CONSPIRACY CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12116, 18 April 1925, Page 13

CONSPIRACY CASE

FOUR DETECTIVES CHARGED DEMANDING MONEY BY MENACE ASTOUNDING EVIDENCE. _ MELBOURNE, April 4. Astounding evidence, in which it was alleged that four well-known members of the Victorian Detective Force tried to extort £6500 from Terehce Callaghan, licensee of the Londonderry Hotel, Collingwood, was given at the City Court to-day, when Detective O’Sullivan, Detective-Inspector Olholm, and Detective McPherson were charged with (1) conspiracy, (2) demanding £6500 by menace, and (3) stealing £IOOO. A fourth man, Inspector Fowler, was charged, but was not present, as the summons had not been served on him. Outlining the case fori the prosecution. Mr Gorman, representing the Callaghans, said that on February 17th the three accused and Inspector Fowler received £IOOO in bank notes. Mr Callaghan got in exchange (said counsel) an undertaking that certain threatened criminal proceedings against him and his daughter would not he gone on with. On the evening of February 12th, Annie. Callaghan, daughter of the licensee, bought from a roan named Quilty two cases of gin, two tins of tea, and two overcoats. AGREED TO TAKE £6500 . A fe-.v minutes after Quilty’s departure the police.entered the hotel, and conducted a search of the premises. Thev found certain goods. “Evidence will show.” continued Mr Gorman, “that on the Monday after their visit • the property was carried away, from the hotel by Detectives O’’Sullivan and Inspector Fowler, hater on in the night of February 12th, while Inspector Fowler and Miss Callaghan stayed at the hotel, Detectives O’Sullivan, Olholm, and McPherson went to Callaghan at his dairy in Fast street, and told him that they proposed to arrest him and his daughter. “Then Mr Callaghan was taken to ' the hotel, and there was a conversation for a long tune, until arrangements for payment had been concluded “Mr Callaghan denied all knowledge iof the property.. _ Detective O’Sullivan, although the junior of the party in a police force, was the leader of the enterprise. He ordered out of the room Detectives Olholm and McPherson,. both, his seniors, .. .and .Miss Callaghan. “Then he had a certain conversation with Mr Callaghan, Inspector Fowler being present at the interview. “Detective O’Sullivan told him how dreadful the business was, and said that the offence would mean two years for Mr Callaghan, and 12 months for his daughter. He varied this for Miss Callaghan later on, when he told her that both would get two years if Judge Woinarski tried them.

“ ‘You would not live in gaol for six months,’ said Detective O'Sullivan to the old man; ‘the bugs apd such thin as would kill you.’ “When told that Mr Callaghan was worth £BO,OOO, Detective O’Sullivan demanded £IO,OOO as the price of silence. ’ . .

“After further negotiations the detective decided to accept £6500. CHEQUE FOR £IOOO CASHED

, “At tho conclusion of the bargaining all parties shook hands, and the pact was sealed by a celebration which lasted until 2.30. the next morning. “During the evening Detective O’Sullivan, who had become loquacious, boasted that he was worth £9OOO and was earning £l6 a week. "At about 2 a.m. Mr Callaghan and Detective O’Sullivan went to the dairy, apd the latter looked round the place while Mr Catlaglian attended to the cows,”' said Mr Gorman. “It was here that O’Sullivan’s passion for honesty came in. He told Mr Callaghan that one of his drivdfs had taken out four gallons of milk more than had been given him. ‘‘Mr Callaghan biought out various securities, and Detective O’Sullivan helped him pick out three of the mast suitable to pay the £6500. “On the way back to the hotel Detective O’Sullivan pointed out a nice little cottage belonging to Mr Callaghan, and suggested the latter should give it to him when the £6500 was paid up, but Mr Callaghan refused. The following day Detective O’Sullivan accompanied Mr Callaghan on a tour of the. city, and endeavoured to get the securities cashed- “ Failing in this, Detective O’Sullivan then’ "decided to take £IOOO on aCedput. and a. cheque for that amount was cashed, and 10 £IOO notes handed pver.” The three detectives —Leo O’Sullivan, Inspector Olholm,. and Detective D. J. McPherson —were subsequently committed for trial.

. They pleaded not guilty, and. reserved their defence. Bail amounting to £6OO was allowed. Detective W. R. Fowler, the fourth man, has not yet been served with a writ, as the police cannot locate him. The Commissioner of Police received a letter purporting to come from Fowler, in which the writer stated that he had had a complete breakdown, was a nervous wreck, and asked that his resignation he accepted-