SEVEN SHOT DEAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 493, 24 October 1928, Page 15

SEVEN SHOT DEAD

Desperate Battle with Bandits ALL BUT ONE KILLED OR CAPTURED (United I*.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and X.Z. Press Association) 'J'WO brothers, part of a gang' of bank bandits, shot dead * fi vo policemen and a civilian at Cologne and wounded several other civilians, before one of them was killed. The other escaped, and is still at large. (United. P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and X.Z. Press Association)

Reed. 11.20 a.m. COLOGNE, Tues. Scenes unequalled in the annals of crime were associated with the hunt o£ the flve bandits suspected of a bank hold-up at Gladbach. The first round-up was on Saturday when g. house in Cologne wa@ besieged, and three men arrested. Two of the bandits, the brothers Heidder, made a thrilling escape after fatally shooting a constable and a motorist in whose car they escaped. A long running fight took place till the bandits succeeded in eluding the fleet of pursuing cars. They were not seen again till yesterday, when they tried to escape on a motor-cycle, and agaih shot two policemen, keeping up a running fire in alley-ways. Later details show that the Ileidgers were first recognised by a young gardener as they were entering a house in Cologne. He gave the alarm. The brothers immediately shot him in the stomach and dashed into the streets, one carrying a suitcase filled with ammunition. A motor-car was standing outside a cafe below. They were unable to open the doors, so they entered the cafe, pointing their revolvers and demanded the motor-car’s owner to unlock the door, but one one moved. Meanwhile the police appeared and the brothers raced down the street. The bandits then boarded a tramcar and cleared out the crew and passengers at revolver point. The leder brother drove the tramcar madly. The younger brother, taking coyer on the rear platform, poured a shower of bullets into their police pursuers, who were in motor-cars. Two more constables were shot dead

and several civilians wounded. When they jumped off the Heidgers left the tramcar continuing its mad career. Two policemen leaped from their motor-car into the tramcar, which they pulled up just in time to avoid a collision. In the meantime 50 armed police continued the pursuit of the younger brother, who was wounded in the leg. He was about to be carried off when, like lightning, he snatched a second revolver from his pocket. A policeman. seeing his action, shot him dead. Meanwhile the elder Heidger dashed into the house. A cordon of 400 police, using searchlights, kept up an indiscriminate fire all night. At daybreak the police, four deep, each man carrying a blazing torch in one hand and a revolver in the other, entered, but found the house empty. It lias since been reported that Heidger made for the open country* where he robbed two old women of a few pence, under the threat of shooting them. Heidger then returned to Cologne city, which is now' in a fever of excitement, many fearing to venture into the streets until Heidger is arrested. Seven hundred police are continuing the search.