TERRORISED BY UNDERWORLD

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1937, Page 13

TERRORISED BY UNDERWORLD

ALLEGATIONS IN COURT

MELBOURNE, April 7

Allegations that James Ezekiel Dugan, commercial artist, 18. of Barklystreet, Footscray, had been “driven almost to distraction by members of the underwork!, who followed him with guns," were made by Mr. Long, counsel for Dugan, at the St. Kilda Court to-day. Dugan and McGregor Kean, motor mechanic, of Auburn, were each charged with having on March 26, while armed with a. pistol, robbed John Henry Chapman of a sedan car worth £750. They were committed for trial at the Supreme Court on April 15. Each was allowed bail. Dugan was a witness for the Crown in the Scriven murder case.

On a. charge of having carried an unregistered pistol each of the accused was sentenced to imprisonment, for three months, but the sentence was suspended when they entered into bends to be of good behaviour for two years.

John Henry Chapman, garage proprietor, of Moonee Ponds, said that about 8.50 p.m. on March 26. he was seated in his sedan car when two masked men appeared. One pointed a. pistol at. him, and told him to get out. When Chapman had alighted from the car, the two men entered it. and drove away.

Frank Gordon Chapman, garage proprietor, brother of John Chapman, said that on the night of March 26, he dlove, to Royal Park. A man named Ciegg, armed with a shotgun, and a man mimed Boyden, armed with a revolver, accompanied him. At Royal Park they saw the missing sedan. They drew alongside it. Boyden flashed a torch on the driver of the sedan, and pointed his revolver at him. Robert Boyden, garage, assistant, said that he told Kean, who was in tho driver’s seat, to put up his hands. Dugan began to get out of the car with a pistol in each hand. At witness's command. Dugan dropped the pistols. A third pistol was lying on the seat of the sedan.

Plainclothes Constable Gorey said that, when Dugan was asked at Rus-sell-street to explain his conduct, he said that he carried guns because he feared that an attempt would be made on his life. He had been a witness in the Scriven murder trial, and had been followed for months.

In answer to a question, Dugan had said to Gorey: "I was going- in the car io Easey Street, Collingwood, to shoot, them up. That is where one of them liv<?s."

“Dugan has been terrorised by members of the underworld, who have been following him since the Scriven trial began," Mr. Long said. "One of his thadowers had a sub-machine gun. such, as is usml bv American gangsters, which is capable of holding 150 rounds. - ’

Mr. Long added that Dugan had been .-hot twice since the trial.