MURDER OF CONSTABLE

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 30, 5 February 1925, Page 5

MURDER OF CONSTABLE

TWO YOUTHS COMMITTED.

REFORMATORY -BOYS. . WOLVERHAMPTON CRIME. ißy Cable.—rresa Association.—Copyrights ißeceived 10.30 a.m.! LONDON, February t. Crossley and lleggarty have been committed ior trial at ' Wolverhampton charged with murdering Lonstablc Willits. A companion of the two accused named Dixon, aged 14, gave evidence that be saw Heggarty shoot the constable while witness held Willits' arm to stop him from blowing his whistle. Heggarty tired again twice. The constable staggered across the road and fell.— (A. aaid N.Z. (able.)

Countable Albert Willils was on his beat at the time he was murdered, it was first said that the young policeman had detected a man gazing through the window of a nursing home, had arrested him, and had resumed his patrol. It was presumed, on (he body being discovered, that the murderer had stolen up hehind the officer and shot him through the head. Subsequently lleggarty, aged IT years, and Crossley. aged in years, were arrested and charged with the crime. Heggarty stated to the police that Crossley 'had (ired ■ the shots. Crossley declared that, he possessed no revolver, and that llegarty had committed the murder. Each "alleged that the other threw some object away as they were running through some woods subsequent to the murder. All threeboys were escapees from a home for probationers.