CRIME IN SYDNEY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 280, 23 May 1912, Page 5

CRIME IN SYDNEY

THE THIRD DEGREE. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 22, 9.30 p.m. Sydney, May 22. The fact that many police have been withdrawn from the regular duties compiling the electoral rolls is urged as one cause of the burglary boom. A movement is afoot in the nortl.ern suburbs to establish civilian vigilance committees for the protection of households. After subjecting him to the third degree for several hours, detectives secured a confession from Gleeson. A talk with the female servants about masked burglars suggested the idea that it would be a good joke to give them a fright and cause a sensation. He rose early, fired a revolver, and shouted "Police!" The whole affair w;>.s a fake. He had not intended to carry it so far.

When sentencing Alfred Smith to imprisonment for life on a charge of shooting with intent to murder, Judge Murray, at the quarter sessions in Sydney, made some interesting remarks on the burglar boom. There had been a boom in offences of the kind, said His Honor, and therefore there must be a boor,-, in :ile:u:cs. It was becoming necessary for people to arm themselves nowadays, and the results might be very serious, and innocent people might be maimed or lulled by others who considered they had justification in shooting. When the prisoner had been removed to the cells the Judge continued his observations. The conduct of Mr. Thompson in shooting the burglar was highly meritorious. It was an instance in which a citizen could shoot safely. If the fear of being shot were added to the penalty of being caught, the number of these audacious offences would be considerably lessened. His Honor meant what he said, for had not history proved that there was nothing like the fear of death to prevent men from committing serious offences? He would say, however, that the punishment of death —that is, painless death —■ was most merciful connared with imprisonment for long terms of years, for a man usually became reconciled to his fate ten minutes after lie knew that it was inevitable.