FIENDISH CRIME

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1929, Page 2

FIENDISH CRIME

MAN BUB NED TO 1 DEATH,

SYDNEY, October 31

The fiendish murder on Saturday, by setting fire. to his clothes after ho had been soaked in kerosene or benzine, of Thomas Ivory, has added to the already long list of revolting tragedies to the' discredit of Sydney’s over-mysterious underworld. Most of these crimes of brutal violence are due to unbridled jealousy, inter-gang hatred, differences oyer cocaine peddling or sly-grog disturbances. What ■with armed 'hold-ups aiUT countless safe robberies Sydney seems to have become a second edition of Chicago: in fact, one paper referring to Ivory’s death quoted-cases of a similar kind that have been- reported from the American city. •

As in all cases 'of ' underground violence, the police, •in their investigation of the latest crime, have encountered a barrier of ■ silence. Those who- might' he alble to throw some light on the tragedy are dumb at the anproach of the police. Certainlv the police found two riien who actually saw Ivory on fire, but they had nothing to do with the actual crime, and were able to throw very little light upon it. There is one theory that Ivory was robbed and then spirit of some sort was thrown over him. Then again, it may have been that he became'involved in sonic fight in a sly-grog shop, find that a kerosene lamp was. thrown fit him. The detectives have been looking for Ivory’s hat, gold watch, and hoots- and other portions of his clothing. This seems to point to the fact that robbery was the motive for the crime.

Ivory • was in a dreadful state when he-was found by two young men who had been awaked by the' glow that was caused by the burning clothes in the deserted street at an early hour in the morning. It 'was seen by them at once that he had little hope of recovery, but he was taken to his home, and his Wife was awakened. It was not until later that the police were called in. At first the delirious statements: that were made by Ivory that.he had-been robbed and then set on fire were doubted. Even the police with their knowledge of 'the methods of the underworld thought the crime too horrid even for the underworld. Still it is difficult to. see why the robbers should want to,set.the man on fire, if robbery was the guiding motive.

Was it another .case of vengeance, then. Immediately the police recalled the shooting a few weeks ago. of l eslie Whatley; who was a great Mend of Ivory’s." ' Whatley, it is knoyn, was shot as the result of some underground warfare. Was Ivory concerned in the same mysterious trouble for which his friend paid with bis life? When .Whatley was, shot it. was said thaty^iey.was .chasing two men who had stolen a bottle of beer, and putting thp: facts together the police think that, i both Whatley and Ivory may have been- concerned in some sly grog concern which had earned the displeasure of tlie inhabitants of the dreaded Surry Hills area. In their search for clues the police discovered a deserted sly-grog in which there were about 400 bottles cf beer. But they have failed to find any place where kerosene lamps are used. Still there must be many dungeons of that underworld that they have not searched—that are effectively shut off ’from the, gaze of all except those who are let into the inner secrets.

It is the callousness and the extraordinary brutality of recent crimes in Sydney that ha\*e moved the Sydney “Sun,” in a leading article, to infer that one' Of the things underlying it, is the prevalence to-day of a materialism unchecked' by any of the old faith ;> in religion, “We find,” says the “Sun,”, “that owing to-the loss of moral values, owing to the frank giving tap of the , pursuit of the true,..and the beautiful, the minds of thousands are vulgarised by the constant search for amusements which are not worthy of the attention of intelligent men and women. For the old faiths and traditions and loyalties nothing is substituted save the faith in things material.”

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