DUCHESS OF KENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23829, 8 June 1939, Page 11

DUCHESS OF KENT

EXTRA POLICE GUARD CHARGE AGAINST LAWLOR EVIDENCE OF CONSTABLE (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, June 6. In connection with the charge against Ledwedge Vincent Lawlor, Constable Tice gave evidence that at 8.40 p.m. last night, accompanied by Constable Dickie, he was on duty at Belgrave square and saw the prisoner standing opposite a corner when the Duchess left home. As the car passed by he heard a shot and saw the accused hurrying across the road to a bicycle. “ I boarded another car,” he said, “ and overtook the prisoner some distance away. I swerved the car and forced him against a traffic island. Later, a gun was picked up from the pavement. The breech , contained an empty cartridge case.” Lawlor was remanded in custody for 3 week Scotland Yard and Australia House have been unable to substantiate the report that Lawlor was an Australian or that he came from Australia.

Extra police and private detectives accompanied the Duchess of Kent to the Chelsea Babies’ Club garden party. KNOWN IN AUSTRALIA BOUTS OF SHELLSHOCK SYDNEY, June 7. (Received June 8, at 1.15 a.m.) The Sun’s Melbourne correspondent reports that the man arrested in connection with the Duchess of Kent shooting affair is known to an Elsternwick businessman, Mr Melville Maxwell, who conducts a bicycle shop at which Lawlor purchased a bicycle last year, after which the latter sailed for England in January. Mr Maxwell said that Lawlor was a mild-mannered man, tall and heavily built. He served with the, Australian Machine Gun Company, and since had suffered bad bouts of shell-shock. While in Melbourne he did casual labouring work and odd jobs.

The military authorities here can find no trace in the records of exservicemen with Lawlor’s Christian names.