SYDNEY COURT SENSATION

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 25

SYDNEY COURT SENSATION

SYDNEY, March 3. Lewis Davids has been sentenced to five years' penal servitude. Among%ther things which he obtained by fraud was the pistol with which he attempted to commit suicide in court.

The sensational and dramatic incident referred to in the foregoing is thus described in the Sydney Telegraph of February 18:

When Lewis Davids, a young man, was found guilty of an offence at the Darlinghurst Quarter Sessions, yesterday, he shot himself with a revolver in the left side. As a result, he is in the gaol hospital with a bullet* embedded somewhere in the side. The wound is not considered a dangerous one, and it is thought that Davids will be all right in a few days. Davids was presented on a charge of stealing in the warehouse of Frederick Thomas Alexander M'Kittrick, and breaking out, to which he pleaded not guilty: but the jury, after a retirement of several hours, found him guilty. Judge Murray, looking at Davids, who appeared to be calmly taking in the whole situation, said, " I remand you for sentence."

Davids fumbled in the left-hand pocket of his trousers, and, drawing a revolver, exclaimed: '"My Lord, I am innocent. I die an innocent man." He pulled thetrigger, and immediately the shot rang out he sank back on to the seat in the dock, wildly crying, .'I die an innocent man I die an innocent man!" The revolver dropped to the floor of the dock, and when, after a little delay, owing to having to

open the door, the police entered, Davids was leaning with his head against.the iron railings. He was hurried from the court, and Drs Maitland and O'Reilly were summoned. The man was searched, and a knife was also found in his possession. The weapon Davids used was a brand new one, and. of small type, known as. "Young America." Five chambers were loaded, while two were empty, including one containing a discharged shell. Davids, although but a young man, has had a rather strenuous career. He was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment at Christchuroh (New Zealand) on August 2, 1905, on a charge of forgery, and at Capetown (S.A.j on March 30, 1908, he was bound over in his own recognisances in £2OO on promising to leave the country, and to be of good behaviour. That was for theft by means of false pretences. Davids fought for the British during, the South African war, but was courtmartialled for horse-stealing. He arrived in Australia during April, 1908, and obtained a position with the Australian General Electrical Company. For some time he worked for this firm, and was sent to Newcastle as its representative. A little while later he set up in business for himself as a consulting engineer in the northern city. On the night of September 24 last year the premises of the Australian General Electric Company were found to have been entered, but it was, believed for some time that nothing had been taken. Mr Ellis Davies, the accountant of the firm, was absent on leave when the robbery occurred, but he had left a number of signed blank cheques for the purpose of drawing petty expenses. It was not until the 30th of. the month that Mr HicksOn, who was performing .Mr Davies's work, had occasion to use the cheques, and it was then found that three of them were missing. Two of the three had been presented at the bank, and amounts of £lO3 and £B4 paid over.