SYDNEY PARK PROWLERS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 48, 25 February 1921, Page 4

SYDNEY PARK PROWLERS

HOW A CONSTABLE WAS MUR-

DERED". X-

((ROM pUB OWN CpnUDSrONDBST.) ■ " SyplSfEY,': 16th February,

Sensational evidence y/iis. given in regard to pai'k prowlers at an inquest" cou : cernipg the death of .Constable''Wo'lgast, who" Was shot while chasing a bag: snatcher in brie of the parks. ' AVoigaat'was a very popular constable and athlete. It was reported that " tbuti'iit;" ("spying upon • lovers and proljably blaclvinailing thero) and thieving were prevalent'in the great Centennial Park, antl' Wplgast'was"placed there on night duty- One night a man named Kennedy and a girl were sitting in tho park, when two men rushed 'past them, iiiiti" one, as'he rap, snatched' up the girl's bag. Kennedy sprang up and chased''thb man with the bag', shouting 'loudly 'as' he• did so. H* hiid gone some distance when Con: stable Wolgast spraiicr put of the bushes and,went aftor the'thief. He was gaining' '.rapidly-on him, when the thief turned and fired a" revolver at him.' Th& constable fell, fatally' shot. Kennedy' got' the constable's- revolver'"aiid took up the chase," firing three shots, but the thief escaped into the bushes.' 1 To shoot-a man for the'sake'of a bag, and such a man as Wolgast', aroused the Sydney police to a p^lch'p'i fury seldom equalled. "Every individuaj constable swore'"that he would'riot rest until this nipst contemptible of murderers was found. It seemed a hoglple^s task, though, for no pile had clearly seen." the murderer. The description circulated \vould. have pt'ted ten thousand men. •

I!ut the'police set jjejterniipedly to work. They raked oyer the underworld until every .crook"-was - "oh the jump," and they put tho "third .degree" on to hundreds of suspects—and they 'got nothing;" But "the ' detective^ ' had if. theory. This man, they pointed. put, had a. mate. They were park touts— the lowest and most contemptible of all criminals—and there was" no'honour among them. "Make the reward high enough," they said, "and the mate wjll ■give the murderer away." They, started with a'reward of £2^o.and gradually increased it." When the regard was at £700 certain information came to hand, and ap.-arrest was made. The poljce are quite'satisfied they" have got the murderer. He was' present iri custody at the inquest, when a number of park touts' were brought up by the police to give evidence. All testified that "the prisoner, known as "Jewey,'*"was a habitual park prowlerj and two asserted.-that on tne night in question he stole the bag and shot tlie constaile. A labourer • called- Ellicombe gave remarkable evidence. ' He said that Jewey carried a'revolver and had s-worn lie would shoot if followed. Asked ho\y many of them there were in this Centennial Park regiment pf'prowlers, 1 EIH--combe ,<ai(J about one hundred, divided into day-siders and night-workers. ''May I take, it that this.is a lucrativebusiness?"—"Oh, I "don't know. If I see a, bag I take it."

"Jitow long is it sine? you went to the Poi'k?"—"About four, or five years." "What would your total sentences for these nefarious practices amount to?—^ "About two years, the whole lot."

"Any obligation on the members of this union.to share the spoil?"— "' So." "Have you ever seen tho prisoner take bags?"—<! Yes-the same as myself. But if a; man can't put up with three or'six "months' for stealing, without shooting, he ought to give the game up." ' " Jew«y was sent to trial."