UNDERWORLD WAR

Evening Star, Issue 19712, 12 November 1927, Page 4

UNDERWORLD WAR

REVOLVER DUEL AFTERMATH RIVAL GANGS’ VENDETTA MAN SHOT IN STOMACH. Following the sensational revolver duel in which “Squizzy” Taylor and “Snowy ” Cutuuirc met their deaths at Carlton last week, the Melbourne underworld lias declared a war of vengeance (writes tho Sydney correspondent of the Auckland ‘Star,’ under date November 4). Rival gangs have bad several pitched battles in the streets, which culminated with tho revolver attack on a young man in North Melbourne on Sunday last. Ho was shot in tho stomach by one of a party of seven men who attacked him in the street after surrounding him. Tho young man was talking- to a friend and two young ladies, when the seven men drove up in the car. One of tho seven jumped out of the tar and said: “I want that girl,” and attempted to embrace ono of the young women. There was a fight, during which a revolver was fir?d, ami the young man staggered away and fell to tho ground. His assailant jumped into the car and drove off. The young man was rushed to the Melbourne Hospital, where he was admitted in a serious condition. Police were on the scone quickly, but failed to trace tho gang who were in the car. Later, however, a man was arrested and charged with attempted murder. The wounded man is known to have been an associate of Taylor’s, while his assailant is a member of a rival gang. WHY WAS CUTMORE SHOT? The police are still engaged in combing the underworld for the third man, who was said to have been in the room when tho revolver shots were fired which resulted in the Mouth of Taylor and Cutmore. But they are meeting with a wall of silence in their investigations. Associates of both the dead men are loth to give any information to the police, and make no secret of their intention to exact vengeance ou the man himself, according to their own standards, i. The police have detained, on a vagrancy charge, three young men, two of them brothers When brought before the Police Court on Monday last, tho police, in asking for a remand, mentioned that it was thought that the three men could give information concerning the duel. The two brothers arrested are Sydney natives,’ and reside at Darlinghursv. . Many detectives arc inclined to the belief that the shooting is an echo of the unsolved murder of Norman Brulin, who was shot at tho height of the razor gang war in Sydney. Though Sydney police headquarters concentrated tho brains of the C.T.D. on tracing Bruhn’s murderer, the crime still remains unsolved. ... T.t was ascertained, during their investigations, that Bruhn was a close associate of Taylor’s; while Cutmore, who was in Sydney at the time, was known to have been directing operations of a rival gang. Though the police do not suggest that Cutmore actually shot Bruhn, they aver that he could have given thoni valuable information on tho murder. But, though questioned by Sydney police at the time, he maintained that lie knew nothing of tho occurrence, and was allowed to return to Melbourne. It was thought likely that Taylor may have nursed a grudge against Cutmore, lor the fact that ho was opposed to, the operations of Bruhii’s gang, and this,, with other reasons, may have led to the shoW-down which culminated in the dual tragedy. _ : Sydney police met with the same reception from the underworld at the time of the Bruhn murder, as , Melbourne police are receiving at. present in their investigations into the Carlton duel. No information will be given, and lines of investigation which police follow, and which seem to bring them almost to a solution of the mystery surrounding the deaths, turn to cul'-de-sac through the refusal of gangsters to “squeal.” Investigations are at a standstill, and it probable that tho Taylor-Cutmore duel • and the Bruhn murder will remain mysteries.