POLICEMAN MISTOOK GESTURE BY MACKAY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6902, 7 May 1929, Page 7

POLICEMAN MISTOOK GESTURE BY MACKAY

HELD UP ONE HAND.

ATTEMPTED TO SHOW PAPERS WITH OTHER.

United Press Association —By Electrii Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, May 5.

The Daily Tclcgrai>h Berlin corres.pondrint says that the police state that Mr. Mackay, the New Zealander, was shat accidentally. A policeman reported finding Mr. Atackay in an area which had been declared to bo in a state of siege and ordered him to put .up his hands. Air. Mackay held up one hand. It is now conjectured that he attempted to produce his identity papers with the other hand. Unfortunately, the policeman thought Air. Mackay was going to uso his revolve! and fired immediately.

Police Criticised

NEWSPAPERS DEMAND THAT “ INQUIRY BE HELD.

BERLIN, May 5. The shooting has ceased, but the casualties number 23 dead and 190 wounded—-G5 seriously—rwhich. gives an idea of" the. s’tate. of tension prevailing,. The police report that apart from Air. Mackay’s do.ath, a representative of a 'Berlin newspaper was wounded in a. leg." The newspapers, severely criticise the methods of the poji.ee. They demand that a strict inquiry, be held. It is pointed out that not. one policeman figures in the 23 dead. The police are still holding two districts, The centre of the trouble is in a 6tate of seige and the streets are. cut off from the rest of Berlin with barbed wire barricades.

The Communists’ attempts to p.r.cci: nitate a general striko have utterly failed.

Communists Not Shot

THREE WIDOWS AMONG THE

SLAIN.

LONDON, May A

Prior to the shooting of Mr. Maekay, the Daily Telegraph’s-Berlin correspondent commented on the fact that tho casualties did not appear to be among the Communists, whom tho police were supposed to bo suppressing. On the contrary, the victims included three widows, two of- whom were known to be merely engaged in house cleaning. A man was killed while going to work. A Socialist was killed who merely appeared at a window and waved to the' police to show that he sympathised with their actions. Another police bullet killed a middle-aged war cripple who’ was waiting in a doorway for a favourable opportunity to fetch a jug of beer.