COURT BESIEGED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 226, 13 December 1927, Page 9

COURT BESIEGED

SYDNEY MURDER TRIAL STUBBORN DEFENCE POLICE METHODS ASSAILED By Cable. — Press Association. —Copi '-jM SYDNEY, Mond;.>. The trial of the brothers Hubert, William and Bruce Higgs, in connection with the murder of Ronald Leslie, a grazier, of Manly, was continued today. William Higgs is charged with murder. and the charges against his brothers are of being accessories rfter the fact. Interest in the trial is unabated and great crowds daily besiege the court. Counsel for the defence, Mr. Wlndeyer, is fighting stubbornly against the Crown case, which he claims is purely circumstantial and, so far as actual proof goes, very weak. To-day's evidence was punctuated by objection after objection by Mr. Windeyer and his objections were generally upheld by the Judge. The principal objection was that detectives cross-examined William Higgs while he was under their control and that that cross-examination was now' being used against him on his trial, contrary to the principles of administration of justice in Australia. ACCUSED IN BOX The Judge ruled that an application by the Crown Prosecutor to ask William Higgs about has previous character should not be allow’ed, and his Honour also refused leave for crossexamination on accused’s character or antecedents in relation to his character prior to October 12, the day of the murder. William Higgs, giving evidence, said w’hen he was taken to the detective office on October 13 he was under the impression that he was suspected in connection w ith a robbery at a garage at Bondi, of which he had been told, and not of the murder of Leslie, which occurred the day before. He said he was utterly surprised when a charge of murder was launched against him. —A. and N.Z.