MURDER CHARGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 December 1937, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE

SHOOTING OF NOTED GANGSTER SYDNEY MAN ACQUITTED fUnited Press Association—By Etectrlo Telegraph— Copyrightl SYDNEY ,16th December. At the Criminal Court to-day Gabriel Reilly was acquitted on a charge of murder of Clarence Thomas. The evidence disclosed that Reilly shot Thomas in self-defence after Thomas had attacked his brother. Thomas hitherto had been a notorious gangster. The case was a sequel to a daylight gangster shooting affray in Castlereagh Street in the centre inu the city near large department stores on 18th November. In the presence of crowds of people, Thomas was shot dead. This was quickly followed by the arrest of another man holding a smoking revolver. Thomas was recently before the court on a charge of consorting with criminals. After his release from Long Bay gaol his case was taken up by the Rev. Albe Morris, Methodist gaol chaplain, who assailed the police for allegedly persecuting released prisoners. Mr Morris went to the length of inviting Thomas to tell his story from the pulpit, which was given wide publicity. Thomas’s assailant was standing menacingly over him when a constable on traffic duty, who heard the revolver shot and the screams of fleeing women, swooped down on the alleged culprit, who made no attempt to escape.