UNIQUE CRIMINAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1923, Page 1

UNIQUE CRIMINAL.

DEiiL’F.RATE XFAY ZEA LAXDEKSYDNEY. [iNovenilier 8. Alasterlou Charles f*eor ringe. halfMaori, half-Spaniajd. and desperate eiimuial from Xew Zealand, was sentenced in live yeais' imprisonment at the Sydney (,Hunter Srs units on uunierou.s charges of robbing Chinese while an is,-.pee from gaol. Se"iiii.ge has a reunirUahle career of ei ini (•.iritis tile Sy.lnev correspondent of the Ami.lan,l "Scr"). Only once in his L'd years of crime has he rohhed a Emopean. and on that oeeasiun. just after Ids seii.-alioit.il escape from Parramatta het IVkrmiry, he left a note of apology to the victims, lie courteously explained in the note that lie wanted the clothes and money lie stole to oliect his escape. Commencin'.; at the ape nl ten in Xew Zealand, s'oiiiiiici.' has systemati"sa.lly ruhheil Chinese for the past d.'l years. He has always refused to tell v. hat his leasoii is for robbing ( liiltese, hut he has stated that Chinese in XVa Zealand were responsible for Ins liist lapse when a hoy. and has affirmed his dote! mimition to prev on them as Ion*; as tie is aide. Seorringe's liane i.s a Ijv-word among the Chinese o! Sydney, and in nearly every Chinese abode which tile detectives have visited thy have found his photoginpii prominently dis; la.wd oil the wall. \ i; \id ox tut: Chinese. VYhiU! living among the Chiite.se in X, v Zealand this criminal picked up an extensive knowledge of their language. habits and customs. Several hundred robberies of Chinese premises in Sydney were carried out by him in the past ten years, the proceeds, mostly cadi, amountmp l ; To some thousands id pounds. From the time he escaped from the prison escort in I'Vhrinuy until his reeaptipo about six weeks ago. lie robbed more than forty Chinese premises, eml obtained between £HOO and £7DO. Of this sum only US I!*-, (id was recovered. Of mixed Spanish and Manti parentage. Seorringe is a criminal type in himself, lie lias rather a pleasant personality. and the police describe him a* 'nne of the best conducted criminal*.--' ih'i'ore he was ten years old, Seorvinge v.a- committed to tlm lluinham lmlustria! School, near Christehurcli. 'From there he c-iapod. and made his way io the Xortii Llano, where lie was caught and handed over to the custody of hi* father. .lu*i about 1 1 1 i - lime be seems to have first come into contact with the ( hull's.' in Wellington, and formed that implacable haired ol the race which has led him to commit crime after ci one aganr-t them. Early in HtfKi he was lirsl convicted at AVoUington oi breaking and entoi'ing Chinese premise*, and was sent bad. to the in-du-t ria 1 -oho,]. In the next three yoa.s l„. , -r'.ped twice, and always went to Wellington, and robbed Chinese dwelling-*. Wellington was the nearest approach to a Chilialnw u that he could lin.l in lhe Dominion and it wa-- a vicious ci iMtiti.il liauni. OX 'l'll E Ti; All. I N SYDNEY.

• ' For Iris la -l U'lrnham escape. Smri ringe received twelve stiokes id the hire'll, hill I bat did e-n drier him in Ills vendetta :>galn*l. Cele-tials. tor lie •i finished up his eiiminal career m Xew Zealand 'ey sorting a two-year's selli tonco on ten charges oi breaking and ! entering Chinese premise* at. Auckland. , \ 'A lien he came out to the A eekbuel ! in I'.i'l rMn.f.e mi in wider j lii'lds in which In puisne his vein! campaign. Ihdihrrv of a Chinese brought him twelve month*’ liar labour in i 1 i the same year, and live yearj later he I'd! foul of the Sydney police, i 11.. was rlia-c.l all. r lohi.ing a ( iiitl- ! i-o in Ki ii-.iuglon ai.1.l lir •<I en a ! sergeant when ib.c latter d.cw near. I Seui ringe was cr.iinhl later, and rej reive.l tliree year.*' hard laheur. But no gad -eii! nee could deter him. As j -o m as he had served i lII* -enteiiec he j , A as on the trail again. He v, a* . aught j again in I'•• --. .-cited short sent.'! j returned to the .-anipaign and early this y.'ttr va - sent eii-. , 1 lo two years ; S," ell till -' 'ja"l. 11 W.'l* while j p... ...as licit.g ld.cn in tb" I 'an-t limit a I Caul to serve this sentence llini he made his seie-at i-mal escape. | Si (in inge always tv.l'kel! t lone. Jit' Itj orally heltvecn H and Id o'clock in the I iiloi lute.:' vla 11 he know h.- ; htue-'e | victim* Mould he out in their gardens. | or at the market*. Me new . can ied a,tv elabnraU' but glut '* kit but simply had;"! the safe* open vith 'vlmtever tool was handy, li he iound a revolve!' whi!" -eaivliiii!;. lie t'-ok it aa precaution, and threw it away when he was dear of the ptembe:-. Scur- ! Inge was a eliami ic n rtinlte:. and ha'sVijwti the deled ives medals I;e won in j Xew Zealand and Australia as a prnj Tessional.