MAN ACCUSED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1939, Page 6

MAN ACCUSED

SEQUEL TO ALLEGED ATTACK ON DUCHESS OF KENT POSSESSION OF FIREARM AND AMMUNITION. INTENT TO ENDANGER LIFE OR CAUSE DAMAGE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright, LONDON, June G. Ledwodge Vincent Lawlor, .aged 45, described as a welder’s assistant, of Newington Causeway, is to appear in the Westminster Court on a charge that on June G in Belgrave Square he had .possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property, and contrary to the Firearms Act.

LAWLOR IN COURT POLICE EVIDENCE THAT SHOT WAS FIRED. ACCUSED MAN REMANDED. (Received This Day, 9.15 p.m.) LONDON. June 6. In connection with the Duchess of Kent incident, Ledwedge Vincent Lawlor, aged 45, described as a welder’s assistant, of Newington Causeway, appeared at the Westminster Police Court on the charge that “On June 5, at Belgrave Square, he had possession of a firearm and ammunition, with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage, contrary to the Firearms Act.” Lawlor, a bald-headed man, was wearing a double-breasted navy blue suit and carrying his hat. A firearm, one foot long with a polished wooden butt, was produced in Court. There was a series of loud metallic clicks as the usher fumbled with it in displaying it to the magistrate.

Constable Tice gave evidence that at 8.40 p.m. last night, -accompanied by Constable Dickie, he was on duty in Belgrave Square and saw the prisoner standing at an opposite corner when the Duchess of Kent left her home, and as her car passed by he heard a shot and saw accused hurrying across the road to a bicycle. The constable continued: “I boarded another car and overtook prisoner some distance away. I swerved the car and rorced him against a traffic island. Later a gun was picked up from the pavement. Its breech contained an empty cartridge case.” Detective Inspector Hayward giving evidence on the arrest, said he told the accused at the Gerald Road police station that he had seen him discharge the weapon produced at a motor car in Belgrave Square. Lawlor, he said, replied, “It is my property. I possess ■a ‘certificate for it.”

Detective-Inspector Hayward continued, “I told him that a certificate did not entitle him to carry and discharge it in a street. When the charge was read to him Lawlor did not reply.” During this evidence Lawlor sat in a corner of the dock, fumbling with his shabby fawn felt hat and occasionally glancing toward the Press box. Lawlor was remanded in custody for a week and the Court adjourned. Scotland Yard and Australia House have been unable to substantiate a statement that Lawlor was an Australian or came from Australia. DUCHESS GUARDED (Received This Day, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, June 6. Extra police and private detectives accompanied the Duchess of Kent to the Chelsea Babies’ Club garden party. Conflicting accounts are given in cablegrams from London of the incident in which a shot is alleged to have been fired at the Duchess of Kent. One message states that a shot was fired at the Duchess as she was leaving her house in daylight at 8.30 p.m. to go to a Haymarket cinema. No one was injured. The Press Association says the police attach no importance to the incident, and declare that it occurred in the morning. The “News Chronicle” says that a bullet whizzed past the Duchess’s car and struck the wall of her house.

Extra police guarded the house all night. The Duke of Kent, after having dinner with the Duchess, had left by car to attend a Masonic dinner a few minutes before the Duchess, and he did not hear of the occurrence until he returned at 10.15 p.m. He anxiously awaited the Duchess’s return and met her in the hall. She made light of the incident. The children of the Duke and Duchess were staying in the country at the time. The “Daily Mail” says that Scotland Yard is investigating whether a bullet broke a window in the diningroom of the Earl of Harewood’s home and also whether members of the Irish Republican Army are responsible. Other sources state that the window of the Earl of Harewood’s home is now believed to have been damaged by a pellet from an airgun or catapult.