BROUGHT TO BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 254, 26 October 1928, Page 7

BROUGHT TO BAY.

COLOGNE BANDIT.

Last Desperate Struggle In Large Villa. POLICE TRIUMPH. (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 9.30 a.m.) COLOGNE, October 25. The elusive bandit, Johann Heidger, who, with his brother, afterwards killed, waged a sensational war against the community in Cologne, in which seven people were shot, was discovered in a large villa near Cologne. There he contrived to remain during the day unnoticed and wandering from room to room dodging the occupants until a maid servant accidentally discovered him in the cellar. When she gave the alarm the bandit cut the telephone wires and barricaded himself on a second floor bedroom.

Over 100 gendarmes were soon at the spot and the owner of the villa and bis family were removed to safety. The police donned bullet-proof clothing and began to search the house. When they found the room they hacked a hole in the door, but it was heavily barricaded with furniture.

They summoned him to surrender but Heidger replied with a pistol shot. The police returned the fire through the hole. Heidger then fired on the police in the street, who replied with carbine 3.

After Heidger had killed a policeman the police hurled three grenades into the room. Heidger feigned surrender but fired again upon which the police 6hot and inflicted seven wounds in the head, chest and stomach.

| A curious feature of the case is that Heidger scribbled affectionate letters tc his father, brothers, sister and fiancee while behind the barricade. To his father he wrote that the time was passing quickly and that the police were already coming. "Thank you for you« kindness," he wrote. "Help mother by kindness to bear the terrible blow." He also wrote to the Public Prosecutor asking him to be lenient to the third man, captured on Saturday, saying that he seduced the third man into the crime.

The police victims include Phillip Volmer, a brilliant detective, responsible for the .arrest of Frank Swaboda, who murdered a New Zealander at Mulheim in 1919.

"I SURRENDER."

LAST FIERCE STRUGGLE.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 11 a.m.)

COLOGNE, October 25.

A maid discovered the bandit Johann Heidger hiding in the villa cellar. He fired but missed her and her screams brought the owner, who locked himself and his family in a bedroom and tried to telephone for the police but Heidger had cut the wires.

Other signals, however, brought the police who used bullet proof shields and threw hand grenades into the cellar. Heidger replied, wounding one, till he collapsed in a corner with eight wounds. He cried, "I have had enough, I surrender."

There is some doubt whether he succumbed to his injuries after his removal by the police to hospital.