A BURGLAR SHOT BY A CONSTABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9719, 15 January 1895, Page 5

A BURGLAR SHOT BY A CONSTABLE.

A tragedy was enacted at South Forbes, New South Wales, early on the morning of January Bth, which roused consternation through the whole town as soon as the facts were made known. A burglar named Benedetto Folchiero was shot by Constable Hawkins, and died from the effects of his wound. For some considerable time past the inmates of Mr. Nicholas' residence at South Forbes, have been subjected to considerable annoyance by the midnight visits of some persons who have been tampering with the windows and boring holes in the walls of the house, which is built of wood. On New Year's Eve a man opened the window of Miss Nicholas's room, and took her by the wrist as though feeling for jewellery, but he escaped before the men about the place could be aroused. On January 7 Mr. Nicholas left home for Wyalong, and in consequence of his absence the ladies of the family felt their position so keenly that they decided to Bend for police protection. Sub-inspector M'Cartie sent Constable Hawkins down, and he slept in the room previously occupied by Miss Nicholas. At about one o'clock in the morning he was aroused by hearing persons on the verandah adjoining the room. One man was close to the window, and Hawkins tried bo grab him by the wrist, but he did not succeed. He then jumped out of the window and saw three men running away. He followed and called upon them to stand, at the same time firing a revolver shot into the air. They did not stand, two escaping through the eate at the back, leading into a paddock, while the third ran into a small enclosure in the back garden, and hearing Hawkins approaching, he turned and rushed towards him. Hawkins, suspecting treachery, fired, shooting the man, who was an Italian named Benedetto Folchiero, in the head, from the result of which wound Folchiero, who was better known by the name of Little Bennie, died. The bullet entered the left temple, and lodged in the cerebellum, or smaller brain. The deceased had left his boots near the garden gate, and they were found this morning. An inquesb was held on the deceased, before Mr. Coroner Sowter and a jury of twelve, when the following verdict was returned :— " We find that the deceased, Benedetto Folchiero, was at Forbes, in the colony of New South Wales, on the Bth day of January, 1895, killed by being shot through the head by Constable Hawkins in the execution of his duty, and we return a verdict of justifiable homicide. We also wish to add a rider commending Constable Hawkins for his action."