SHOOTING INCIDENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 132, 7 June 1939, Page 11

SHOOTING INCIDENT

DUCHESS OF KENT

MAN CHARGED & REMANDED

FIREARM PRODUCED IN COURT

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Received June 7, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, June 6. As a sequel to the shot which was fired at the Duchess of Kent as she was leaving her house in daylight at 8.30 p.m. yesterday to go to a Haymarket cinema, Ledwedge Vincent Lawlor, aged 45, described as a welder's assistant, of Newington Causeway, appeared in the Westminster Police Court on a charge that, on June 5, in Belgrave Square, he had possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property, contrary to the Firearms Act. Lawlor, a bald-headed man, was wearing a double-breasted navy blue suit and carrying his hat. . A firearm, one foot long, with a polished wooden butt, was produced in court. There was a series of loud metallic clicks as the usher fumbled with it in displaying it to the Magistrate. POLICE EVIDENCE. Detective-Inspector Hayward, giving evidence concerning the arrest, said he told the accused at the Gerald Road Police Station that he had seen him discharge the weapon produced at a motor-car in Belgrave Square. Lawlor, he said, replied, "It is my property. I possess a certificate for it." The de-tective-inspector continued: "I told him that a certificate did not entitle him to carry and discharge it in a street. When the charge was read to him Lawlor did not reply." During this evidence Lawlor sat in a corner of the dock, fumbling with his shabby fawn felt hat and occasionally glancing towards the Press box. After hearing Detective-Inspector Hayward, tne Court adjourned to enable the police to obtain a 'witness to describe the alleged discharge of the weapon. On the. resumption of the Court, Constable Tice stated in evidence that at 8.40 p.m. yesterday, when accompanied by Constable Dickie on duty in Belgrave Square, he saw the prisoner standing on the opposite corner when, the Duchess left her home, and as her car passed by he heard a shot and saw the accused hurrying across the road to a bicycle. "I boarded another car," he said, "and overtook the prisoner some distance away. I swerved the car and forced him against a traffic island. Later, a gun was picked up from the pavement. The breech contained an empty cartridge case." Lawlor was remanded in custody for a week. Scotland Yard and Australia House are unable to substantiate a statement that Lawlor is an Australian or that he came from Australia. WALL OF HOME STRUCK BY BULLET. The "News Chronicle" says that a bullet whizzed past the Duchess's car and struck the wall of her house. Extra police guarded the house all last night. The Duke of Kent, after having dinner with the Duchess, had left by car to attend a Masonic dinner a few minutes before the Duchess, and he did not hear of the occurrence until he returned at 10.15 p.m. He anxiously awaited the Duchess's return and met her in the hall. She made light of the incident. The children of the Duke and Duchess were staying in the country at the time. The King has been informed of the shooting incident. INCIDENT AT EARL OF HAREWOOD'S HOUSE. The "Daily Mail" says that Scotland Yard is investigating <whether a bullet broke a window in the dining-room of the Earl of Harewood's home, and also whether members of the Irish Republican Army are responsible. Other sources state that the window of the Earl of Harewood's home is believed to have been damaged by a pellet from an airgun or a catapult. The Press Association says that the police attach no importance to the incident, which occurred yesterday morning. Extra police and private detectives accompanied the Duchess of Kent to a garden party held by the Chelsea Babies' Club.