MOTORED TO BATTLE.
RIVAL MELBOURNE MOBS. STREET FIGHT AT FOOTSCRAY. KNIVES, STICKS, STONES. Melbourne, August 6. Mob fights continue in Melbourne suburbs, despite the efforts of the police there. And the members of the street gangs have become so ■contemptuous of police interference that at .the week-end, a prearranged encounter between rival /actions was attended by the larikins in commandeered taxi-cabs and a motor-lorry. Three of the now famous mobs of Melbourne are known as the “Coppins,” “Hoboes,” and the “Bluebirds.” For the time being the two former clans went into alliance at: the week end, and'arranged a pitched battle with H'lie “Bluebirds.”
It was decided that the vexed question, whatever it was, would be decided at Dyon Road, Footscray. But word of the impending battle reached the ears of the police, and arrangements were made for a large detachment of the latter to be ill hiding near the battleground. It was reported to the police that the reason for the encounter was a disagreement over a football match, and that a little blood-letting was (lie only means to satisfy the rival leaders. , Accordingly the Coppins push and the Hoboes joined forces, and, commandeering a lorry and two taxicabs, left for the scene of the pre-arranged fight. In Dynon Road'they waited, armed with knives, sling-shots, bicycle chains, pickets, stumps, and stones tied in handkerchiefs. Soon the Bluebirds put in an appearance; challenges were thrown nut, and a hot fight started. \
Traffic was held up while the crowd formed about the fighting gangsters. The police watched the slaughter for about five minutes, then stepped into action, scattering members of the rival factions as they laid about them with their batons. Eventually they arrested 18 youths, and took them to Russell Street police station in the vehicles they hat! commandeered to bring them..to the battle-ground. All the men arrested were charged with riotous behaviour, and were subsequently fined.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19260817.2.20
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3525, 17 August 1926, Page 3
Word count
Tapeke kupu
316MOTORED TO BATTLE. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3525, 17 August 1926, Page 3
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Manawatu Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in