FIRE IN SYDNEY NEWSPAPER

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27710, 14 July 1955, Page 13

FIRE IN SYDNEY NEWSPAPER

Editor Tells Name Of Suspect (Rec. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY. July 13. Philip Engisch, editor of the Bankstown newspaper, “Torch,” told the inquiry today that he suspected Jack Fitzpatrick was responsible for the fire which destroyed the “Torch” building. The Crown counsel, Mr A. J. Goran. Q.C., then asked: Do you mean through his own hand or the hand of some agent? Engisch: It could be either. Mr Goran: Do you suspect that Ray Fitzpatrick may have had a hand in this fire? Engisch: Knowing Ray Fitzpatrick as I do I do not feel that he would come at that. Jack Fitzpatrick, a former New South Wales opening bat and a former employee of the Bankstown Council, is a brother of Ray Fitzpatrick, who is serving a three months’ sentence for breach of Parliamentary privilege. The Parramatta Coroner, Mr Smythe, is inquiring into a fire which destroyed the “Torch” office on April 11. Engisch said he had been friends with Jack Fitzpatrick, but the friendshin deteriorated over a period from 1947. It broke into open enmity in October, 1953. He said his friendship with Fitzpatrick came to an end “on a Saturday in October, 1953, when he assaulted me in a shed.” Later he said he felt he could fear other violence and kept away. Mr Goran: You received other threats? Engisch: Yes, one from Jack Fitzpatrick and the other by telephone. I recognised the voice as his. When was the telephone threat?— July, 1954. He said that the telephone rang, there was a pause and he was going to hang up when a voice said: “You can take this as a warning. Lay off me or your dirty paper or your factory will be burnt down.” Engisch said he asked. “Is that you Jack?” and there was a laugh and a voice said. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” The telephone was then hung up. x Before that he published a report covering a local government inquiry and an appeal by Fitzpatrick for reinstatement in the Municipal Council. Engisch also said that a week before Christmas, the date the Full Bench of the Industrial Commission rejected an application by Jack Fitzpatrick for reinstatement, Fitzpatrick said: “You won’t be smiling for long. You’ll have a bomb under your place before you know where you are.” Engisch told Mr Goran he did not see his solicitors as he did not regard it as seriously then as he would now.