BANDITS BUN TO EARTH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14008, 12 March 1920, Page 5

BANDITS BUN TO EARTH.

DRAMATIC CAPTURE OF TWO BERLIN CRIMINALS. Two of Berlin's most notorious criminals were run to earth and captured this morning Ih the. persons of the Brothers Strauss, both men with long records of crime, culminating in an affray with the police oil, December 9. in which one policeman was killed and both the criminals escaped. Information reached the police that the "wanted" men had.rented apartments in a street in the south-east of Berlin, and early this morning the house, was surrounded and two police officers, accompanied by six men, entered the house. There was a dramatic moment when the police, guided by the mistress of the house, knocked at. the door of the room occupied by the brothers. No. reply, came from within. The police again knocked and cried, ''We are file police. Hands tip !" A voice from the room "Get the woman out of the way. We are going to shoot!" A police- officer who had formerly had dealings with Emil Strauss then called up. "You know' me. Emil. The game is tip. Come, ont!" There was a pause, and then the answer came, "We havei our hands up. Open the door!" The police cautiously turned the handle, covered by the revolvers of their subordinates. brothers, half-dressed, stood in the centre of the room with their hands above their heads. They were at once seized and handcuffed. .Both the brothers broke rut' of- prison about a year asro. One has an unexpired sentence of fifteefa years to run. and the other one of twelve yenrs. The list of thpir uncxpiated crimes includes., besides the murder'of a noliceman last month, a nostal robbery last Februarv, in which tliev secured valuables amountintr to 130.000 marks (nominally -£6500). Berlin i<=. therefore, liWlv to be freed from the presence of these two desperate characters for a considerable period. ' . '