"Inner Storu' of the Jamous eveleigh Hold-up"

NZ Truth, Issue 997, 3 January 1925, Page 5

"Inner Storu' of the Jamous eveleigh Hold-up"

THE Hold-Up at the Eveleigh Railway Workshops, Newtown, Sydney, m its own way is an historic event. Characterised by remarkable daring and patient planning, it is easily one of. the greatest criminal coups ever committed m the Commonwealth, and but for the treachery of a woman and perhaps the foolishness of the two principals, it is quite possible that the perpetrators would have safely escaped with the £3,300 which, they had taken from the pay-cart when •it drew up outside the Workshops. AT the time, the hold-up created intense excitement, and. even to-day, with the lapse of ten years, it is not forgotten. Whenever a daring hold-up takes place, it is compared m Sydney with the robbery of the Eveleigh pay-cab, and the story of that event is once more related and discussed. ■ " ,-.:. . A BUT the passing of the years has not seen the publication of the full story ol this remarkable affair. It has never been told, but ' has remained a close secret.

NOW "Truth. tells the "inside" and authentic story of the coup, relating for the first time the story lying behind the facts which, were published at the time. THE -article is written by .".Truth's" crime specialist, a man who is m close contact with the underworld, and who knows the "inside stories of many of the most/remarkable criminal adventures ever staged m Australia. IN almost every ;detail the story is true and accurate, but to tell • the whole truth would be to incriminate certain persons who ' were never officially suspected of being concerned m the case, or who, if suspected, managed to escape conviction for ■' their parts m the hold-up. Solely for this reason a little ", fiction has had to be woven into the story here and there, , while other facts could not be told, and some of the names mentioned have been altered, fictitious titles being substituted. . . .

The story of the hold-up date's back' to April, 1914. In that >month Ernie Ryan, known to his mates at the time as "Shino," a monicker which has changed with the passing of the years to "Shiner," was quietly lying under, cover among friends m a certain suburb of Adelaide. Although young m years, Ryan was old m .experience, and already he was known to the police as a clever and daring criminal. During his short , appearance on life's stage he had collected a string of aliases and a list of convictions, some of them for more or less petty offences; others for more serious criminal deeds. • , That the police recognised m Ryan a worthy opponent is shown by the interest which they displayed m him at the time. A crime-wave was sweeping - over Adelaide, and they attributed to him many little midnight happenings . which they were , unable to clear up. .Whether he was responsible or not does not matter— anyhow, that is another story. To-day Ryan, who is m the Yatala Labor Prison, Adelaide, is one of the y most remarkable, cleverest,' and -daring .criminals m the, Commonwealth, and again and again he has amazed and dazzled . public and police with the cunning and intrepid daring of his exploits. Indeed, "Shiner?' Ryan is almost as much a household word as "Clever Mary" or "Zam-Buk;" Ryan was. ready to seek pastures fresh, and the chance came when he received a letter from a former Western Aus-tralian-pal.' : ■ ' ' ■ ' : Fatal Letter. ; " , V The letter was ' short, y and to the point, but m view of what' subsequent-

ly happened it can hardly be said to have been sweet. This is how it ran: "Dear Em,— Juajfc a few lines, hoping, you are ,O.K. I. have a proposal to make to you, old boy. How about coming over here and helping me to pull off a job that will land - us a couple of thousand apiece? It is a daylight stunt out at Newtown, and it is of the holdup kind. A motor will be needed m the game, and I know you can manage one. If you decide to come, let me know, and I will meet you on arrival. Yours, "JEWEY." For. a few days Ryan thought over this somewhat vagrie and decidedly incriminating: letter, but he was -not long m deciding- to run over to Sydney .to have a chat with his erstwhile mate. "Old Sammy." W ' ]■'. , ■' ; On his way across from Adelaide, Ryan called m at Melbourne, and hunted up another of his underworld acquaintances. This man was a veritable veteran of crime. „ Sammy ; Edwards, alias Falkiner, was, his name, but to ; many of his pals .and associates, he was known as "Old Sammy." Fifty . ■' years of age, he had spent the greater portion of his life m the underworld, and so far as Ryan knew at this time he was "square," which, m plain English, means a man who loyally sticks to his friends. . Ryan told "Old Sammy" of his intended visit to Sydney, and commissioned him to be; on the alert m Melbourne m. case he needed his assistance m any "way. Haying- fixed up this matter, "Shiner" went on to Sydney, and there was met on Arrival by "Jewey" Freeman, the writer of the letter, who, like Ryan, is still m gaol. Freeman took- Ryan around the underworld, - and- introduced him to, several prominent and some unknown celebrities. .■•'.■ • • . v Ryan has asserted; that he discovered that most of them knew all about the intended : hqld-'up, and that when he asked his pal for, an explanation of this breach of : undei'world etiquette, Freeman explained the position by stating that he' had. put the job. up to most of them, but: they either '.'died" on it. or it was too ."heavy" for .them to handle. ■■. ■■' ■■"': • ' : But • "j.e,wey"-:was,; not,, the -type, of »urn to indulge m r idl^' talk. He had

the reputation -of being- "solid;" and was hardly likely to tell all and sundry of the purposed exploit. Among the personalities Ryan met through Freeman were at least two ladies. One was Sadie Clamb, one of "Jewey's" great friends, and the other was Edith Kelly, who did her best, and. with a good degree ; of success, let it be said, to attract Ryan. Being a .pretty good-looking sort of chap, and not having as yet learnt the truth contained m the maxim, "Never , trust a woman," Ryan befriended this woman m a dozen different ways. Had he not been quite so young and foolish, he would have known that her return for his generosity would be that generally shown by the majority of her class. The two mates were nt^: longr m getting to work. Patient Planning. A few days after "Shiner's" arrival they went out to Wilson Street, Newtown, to carefully look over the place where the hold-up was to be committed. ' At that time every second Wednesday was pay day ' at the Eveleigh workshops, and the pay roll ran into many thousands of pounds. It was the custom for the money to be brought from the bank m a cab duriag the dinner hour, two paymasters, both armed with revolvers, travelling m the conveyance with the money. On arrival at the " workshops the two cashboxes m which the money was kept .we're .handed 'to 'two employees to carry inside the gates, ' the paymasters guarding the treasure en route. "Shiner" and, "Jewey" noticed that during the lunch hour a number of employees were m the habit of sitting around the gate awaiting for the "turn- to" whistle, but this fact did not dismay them. "Jewey" suggested that the critical moment to; haul off the job would be just as the treasure boxes were being transferred from the cab to . the two employees detailed to ' carry them within the workshops. > Ryan reckoned that at a rough estimate there would be • about a dozen persons m the vicinity, and as two of them were armed, an element of risk confronted anyone who had a hunch to stick up the pay-cart, and handle the cash-boxes, but he decided that with an ounce of luck the job .could be successfully pulled off. Car Wanted. A motor-car was an essential item if the two hold-up artists were to win through, and the next: job ahead of Freeman and Ryan. was to locate one. It was necessary that it should be a stray one, and one that could be "hoisted" when required. Ryan meant, to leave, nothing to chance, and several days of- careful observation and search passed away before he decided that lie had found the car he wanted. The two men discovered that a driver was m the habit of leaving his smart-running car m a certain spot m Market Street every day. A careful, watch revealed that the driver was m the habit of frequenting, when not engaged, a certain nearby hotel several times during the day. - Next, that man's history had to be hunted up, and something discovered concerning him. In enterprises of this sort, forethought counts a lot, and to leave matters to chance is merely inviting annihilation. Several other men had also to be interviewed and their assistance obtained. This was, done. The. proposal ; was put up to_ them ' and they agreed to help. ! : • The result of the searchof the motor car driver's' history was entirely satisfactory. "Shiner" discovered that the man, like most Australians, had a' penchant for racing, and he decided .to play on the fact when the time came. Meanwhile, Ryan was not feeling too secure, m his quarters, m- Riley Street. His mate, Freeman, was well.kriow.n to the Sydney police and to -the .underworld generally; but Ryan;- on ' the .other hand, was unknown, and as yet immune from police surveillance; and as he had no' desire to, be. known, to every crook" and every "demon," he decided that a; change of residence would be ■ healthy. -. Accordingly, the two men went +o I live at a house m Shepherd Street. INITIAL STUMBLING BLOCKS. / How The Car Was Got. The first pay Wednesday following Ryan's arrival m Sydney saw' the two men watching from a secure observation post the arrival of the pay-cab at the worshops. • "S-hiner" was satisfied. The procedure was exactly as his mate had explained it to him. All was ready for the coup now, and it was only necessary to complete a few minor, but nevertheless important, arrangements, ' I \ ;. Masks, motor goggles, certain other r articles of .disgiuse, and revolvers were j> secured. ■ . . .." .Tacitly the two men agreed to r avoid, anything m the nature of . a . ) killing, and to safeguard against ' such an^eventuajity they extracted i the -bullets from the revolver cartridges, substituting" for .them a f . . m ixture -„. of : cayenne ; ' pepper; ; and : {■ / gunpowder. :

During t'he next couple of weeks the two men kept "under smoke" as much as possible. Publicity was just what they wanted to avoid, and they succeeded m steering clear of - trouble. Surprise Interruption. On the morning of the next pay Wednesday, ".Shiner" was up . early, and posted himself m Market Street to be ready to "hoist" the car selected, for the job. He had arranged to pick up "Jewey," who would have the bag of disguises, on his way through Newtown. At about half- past eleven the mo.tor arrived, and following his usual custom, the driver,: Arthur Tatham, strolled across to the hotel a few minutes later. , Hardly had the swing door closed behind the retreating figure when , Ryan slipped from his hiding place, crossed quickly to the car, jumped inside, and a minute later, was careering down Castlereagh Street . as fast as he dare drive. On his way through Newtown he picked up his mate and then w.ent straight to Wilson Street. The first sight that met their, eyes was unexpected. . A regiment of khaki-clad soldiers was marching down towards the scene of their proposed exploit, and just as the soldiers reached, the workshop gates the pay cab arrived!-; . "Well, I'll be damned! "exclaimed Freeman to Ryan. "What do you think of this stunt?" "Shiner." didn't express his thoughts for it was no use crying against Fate. She held the trumps, and that was the end of it. So he drove the car back to Market Street, and left it about 100 yards from where it usually stood. Shrewdly, he reckoned that the driver i would \ think his car had been merely borrow- ' ed for a joy-ride, and as Ryan escaped detection m returning the car, this is probably what Tatham did think. Another Attempt. 'A fortnight later it was decided to make another attempt to hold up 'the pay-cab, but again Fate was against the two daring crooks. That day the car did not appear on the stand at all. In the interval of waiting for the next pay Wednesday, Ryan kept under cover. "Jewey" moved about more freely, however, and' one of his pals, "Snowy" NOrman, . came forward . and offered to assist m "hoisting" the car. Freeman introduced him to Ryan, and "Shiner" decided that "Snowy" would play the part of decoy. The long- looked -for day arrived. The two men had made up their minds to get the pay boxes this time or die m the attempt. Fortune or. a prison cell, if not a re-, volver shot, was to be the outcome of their play, which only the Fates could say. It was 10 o'clock when Ryan^ and "Snowy" arrived m Market Street, and thirty 1. mutes later the car turned up* It was here that the knowledge "Shiner" had learnt concerning 4 the driver came m useful. "Snowy" drifted along to Tatham, and struck up a conversation oh the one subject which "Shiner" knew would interest their dupe-bracing. , Tatham fell for the story., and when "Snowy" invited him to borne over to the hotel for a drink, the chauffeur agreed. The two men disappeared into the bar, and Ryan slipped into the

driver's seat and , drove the. car off down Castlereagh Street. . , \ "Stand, or I Bang.". ■' /, ',/•';:.'■ .At the place appointed .he found "Jewey," and , the two .men drove to Wilson Street; pulling-' up some 'distance away from the' gates of the shops. , " , ._;...* : ■ : " ; A few. minutes' later the pay cab was' sighted. ' . ' '• Allowing it to draw, slightly, ahead, Ryan followed, with .. the car, and as the cab stopped he. brought the borrowed car to a standstill alongside it. Freeman quickly jumped off, and ran round the back of th'e .. cab. . '■•■■'•:.. . : ■'.;■' „..■.;• '. .• . .'. As Freeman* revolver in-hand, rounded the cab, he was just . too- late to stop the first box from being carried inside. The second < workman, how> ever,- had just placed the box on his shoulder. . . ' . "Stand! Hold up!" ordered Freeman,, covered his man, 'Norman Twiss, with his revolver. , "Give: . me that box, or I bang." • ; . Ryan, meanwhile, \v.as standing^ m the car, his revolver vcovering 1 the second paymaster, Gharl.es Miller, the . first paymaster having passed inside the. gates with the other ■ cash: box. "Shiner" : also, had one eye on the workmen at the> gates. - ■ "• , . .; ■ • . Pushing his revolver an inch or two closer, to the i workman's face, Freeman took the. box frqnr him, and,, walking backwards, deposited it m: the back of tlie .car. ' The- work o'f -taking the; box 'was made easy -by. -the : workman-

dropping his shoulder a bit. , Freeman then ; jumped . aboard the car, and, while he covered the crowd with his revolver, "Shiner" opened the throttle, and the car sped off along Codrington ■ Street. "It's a joke got up for the movies," -.. was the remark of one workman, as ■ the car began to gain momentum. But this was not the view of Payiri&ster Miller. He ordered Alfred Andrews, the cabman, to ■ follow the car, and also induced a bottle-o who came on the scene to do. likewise. Futile Chase. Of course the- chase was futile, and the two men got clean aw.ay. The bottle merchant thrashed his horse to such an extent m the unequal race that when he pulled up at a police station to report the- hold-up the animal dropped dead m the shafts! ... Having dumped the car, Ryan; and Freeman returned to their ■ room m Shepherd Street, and there examined their haul, which consisted of a few shillings over :£ 3300. : The job of sharing the plunder took some time, and it is stated that the two principals nearly quarrelled over the division. Seven shared jn the haul, and each received a "cut" m proportion to the work he had done and the sers vice he had rendered. "Shiner'? and "Jewey" each received a little under £1000 a-piece, while the remainder of the money was shared between the other five persons. A couple of days later a notice appeared m the daily papers to the effect that £200 would be paid to anybody giving information leading to the arrest of the bandits, plus ten per cent, of any money recovered. Ryan decided that.it was time to be moving. ■ That night he packed his suit cases, placing a pretty large sum . of the stolen m«ney m them, and dispatched them to Melbourne to "Old Sammy" to take care of until the time was opportune for him to pick them up again. A few days later Freeman was arrested. ■ Several charges were hanging : over his head, including shooting at a nightwatchman with intent to murder, breaking and entering the Oxford Street Post Office, and attempting to fire an automatic at the constable who arrested him at Strath-, field. A description of Ryan was.published, as being, the man wanted m connection with. the hold-up. . How; the. police were able to obtain an accurate description of Ryan, as on the day of the hold-up he was effectively disguised, was a mystery at the time, but "Shiner" has always maintained that Perce, a noted pickpocket, who, had seen Ryan's reply to Freeman's letter, had told the Queensland police that Ryan had crossed to Sydney to help his pal' pull off the job.- ■■'■-- ■'"■.'■■