Sydney Gang Murder Unsolved

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31409, 30 June 1967, Page 11

Sydney Gang Murder Unsolved

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, June 29. Guns and gambling in Sydney’s gangland have gripped the headlines this week after the underworld execution of a baccarat school operator. The police have drawn a complete blank after interviewing more than 100 people about the death of Richard Gabriel Reilly, aged 59, and the case appears set to become the ninth unsolved gangland killing in Sydney in the last four years. Reilly—known as “the Baccarat King”—was mown down by a hail of bullets as he drove his $17,000 Maserati sports car towards Kings Cross. As in all the other killings, there were no witnesses and no weapon has been found. Most of the underworld executions have been of gamblers, petty crooks and stand-over men involved in protection rackets among

Sydney’s bookmakers, baccarat and two-up operators and sly-grog sellers. The picture of Sydney’s sleazy bullets and betting fringe unfolded by newspapers during the week is little removed from Chicago in the hey-day of Al Capone. Richard Reilly’s name has gone on the dossier of death which includes such names as “Pretty Boy” Walker, “Mad Dog” Sheridan, “Big Barry” Flock, and “Ducky” O’Connor.

His murder, which more than any other has focused attention on large-scale organised gambling in Sydney, has posed a number of questions which the people of Sydney are asking themselves today: If baccarat, roulette, chemin-de-fer and other illegal gambling games are as prevalent and easy to find as the newpsapers say, why aren’t the police doing anything about it? How did Richard Reilly, an undischarged bankrupt, obtain a $lOO,OOO house

and a 160 miles an hour wagering is forthcoming.” sports car, without it “Come off it. Norm,” said coming to the notice of the “Sun.” “They don’t know the police or authorities? where the games are? Ask Who will be next on the mur- an^" e d nf9 The Sydney Morning aer Usl ‘ Herald” said: “People in the The last question is a real King’* Cross area are well fear in the underworld, as aware* of the establishments Reilly is believed to have and they have become part many genuine friends who will of the scene.” want their revenge. The “Daily Telegraph” said On top of this, an anony- pointedly: “Regrettably, the mous caller telephoned a Syd- fact must be faced that while new newspaper minutes after the Illegal gambling goes on Reilly had been shot and said: the police are under suspicion “Tell them that’s for O’Con- of getting a slice of the cake nor (the last gangland vic- in return for closing their tim) and there’s going to bo eyes to the activity.” The more.” newspaper was a lone voice

The police have come under heavy attack for their refusal to break up the glambling dens. Reporters this week told of 21 baccarat schools in Syd-ney-one with an annual turnover of $500,000 a year—and have interviewed players, operators, bouncers and cockatoos, the clubs’ look-out men. The police commissioner, Mr Norman Allan, has said only: “Police action is taken at all times and in all cases where evidence of any form of unlawful gaming and/or

in backing a call by the Lord Mayor, Aiderman John Armstrong, for baccarat to be legalised in State-operated casinos. Amid the hysterical reaction to the proposal, the newspaper observed: “There is a murderous hoodlum element in Sydney, feeding on illegal gambling. If the Government was getting the revenue from casinos it would take every step to ensure that the police did their duty properly and clamped down on any illegal games.”