UNIQUE CRIMINAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2662, 22 November 1923, Page 1

UNIQUE CRIMINAL

MA STERTON SCORRINGE. DESPERATE NEW ZEALANDER

Mnstcrtou Charles Scorringe, half Maori, half Spaniard, and desperate criminal from New Zealand, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment at the Sydney Quarter Sessions this month, on numerous charges of robbing l Chinese while an escapee from gaol. Scorringe has a remarkable career of crime. Only once in his 23

years of crime has he robbed a European, and on that occasion, just after his sensational escape from Parramatta last February, lie left a note of apology to the victims. He courteously explained in the note that he was hard pressed by the police, and wanted the clothes and money lie stole to effect his escape. Commencing at the age of ten in New Zealand, Scorringe has systematically robbed Chinese for the past 23 years. Tie lias always refused to tell what his reason is for robbing Chinese, but he has stated that Chinese in New Zealand were responsible for his first lapse when a boy, and has affirmed his determination to prey on them as long as In l is able. Reorringe’s name is a by-word among the Chinese of Sydney, and in nearly every Chinese abode which the detectives have

visited they have found the photograph prominentlv displaved on the wall. A RAID ON THE CHINESE. When living among the Chinese in New 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 cash", amounting

to some thousands of pounds. From the time he escaped from the prison escort in February, until his recapture about six weeks ago, ho robbed more than forty Chinese premises, and obtained between £(>00 and £7OO. Of this sum only ,C 8 ISs lid was recovered. Of mixed Spanish and Maori parentage, Scorringe is a criminal type in himself. He lias rather a pleasant personality, and the police desciilio him as “one of (lie lies I conducted criminals,” Before lie was fen years old, Scorringe was committed to the Burnham Indus!rial School, near Christchurch. From there he escaped, and made his way to the North Island, where he was caught and handed over to the custody of his father. Just about this time he seems to have come into contact with the Chinese in Wellington, and formed that implacable hatred of the race which has led him to commit crime after crime against them. Early in 1003 lie was first convicted at 'Wellington of breaking and entering Chinese premises, and was sent back to the industrial school. In the next three years he escaped twice, and always went to Wellington, and robbed Chinese dwellings. Wellington was tin* nearest approach to a Chinatown that he could

find in the Dominion, and it was a vicious criminal haunt. «> OX THE TRAIL IX SYDNEY. For his last Burnham escape, Sen fringe received twelve strokes of the hireli, hnl that, did not deter him in his vendetta against Celestials, for he tinished up his criminal career in New Zealand by serving a two years’ sentence mi ten charges of breaking and entering Chinese premises at Auckland. When he came out of the Auckland Gaol in Wll, Scorringe sought wider fields in which to pursue his weird campaign. Robbery of a Chinese brought, him twelve months’ hard labour in Hobart the same year and. five years later he fell foul of the Sydney police. He was chased after robbing a Chinese in Kensington and fired on a sergeant, when the latter drew near. Scorringe was caught, later and received three years’ hard labour. But no gaol sentence could deter him. As soon as he had served his sentence, he was on the trail again. He was caught again in .15122, served short sentences, returned to the campaign, and early this year was sentenced to two years and seven months’ gaol. It was while he was being taken to the Parramatta Gaol to serve his sentence that. lie made' his sensational escape.

Scorringe always worked alone, generally between 6 and 10 o’clock in the morning, when he knew his Chinese victims would be out in their gardens or at the markets, He never carried any elaborate burglar’s kit, but simply hacked the safes open with whatever tools were handy. If he found a revolver while searching, he took it as a precaution, and threw it away when he was clear of the premises. Scorringe was a champion runner, and has shown the detectives medals he won in New Zealand and Australia as a professional.