name as John Nicholls, of Oooma. A telegram from Cooma states that from the description he is undoubtedly the son of the local tinsmith. He left Cooma some time ago in company with another young man on a trading tour. The prisoner states that he and his companion were at Yass on the day of the Guilfoyle murder. He does not know the name of deceased. Constable Madden was accompanied by a number of civilians, and it is alleged that when stooping over deceased to take the firearms from him the constable’s revolver went off. Simultaneously a ahot-gun was discharged by a bystander; This accounts for the number of shot wounds found in the body. At the inquest at Queanbeyan*- the evidence of the officers from Sydney clearly established the; fact that the dead man was not one of the two men suspected of the murder of Constable Guilfoyle. Constable Madden, who with a party of five civilians all armed, surprised the camp of deceased and his companion, deposed that when called surrender, the deceased sprang from under his bedclothes and grasped a gun. Witness tried to secure him, and his revolver went off aecidentally. Immediately afterwards he hea- d a second shot. Next morning, when examined, two of the shotguns carried by the party were discovered to have been recently fired. One, which was his own property, he knew to be clean when he handed it to a civilian.

The medical evideuce proved that death was caused by a gun-shot wound in the heart.

The inquest was adjourned till Monday. It is practically established that deceased was named Heaps, and resided near Sydney, travelling in the country mending chairs. His companion, a boy of fourteen years named Nicholls, resident at Cooma, has been discharged from custody.