CHAINED TO BED

Hokitika Guardian, 8 May 1930, Page 2

CHAINED TO BED

POLICE AGENT’S STORY

■SYDNEY, April 24

One of tbe most remarkablecases in the history of Sydney is now receiving its p-rcliini nary hearing before the courts. It concerns a. police agent in a sly-grog prosecution who alleges that after he had given evidence lor the prosecution lie was decoyed to a lonely house in one of the outer, suburbs, chained to a bed, beaten with sticks, and forced to write letters to the police commissioner about the constable who was engaged in the case. It was said that five or six men were, involved in the attack on the agent, Virgilio Cac-e, who was held prisoner, chained, and guarded with a gun.

The four people who were charged with having conspired to defeat tbe end of justice included one woman. Sadie Goldman, who had been lined £IOO on a sly-grog charge. She appealed and a man named M’Dermott entered into ’a bond of £IOO pending the hearing of her case before the Appeal Court. It was soon after the conviction was recorded that Cac-e disappeared, and the police allege that he was decoyed to a suburban house, viciously assaulted, and then forced to write letters to the Police Department to the effect that his evidence had been false. Evidence was given that when Goldman’s house was searched three letters were found. One was an application to the. Collector of Customs for a passport, apparently intended to come from Cace. A second letter read: “To whom it may concern: This is to say that I, Virgilio Cace, write this letter of my own free will and at my own discretion. I left Sydney to get away fioiii the underworld and the police as 1 fear that my life is in danger. I don’t intend to- work for the police again or tell lies to anyone. This As true to God.” ~

The Clown put in as evidence a remarkable statement alleged to have been made by one of the accused. George Walter Hatch, a labourer, aged 22. Hatch alleged that M’Dermott had offered him a few pounds to keep Cace away so that he would not be abe to give evidence at the appeal. M’.Dermott gave him. 18s to go on with. He slept in the same room< as Cace, with whom he became very friendly. .' M’Dermott said to lum: “I will send you a letter inviting you to go to a party. The letter will say. that there will be a lot of girls- there,, and that you can bring a boy friend., I will send a car for you. The driver will call you Jack, and you will call ; him Frank, When you take .hjm, to the car you will know, tlie car by the jazz cap on the radiator. I will have some friends at Cabramatta, and we will put a bag over his head and get him into the house.” This plan, the statement said, was put into execution.

According to Hatch, when he and Cace arrived at the'house at Oabra’nuttta two men,' including M’Dermott, hit Cace over the head several times and then took him aside, Hatch heard some one say, “Don’t shoot him,” Cace stopped' struggling. He was covered with blood, put a bag over his head, and.then took him into the house, '“I looked through a peep hole in the room,” proceeded the statement, “and I sow Cace tied down to a. bed. in another room. One of his hands was chained to the side of the bed. He was groaning, and 1 saw that his face was puffed up. M’Dermoit and the other man were wearing black masks, John M’lntyre said that he knew M’Dermott and lived at his place in the city, M’Dermott asked him if he wanted to earn a. few pounds, and witness replied that he did. M’Dermott then said that a man had clone him a very bad turn, and he wanted to give him a fright. He went with others in a car in which Cace was a passenger. Witness punched Cace on the jaw and he was assisted in his work by Hatch and a man- named Degnan. M’Dermott came up from behind and struck Cace several times on the head with a chain, until blood spurted from cuts on Caoe’s head, and he fell to the ground. Cace was chained to a bed in the cottage and M’Dermott told witness to stay and watch him. At first he refused to do so, but M’Derniott threatened to inform the police. M’Dermott had a revolver and he said he would shoot any man who might double cross him. When Cace was forced to write letiers M’Dermott said that he would have them posted at Melbourne and Newcastle. M’Derniott told Cace that if he did as he was told he would get away safely to his native country, and would be given £2OO. On one occasion, according to M’Jntyre, an attempt was made to gag Cace with old rags, but Cace ’’esisted. M’Dermott then struck Cace an unmerciful blow on an open wound causing the blood to spurt, and knocking Cace half silly. The gag was then applied, M’Dermott saying that it would serve its purpose until a proper one could be applied. All the accused were committed for trial.