UNSAVOURY CRIME WAVE

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 75, 29 March 1928, Page 21

UNSAVOURY CRIME WAVE

SYDNEY AT GRIPS WITH

UNDERWORLD.

SHOOTINGS AND STABBINGS

GOVEn-VME-NT TAKES ACTION.

iFrom Our Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, March 23.

on tbreak of extreme lawlessness, unprecedented in the history of New South Wales, has been raging for the past fortnight, the high lights being revolver duels iu the brightly-lighted city streets, razor rl.i>l)ings, and violence of all kinds.

No more blatant disregard of the law could be imagined than characterised a running fipht between rival gangs near the Central Railway Station, one young man being shot in the abdomen, another nearlv kicked to death, and a policeman bein'* tired upon when he intervened.

The affray began, more or less, at the races during the afternoon, when Norman McDonald, aged 21, described as a labourer, was stopped by the police from fighting with another man.

At 7 p.m. the same night McDonald was bailed up outside the brightly-lit entrance to the Underground Railway, both his assailants firing at him, but only one bullet striking the mark.

McDonald staggered to a taxi rank »nd demanded to be driven to Sydney Hospital, where he was admitted in a serious condition. Though two operations have been made since, and his condition has been serious all through, he steadfastly refuses to give the names of his assailants.

A few minutes after he was shot Constable Kingston, who was in plain clothes, was standing near the spot where the shooting took place, when he overheard about a dozen young men threatening to "get" McDonald's assailant.

They were still discussing plana when a volley of rifle shots was heard from a nearby street, and within a few seconds a young man ran into the light, pursued by about four others. The quarry carried in one hand a long ham knife, and in the other a smoking revolver. His pursuers were all armed with guns, and these they were firing as they ran. Opposite where the constable was standing the quarry turned and fired several shots in the direction of the men chasing him, none of the many bullets fired taking any effect. Turning into froveaux Street, the quarry, obviously fagged from a long run, ran into the hallway of a house, and waa followed by his pursuers.

When Constable Kingston dashed over to the rescue the four assailants had tha other man on the floor, and they were hitting and kicking him mercilessly. ' At the intervention of the constable the attackers straightened up and asked what he wanted. He informed them that he was a policeman, whereupon they calmly turned their guns on him. "You're not wanted here—get out," they said, and Kingston, unarmed, started to retire.

Apparently he was not swift enough for the jtanpsters, for they fired three shots after him, the bullets whistling past his head as he ran for assistance. In live minutes he returned from the nearest police station, with a car load of other police, to find the hallway deserted. Blood was everywhere on the walls and floor, and there was ample evidence that the man attacked had been badly beaten. Several stories were told by residents near by, one being that the four attackers ran away soon after the shots were fired at the policeman, and that a woman, who had been hovering near by in a taxicab, carried the wounded man out of the hallway and drove away with him.

It was amazing, however, that all those interviewed could not describe or identify any of the persons concerned, though the police know them to have been habitues of that area for years. Subsequently two arrests were made on charges of vagrancy; but the police admit there is no possibility of any more serious charge, since those mainly concerned will say nothing. McDonald, in one statement to the police, said: "I'm not going to squeal on the joker who shot me. I was in a shooting affair once, and I don't want the police to do anything about the matter. His name will die with me." At the time his life was despaired of, and an urgent operation was about to be performed.

All inquiries since have failed to bring to light oven one person who will give any evidence. Nevertheless, the police are in possession of information definitely indicating the persons responsible for the shooting; but are powerless to act since their informants will not come to court.

The man who was kicked insensible after being fired on in the street is believed to be the gunman who shot McDonald, and may be identical with the man with whom McDonald was fighting at the races earlier in the day. More Shooting. Following sharply on the heels of the major episode, came another shooting affair, a few days later, when a man named Frederick Smith was shot in the forehead in the Haymarket.

Smith, according to police reports of the occurrence, was in a house in Lower Campbell Street, when a disturbance occurred between a man and his wife. When it commenced, Smith, who had nothing to do with the quarrel, left the house. Francis Leslie McNeill, who has since been arrested and charged with fhooting with intent to murder, was' also in the house at the time of the quarrel. He is alleged to have left the house at the same time as Smith did, *nd to have fired a revolver at Smith. The latter was taken to Sydney Hospital. admitted, operated upon, and is now out of danger. O'Neill, brought before the Court, was remanded, bail being refused. Slashed With Razor. Next, night a one-legged man, resident nt Darlinghurst, was badly slashed with a razor. "Snowy" Baverstock, as he is known, staggered to the corner of l orbes Street, Darlinghurst, and asked two young men standing there to take him to hospital. To them he stated that the Razor (Jang had attacked him. He presented a fearsome sight, since his head and face were covered in blood, which had coursed down his cheeks, and dyed his white shirt completely red. At hospital it was found that he had numerous deep, criss-crossed wounds on the top <>f the scalp, and two deep slashes on the right temple, one extending almost to the ear.

Investigating his story, police received other information as to bow he got his wounds, and they subsequently arrested «is wife on a charge of inflicting crievous bodily harm.

When charged before the Court, it was hard to distinguish which of the pair was more injured, for Baverstock's wife had two black eyes and her face was cut and bruised extensively. The police prosecutor pointed out to the magistrate that the room at the Baverstock home was in disorder when the police went there, and there were evidence that there had been a sanguinary battle. The woman was remanded. Government Acts.

Stirred at last by the lawlessness which prevails in Sydney, the Government has announced its intention of adding to the statutes a law making razor crimes punishable by flogging. It appears to have been overlooked that, with a very few exceptions, none of the aggressors in such crimes has ever been apprehended. Also, since the continued lawlessness, it has been announced that money is to be made, available for the enrolment of 200 additional policemen.

Sydney newspapers, however, are continually asking the Government to introduce a "consorting" section to the present Crimes Act, a section such as is used extensively in New Zealand, so that the gangs can be broken up effectively in Sydney. Additional policemen, and suggested floggings, it is pointed out, may be all right and quite necessary; but unless it is made an offence for known criminals to be found in association, there is little likelihood of the position being improved. In the past few months Melbourne's unenviable reputation for violent crime has been transferred to Sydney.