GANG HATE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 129, 27 November 1929, Page 11

GANG HATE

UNDERWORLD FEUDS

SHOOTING OF DEVINE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) . SYDNEY, Hth November.

I It seems clear now that Bernard Hugh Devine, who was shot down in a j Sydney street last Saturday night, was an innocent victim of the amazing gang warfare that has been going on in the city for many months now. The police say that he was not, and never had been, a member of either of the two notorious gangs which have been the cause of all the trouble. He had been employed in the City Council for twelve years, and had done honest work which is more than can be said for any gangster. He was a famous footballer in the days of "Dally" Messenger, and in that capacity he had visited New Zealand. He was a fine five-eighth and centre three-quarter. He was a noted boxer, too. It seems that it was his misfortune to be in the line of firo when the members of one gang had set out to "get" the members of another. Nobody has yet been charged with the actual murder of Devine, and it is doubtful whether the police will ever be in a position to do so. As usual they have encountered a conspiracy of silenco when making their inquiries. For fear of the gang's vengeance no one will give any information. True three men have been charged with vagrancy. They were in the vicinity of the place where the crime was committed, but all efforts to "fix" them have failed. All three are well known to the police, and have been associated in various crimes. James Devine, for instance, was charged with the murder 01- a gangster some months ago, but was acquitted. He has been threatened with an attack by an opposing gang, but he is stated that he is well prepared.

All^the same it isf'said to b© generally know that Devine and his wife are marked as the next victims of the amazing gang warfare. And the police seemed powerless to stop it. It was only a few months ago that the Inspector of Police saia that ho expected several more murders among the inhabitants of the underworld. Since then there have been at least three, and no arrests have been made. A detective said the other day that he expected the war to go on until at least one of the gangs was wiped out. Walter Tomlmaon, the man who lie 3in hospital in a critical condition as a result of Saturday'a shooting, was also shot in a recent encounter. Then, again, the man who took the injured man to the hospital on Saturday stands committed for trial on a charge associated with, an armed bank hold-up in Sydney not many months ago. Undoubtedly.there is a criminal vendetta m Sydney at the present. It is Between two factions, of which women are said by the police to be the leaders Ihey ;ould scarcely be termed gangs in the sense of the word that it is accepted m Chicago. Bather they are coteries of friends, understood to possess a common grudge against another coterie. J. he police in their endeavour to break up both coteries are pinning their faith to an amendment of the Crimes Act that has just been passed. This will Wi "if™ .greater authority to apprehend all who consort with known criminals. It is admitted that there- are many defects in the Act, and this has greatly hampered the police. But open warfare is on now, and it is not confined to the gangs. The police are the common enemy of the gangs. A proposal is being seriously considered to arm the police with a "night stick," a particularly heavy baton that is capft i- £L £vi ngiserious injurjr whGn tis used. Kid glove methods are useless in dealing with these thugs.