HEIDGER'S END

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 90, 26 October 1928, Page 11

HEIDGER'S END

THE COLOGNE BANDIT FINAL MESSAGES SHOT DOWN BY POLICE Australian Press Association. (Received 26th October, 2.30 p.m.) COLOGNE, 25th October. The Cologne bandit, Johaun Ileidger, was discovered at a large villa where he had contrived to remain all day long unnoticed, wandering from voom to room and dodging the occupants, until a maidservant accidentally discovered him in the cellar. When slie gave the alarm, the bandit cut the telephone wires and barricaded himself in a second floor bedroom. A hundred gendarmes were'soon on the spot. me owner of the villa and his family were, removed to safety. Tho police donned bullet-proof clothing and began _ to search the house. When they iound the room, they hacked a hole m the door, but it was heavily barricaded with furiture. Summoned to surrender, Heid"er replied with a pistol shot. The police returned' fire through tho hole. Heidgcr then fired on, tlio police m tho street. They replied with carbines. After Heidgcr had killed a policeman tho police hurled three grenades into tlie room. Ileidger feigned to siir render, but fired again, whereupon the police shot him in seven places, including the head, chest, and stomach. A curious feature of the case is that Hcidger scribbled affectionate letters to his father, brothers, sisters, and iianceo while behind the barricade. To his father ho wrote: "The time is passing quickly. 'They are already coming. Thank you for your kindness, and help mother by kindness to bear the terrible blow." He also wrote to the Public Prosecutor asking him. to be lenient to the third man captured on Saturday, saying that he himself had seduced the third man into crime. The police victims, include Phillip Volmer, a brilliant detective, responsible for tho .arrest of Frand Swaboda, who murdered' a New Zealander at Mulheim in 1919.