BROWNE AND KENNEDY GUILTY OF MURDER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18450, 28 April 1928, Page 2

BROWNE AND KENNEDY GUILTY OF MURDER.

DEATH SENTENCE PASSED ON MEN WHO SHOT POLICE CONSTABLE GUTTERIDGE.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received April 28, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 28. THE jury brought in a verdict of guilty against William Kennedy and Frederick Guy Browne on tlie charge of murdering Police Constable Gutteridge in Essex in September last. They were sentenced to death.—Australian Press Association.

KENNEDY’S STATEMENT EVIDENCE AGAINST HIMSELF ALONE.

JUDGE SUMS UP IN ESSEX MURDER CASE.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received April 28, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. •Mr Justice Avory, summing up in tbe Gutteridge case, reminded the jury that Kennedy’s statement was evidence against himself alone and not against Browne. He was satisfied that he did not- err in refusing the application to grant separate trials to the accused. He had sufficient confidence in the jury’s sense of justice to know that Browne would not be prejudiced by the fact that they were tried together.—Australian Press Association-United Service.

PRISONERS RECEIVE SENTENCES UNMOVED

BOTH SAY THEY HAVE NO FEAR OF DEATH. (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received April 28, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. The jury was absent for 180 minutes. Both received the sentence unmoved. Browne, in a long statement after the verdict, said that his conscience was quite clear. If he had got off he would have got penal servitude, or something else which was worse than death. Kennedy said he was not afraid of death, because he knew that in the hereafter he would be united .with one of the most darling girls in the world—the wife who had experienced this terrible ordeal.

Mrs Kennedy, sobbing loudly, hurried from the court, but her hysterical screams resounded in the building.

The doors of the Old Bailey were locked during the summing up, a proceeding which is unprecedented. Policemen were put on guard and nobody was allowed to enter or leave.

The Court was packed.—United Ser-

GREAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR SCOTLAND YARD

POLICE NEVER LET UP FOR SINGLE DAY.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Recieved April 28. 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, April 27. The results of the Browne-Kennedy trial probably will be regarded in the iuture as one of Scotland Yard’s best achievements. It certainly represent? the most complete job ever undertaken. Downright orders that the murderers must be found led to an unremitting .search, which did not slacken for a single day.

* Whsle the public imagined the affair wa.s being forgotten, detectives combed cut car-stealing gangs and took over 2000 statements from persons whom they required to account for their whereabouts on the night of the murder.

Lastly a man who was arrested in a drunken brawl at Brixton proved indirectly, to be the first clue. He was employed at Browne’s garage.

Discoveries there proved that Browne was probably concerned. The man was released on the brawling charge and charged with car stealing, which was not connected with the murder, in order to have him released while the murder inquiries were completed.—Australian Press Association-United Ser-

STORY OF LONELY ROAD CRIME

Further sensational evidence bearing on the murder of Police Constable Gutteridge was given at the South-West-ern Police Court, London, when the two men under remand were again before the Court and were committed for trial.

In a long statement, the admissibility of which was strongly disputed by the solicitors for the defence. William Kennedy (41). a compositor, accused Frederick Guy Browne (47), engineer, of Sisters Avenue, Clapharn S.W., of the murder of the constable, and described a dramatic night ride in a stolen car. The case for the Crown was continued by Mr 11. D. Roome. in view of the fact that Sir Travers Humphreys had, since the hearing opened, been appointed a Judge'of the High Court. After long arguments for and against Kennedy's alleged statement to the police. Mr Sandbach, the Magistrate, decided that it should be read.

Mr Roome then read the statement. After saying that he had been asked if he could give any information about the murder of Police Constable Gutteridge, and having been cautioned, had said he wished "voluntarily” to tell what he knew about the matter. Kennedy is alleged to have told how he came to enter Browne's employ at a garage in Battersea. lie (Kennedy) slept at. a garage, as also did Browne, till he joined his wife at. Huguenot Place, Easthill. The statement proceeded: "I well remember the day of September 26. He suggested that I should accompany him to Billericay to assist him in stealing a Raleigh car at the end of the High Street, away from the station. W r e went to a place which faces a large empty house, standing in its own grounds. Browne entered the grounds of the house where the Raleigh car was supposed to be. I accom-

panied Browne into the grounds. Browne opened the door of the garage, I think, with a key, and examined the Raleigh car, and we then left ‘the garage and grounds and hid in the grounds of the empty house and waited until the people owning the Raleigh car went to bed.

“Browne told me to wait in the grounds of the empty house, and Browne went to the garage where the car was stored. A dog came out, and. starting to bark, it made Bronwe leave and join me, and he said, ‘lt's no good here; we cannot get back- by train, and so we will try somewhere else.’ The time was then, I should think, about 11 pm. We walked through the village again and came to a spot which I now know as the doctor’s house, on a sharp bend at the opposite end to where the Raleigh car was, and on the main London road. We saw the garage at the end of the doctor’s house, and we went into a field opposite and sat on some low palings or gates and etched till the lights went out in the doctor’s house. It was getting late, an d must have been after midnight. After the lights went out Browne and I went to the garage, which is a wood structure, and he forced the doors with. I think, a small tyre lever or tool of sonic kind, which he took with him. Ihe door opened easily. He first examined the petrol tank and make of the car, and told me there was plenty of petrol in the tank. lie told me it was a Morris-Cowley. It ran down on its own weight to the road, and we pushed it along about 100 yards in the opposite direction, or at right angles to the main road. Browne said, We will go the by-ways and escape the main road.’

“Me then went for a long run round country lanes at great pace at different times. We got to several crossroads and corners, where it was necessary for us to examine the signposts, but eventually we got to a kind of main road on the way to Ongar. When we got some distance up on this road we saw someone on the bank, who flashed his lamp as a signal to stop.

"We drove on, and then I heard a police whistle, and told Browne to stop, lie did so quite willingly, and when the person came up we saw’it was a policeman. Browne was driving, and I was sitting on his left in the front. The policeman came up close to the car and stood near Browne, and asked him where he was going, and where he came from. Browne told him we came from Lea Bridge Road garage, and had been out to do some repairs. The policeman then asked him if he had a car. Browne said ‘No.’ He then asked Browne, “Have you a driving license?” Browne said, ‘No.’ The policeman then again asked him where he came from, and Browne stammered in his answer, and the policeman then said, Is the car yours?’ I then said, ‘No, the car is mine-.’ The policeman flashed his light in both our faces, and was at this time standing close to the running board on the offside. He then asked me if I knew the number of the car. and Browne said, ‘You see it on the front of the car.’ The policeman said, T know the number/ but do you?’ I said, ‘Yes, I can give you the number,’ -md said ‘T.W. 6120.’

lie said, “Very well, I’ll take particulars,” put his torch back in his pocket, and pulled out his notebook and was in the act of writing when I heard a report, quickly followed by another one. I saw the policeman stagger back and fall over by the bank at the hedge. I said to Browne, “What have you done?’.’ and then saw he had a large Webley revolver in his hand. He said, “Get out quick.” I immediately got out and went round to the policeman, who was lying on his back, and Browne came over and said, “I’ll finish the And I said. “For God’s sake don't shoot any more; the man’s dying,” as he was groaning. The policeman’s eyes were open. and Browne, addressing him. said, “What are you looking at me like that for?” and, stooping down, shot him at close range through both eyes. -There were only four shots fired.

“Browne then said, ‘Let’s get back into the car.’ We had driven close in to the bank, and backed out a little and drove on in the direction of Ongar. He gave me the revolver and told me to load it while he drove on. I loaded it. and in my excitement I dropped an empty shell in the car. The other three I threw away into the roads. We drove at a great pace through many villages, the names of which I do not know, but I know we went through Buckhurst Hill and then Bow, and the Elephant and Castle, and while on this journey Browne said, ‘Have }ou loaded that gun again? If you have, give it to me back.’ T gave it to him and he kept it on the seat by his righthand side. He wanted to take the car to the garage but I persuaded him to have nothing to do with the garage. “We drove to Brixton, and went up a road I do not know the name of, and drove into, a cul de sac at about 5.30 a.m. We left the car and came out into the main road and came by tram • car back to the garage, bringing with us two cases out of the car containing doctor's instruments. Those or the majority of them, were smashed up, and the cases were cut up into small pieces, which Browne later took out in his car and distributed about various rohds in the country so as to destroy all evidence, and I did not know that he retained any of the doctor’s property. I forgot to mention that on our journey after shooting the policeman, Browne turned into a tree owing to a fog at a gate. The fog was very dense at that time. I think he damaged the near side front wing. I was very excited at the time. We returned to the garage about 6 a.m. and commenced our work. “ Dyson (an employee) arrived at his usual time, about 8 a.m., and business carried on as usual. I suggested to Browne that we should go right away from London as 1 knew inquiries were sure to be made. Browne said there was no danger and induced me to : top, and said if I made up my mind to leave him he would blow my brains out. He had the Weblev revolver in his hand when he .said this, and, as I knew it was loaded, I thought he would. I then later went to a newspaper shop and purchased the various editions of the papers, and 'in one I found that Scotland Yard was suppo c ed to have found finger prints, and again wanted to leave, and he said, ‘ No

you don t; you'll stop here and face it out with me. If anvone comes up here there will be a shooting match.’ T remained in the garage till December and we saw newspapers on different dates relating to the crime and saw the account of the renewed inquest

in November and the reward. and Browne said. 4 They are still harping on that thing yet.’ In December T told Browne I was going away, and he made no objection then and drove me to Euston in the car, about, I think. December 17, 1927. I then went to West Kirby to an address I do not want to mention, and remained until January 13 last, when I returned to London with the woman I have married, and I have lived at 2. Huguenot Place, till last Saturday, January 21. 1928, when T left and went back to Liverpool, where I was arrested. Since I came to London on January 13 I have called at the garage on two occasions. He said. 4 llullo. you've come back.’ On the first occasion no mention was made of the crime. On January 17, 1925. a Tuesday, he wanted me to go to Devonshire with him in the car, but my wife persuaded me not to and told me whatever he was going for I was better out of it. I thanked Browne and I left. I went to the garage again at 2 p.m. on Saturday. January 21. 1928, and when I got to the entrance I found the gate locked and saw two men who looked to l>e detectives, and, suspecting something was wrong. I went to my wife and told her to pack as we were going away, giving her no reason. I went to Clapharn Common and sent a bogus telegram to myself saying someone was ill. This was an excuse I made to explain our leaving the house. I hoped to get some of ( the rent back I had paid, and the landlady gave me back three weeks’ rent. I then went to Euston and left for Liverpool by the midnight train, and was arrested as previously stated. “ I have seen Browne in possession of two Webley revolvers, which were always kept loaded, and he had plenty of ammunition. He also told me he had a Smith and Wesson, but I never saw it. 1 believe he kept it at home. He also a small nickel .22 revolver, which was also kept at home.. I have been worried ever since the murder of the constable, and at times I became desperate, expecting I should be arrested. and not knowing what to do. T have made this statement quite voluntarily after being cautioned, and am prepared to give it in a court of law if necessary. It has been read over to me and all I have stated is the whole truth of what took place on the night of September 20-27, 1927. (Sign ed) W. Kennedy.” At the end of the reading of this statement Browne jumped up in the dock and excitedly exclaimed: ” I hope you are satisfied with the useful way in which the case has been toncocted and put together by the police and everybody.’’ The magistrate told him to be quiet.