MURDER IN TRAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22405, 29 April 1936, Page 13

MURDER IN TRAIN

CRIMINAL'S KEMOBSE ACCUSATION WITHDRAWN VICTIM'S NAME CLEARED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 23, 9.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 28 The Minister of Justice, Mr. L. O. Martin, has received a statement from Edwin Hickey, who is to be executed on May 14 for the murder of Mr. Montague Henwood, New South Wales Conciliation Commissioner. The condemned man, in his statement, withdraws the aspersions he had made against his victim, namely, that he had first attacked accused. Hickey now is anxious to clear Mr. Henwood's good name and make complete reparation to his family, whoso forgiveness he has asked. The statement adds: "I had no intention of killing Mr. Henwood. I merely intended to stun and rob hira, but when he attempted to defend himself I completely lost my head and was not responsible for my actions afterwards." Edwin Hickey, a dairy hand, was found guilty in the Sydney Criminal Court on December 16 of murdering Mr. Henwood, whose body was found beside a railway line. Hickey was sentenced to death. His defence was that Mr. Henwood had endeavoured to assault him and that during a struggle in the railway carriage Hickey killed Mr. Henwood with a water bottle, rifled his pockets, and threw his body out of the train.