BERLIN CASUALTIES

Evening Star, Issue 20167, 6 May 1929, Page 8

BERLIN CASUALTIES

THE BHOOTSHG STOPPED TWEIiTY-THREE PEOPLE KILLED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. BERLIN, May 3. (Received May G, at 2.35 p.m.) The shooting lias ceased, hut the casualties are twenty-three dead and 100 wounded (sixty-livo seriously). 'Phis gives an idea of the state of tension prevailing. The police report that, apart from Mackay’s death, a, representative of a Berlin newspaper was wounded in tho leg. The newspapers severely criticise the. police methods, demanding that a strict inquiry shall be held. It is pointed out that not one policeman figures in the twenty-three dead.

The police arc still holding two districts. The centre of the trouble is in a state of siege, and the streets are cut oil" from the rest of Berlin with barbed wire barricades. The Communist attempts to precipitate a general strike have utterly failed.—Australian Press Association.

WILD SHOOTING SUGGESTED Press Association—-By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON. May 5. (Received May G, at 10 a.in.) Prior to the shooting of Mr Mackay the ‘Daily Telegraph’s’ Berlin correspondent commented on the tact that the casualties did not a pear to be among the Communists, whom the police were supposed to be suppressing. On tiie contrary, the victims included three widows, two of whom were known to bo merely engaged in house cleaning, and a man was killed while going to his work'. A Socialist was, killed who merely appeared at a window and waved to tiie police to show that ho sympathised with their actiions. Another police bullet killed a middle-aged war cripple who v as waiting in a doorway lor a favourable opportunity to letch _ a, jug of beer.—-Australian Press Association.

SHOT BY Ml ST A KIT CONST A BLES" M J SAP PH EH ENSI ON. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, May 5. (Received May G, at It a.in.) Tiie ‘ Telegraph’s ’ Berlin correspondent says that the police state that Maeka y was shot accidentally. A policeman says that, finding Mackay in the area which was declared to be. in a stale of siege, lie ordered him to put up his hands. Mackay held up olio hand, ft is now conjectured that he attempted to produce his identity papers with the other hand. Ljnioriunatcly the policeman thought thatMackav was going to use a revolver, and fired immediately.--United Servic-c.