GUN BATTLE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 January 1932, Page 6

GUN BATTLE

AMAZING SCENE IN ONE " OF SYDNEY'S MAIN STREETS. LIVES IN JEOPARDY. SYDNEY, Dec. 31. By staging a frantic gun deal by daylight in one of Sydney's maia streets — a busy quarter of the picturesque Darlinghurst — gunmen have at last stepped over the mark, and the demand upon the Government to rid the city of its menace has been renewed with fresh vigour. Eight shots were fired, and the fact that the lives of many innocent people were in jeopardy was the most serious aspect of this grim battle. Australia has seen nothing like it before, for the duel was fought while thousands of people were on their way home from work. Bullets whistled from both sides of the street. There were shouts of fear from women and children, and men fell fiat on their chests in order to escape the flying bullets. Many children were knocked over in the wild rush for cover, and traffic came to an absolute standstill, motor cars and Irarns piling up on eitlier side of the tragedy. The victim of the shooting was Frederick Roberts, aged 35-, and according to the story told in court his insulting rcmark to a woman was che cause of the trouble. The man against whorn the murder charge has been laid is James White, 28, a showman, a man of small build, who clairns that he fired in self defence. ' White's counsel told the magistrate that it was doubtful, in the circumstances, chat the Crown would file a bill against his client. Roberts had chreatened the woman earlier in the

evening and had pressed a revolver into her ribs, Later he renewed his Jireats to the woman, and he was Jhe first to fire a shot in the street iuel. White had a license to carry a revolver, and when the police aproached him he surrendered to them. when the woman had told White of che threats to shoot her he had gone :o her protection, and he did not fire mtii Roberts had fired at him. Coun--el said he had been instructed that vv'hite was not a member of the crininal class. Roberts was rathcr a handsome ype, and was often scen in the Daranghurst loeality in company with women. He was aiways well dressed :nd he was "known" to the police, dthough he had only one conviction against him — for stealing. Judg'ing y the story told by eye-witnesses, the duel was fought in a matter of act way, the obvious intention on the part of both men being to kill. They appeared to show a total disregard fdr the crowds in the street, and it .3 remarkable that no one but Roberts vas hit. The wound which Roberts received was of such a nature that he iied in the street within a few mi •mtes. His assailant nonchalantly .wiried his revolver as a constable aproached him, saying, "Here you are i have a license." Then he added, 'Take me away," and with a crowd .>f several- thousands striving to obain a glimpse of him he was placed n a motor car and hurried off to the police station. Apparently the men met by acciIcnt and only a few words passed beween them before Roberts drew a re:olver and fired at point-hlank range. Ihe other man repjied by drawing iis gun and shots foilowed one an--ther in quick succession. Roberts >acked from the footpath, his eyes on iis enemy, and he fired again as he •etreated across the busy road. One -f the bullets shattercd the window of l fashion shop,. Ducking behind a :o!e to which a rubbish bin was atached, the other man returned the lre. His revolver appeared to jam. md, frantically twisting the cylinder, ie stepped from behind the pole and nade for Roberts. Reaching thc •oadway, he fired again, and Roberts fell with a groan. A constable, his "evolver drawn, rushed to the scene When the last shot in the duel was Ired there was seareely anybody to oe seen, but when the firing ceased chousands flocked to the scene, and che police had the utmost difnculty ir keeping back the crowd from th.e 'atally wounded man.