Drowned at Taree

Our Taree correspondent wires that a boy named Frank Leonard, 12 years of age, eldest son of Sergeant Leonard of the Taree police station, was drowned on Thursday evening, whilst bathing with a number of other children at Shallow Island swimming baths.

POPULAR OFFICER DIES FROM PNEUMONIA

Sergt. PATRICK Stephen Leonard, Senior Police Prosecutor, died from pneumonia at Randwick to-day, after six week’s illness. ” He was one of the ablest men who have ever held the position of police prosecutor. ” said the Commissioner of Police to-day. ” I heard of his death with extreme regret. He was one of my best, most conscientious, and most promising officers. In my opinion, he would have attained to high police rank had he lived “.

The late sergeant was highly esteemed by all who know him. He was a most courteous, unassuming, and obliging officer, and was exceedingly popular with Pressmen, with whom he came into close contact at the various police courts. His word was his bond, and he was always scrupulously fair to defendants.

Sergeant Leonard joined the police force in 1900 and was made a first class sergeant in 1923. He served in the Darlinghurst division for 13 years and at Redfern, and was police prosecutor for seven years, first on the suburban circuit and latterly at the Central Police Court.

He was born in 1876, and was a native of N.S.W.

He was unmarried, and lived with his sister at Melford-street. Randwick.

WORKER FOR CHARITY

He was a prominent worker for various charities, and took an active part in the organisation of the annual police carnival.

The late officer’s first promotion to the rank of first-class constable was a reward for a particularly daring arrest of a burglar in William-street. City, at 4 a.m.. on December 13, 1904.

Two of his brothers also joined the police force — Charles, ( Q7396 ) now a sergeant at Marrickville, and Michael, (Q7115 ) who died from pneumonia some years ago.

The funeral will leave the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Avoca street, Randwick, at 2.30pm tomorrow.

TRIBUTES IN COURT

‘ It is a sad end to a distinguished career.’ remarked Mr. Jennings. C.S.M., at the Central Court to-day. In referring to the death of Sergeant Leonard. ” He had been a long time with us, and his services were much appreciated by all those who worked with him. ”

Mr. Parker, on behalf of the legal profession. said he had known Sergeant Leonard for 23 or 24 years. ” I always admired him as an officer, ” went on Mr. Parker. ” He was absolutely conscientious. As a prosecutor he was one of the hardest men we had to fight, but he always fought fairly. He was a big man not only In stature, but In mind.”

Mr. Lionel Dare, barrister, remarked that, In his public capacity, Sergeant Leonard was courageous, unflinching, honorable, and firm.

Sergeant Cummings, police prosecutor, said the police felt Sergeant Leonard‘s death as a deep personal loss. He understood the late sergeant was on the eve of promotion to the rank of inspector. He was a highly capable officer.

TO HAVE BEEN MARRIED

A pathetic feature is that Sergeant Leonard was to have been married last Saturday to Miss Mary Agnes Roche, of Rose-street, Darlington, but his illness intervened.

( a photo of Sgt Leonard and Mary Roche appear in this news article but the ‘scan’ is far too dark from the Trove article to be useful for his Memorial page )

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/114383043

POLICE-SERGEANT LEONARD

Death From Influenza

Amongst those who died to-day from pneumonic influenza was Sergeant Michael Leonard, of the Darlinghurst police division. He was taken ill last Tuesday, ( 25 March ) and died at his home in Paddington this afternoon.

Sergeant Leonard, was a splendid type of all-round policeman, and had done good work in endeavoring ( sic ) to suppress sly grog selling, which in the Darlinghurst area was assuming serious proportions.

He was 46 years old.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/221455569

IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

THIRTEEN DEATHS REPORTED AND 156 FRESH CASES.

CASES FROM QUARANTINED SHIPS.

Sydney, Thursday.

There were 13 deaths from influenza in Sydney yesterday. The new cases totalled 147.

Nine fresh cases were taken from three steamers in quarantine.

Sergeant Michael Leonard, of the Darlinghurst police, died yesterday from influenza. He was taken ill on Tuesday last. Deceased was 46 years of age.

FUNERALS

LATE SERGEANT LEONARD.

The late Sergeant Michael A. Leonard‘s funeral yesterday afternoon was attended by representatives of all ranks in the police force, to the number of over 100, as well as by many civilians The police officials included the Inspector-General ( Mr. James Mitchell ), Superintendent Brookes, and Inspectors Doig and Wallace.

Personal Pars.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160625584

Warning On Speed At Crossings

The Police Prosecutor ( Sergeant E. V. Cahill ) said at East Maitland Court yesterday that the Commissioner had issued a general circular drawing motorists’ attention to amended regulations providing for a speed limit of 15 miles an hour approaching open level crossings.

Sergeant Cahill said this action had been taken because there had been four fatal accidents in 12 months at the level crossing on the New England Highway at Four Mile Creek each attributable to speed.

More than 70 motorists had been reported for speeding at the crossing since the regulation appeared. ” Unless the position at the crossing improves, I will ask the Court for heavier penalties. ” he said. ” The limit was not introduced to persecute people, but to protect them, and police have been instructed to tighten up supervision of the crossing. ”

Three people charged with having driven at speeds in excess of that provided each stated he was unaware of the 15 mile-an-hour limit. Kenneth Clarke, of Jackson-street, Balgowlah, and Howard Vincent Maughan, of White-street, Gosford, were each fined £2/8/, with 12/ costs. The charge against William Jenkins, of Spencer-street, Cessnock, was dismissed under Section 556A after Mr. W. A. Enright ( for Jenkins ) had said he had been driving for 40 years without a conviction.

Blood Tests For Drivers Urged Blood tests for drivers charged with driving under the influence were advocated by Sergeant E. V. Cahill, of Maitland, guest speaker at Kurri Kurri Business Men’s Club dinner. He said these tests would be the best for all parties. They would show the amount of alcohol consumed and would prove the capabilities of a driver. This would help the driver and the Court in determining these cases, he added. A vote of thanks was given by Mr. P. Johnson, supported by the President (Mr. R. Dick).

POLICE SEEK HEADS AND WEAPON

SYDNEY, Sunday.

Police investigating the ” headless bodies ” murder to-night issued an urgent appeal for help from any motorist who gave a lift to a man carrying a suitcase or sack in Maitland district on Saturday night.

Police think that a psycopathic (sic) killer, who axed the heads off an East Maitland man and his wife in their lonely placed home on Saturday morning, fled from the district carrying the heads and murder weapon with him.

The dead couple, in the most horrifying murder in the annals of N.S.W. crime, were Sydney Sylvester Shelley, 34, and Elva Shelley, 21.

Their baby, eight-month old Louise, was found alive, but suffering from concussion, buried under two blankets and a suitcase in her cot.

Police have a theory that the mother, seeing her husband being murdered, hurriedly hid the baby under the blankets and suitcase to save the baby’s life.

The detectives believe that the killer first shot Mr Shelley and then beheaded him on the front doorstep of the tiny home. They think he then killed Mrs. Shelley.

More than 150 police have been swung into the search for the killer.

Police are making a house to-house check of Maitland, Newcastle and areas further out. They have ” turned over ” all known criminals.

Det. Sgt. R. E. Lendrum ( Regd # 3919 )said, ” Police have spent today scouring the country near the scene of the murder looking for the heads of the murdered couple and the murder weapons.

A coroner’s report to-day disclosed that the Shelleys could not have been murdered before 5 o’clock yesterday morning. .

Maitland police also said that there was now clear evidence that the Shelleys had been shot first and then decapitated.

The Shelleys‘ baby is now in hospital and its condition is satisfactory.

Police have been told that a man visited, the Shelley home late on Friday afternoon and there was an argument. The visitor left.

Police are checking the possibility that the visitor returned later that night, after the Shelleys had retired, and knocked on the front door.

Charged Man Denied Killing Shelleys MAITLAND,

Thursday.

Police said at an inquest today that a man charged with the murder of a married couple at East Maitland had tried to put the blame on another man when they accused him of the crime.

Det. Sgt. P. J. Cahill said that the charged man, Terence Patrick O’Connor, painter, of Maitland, when accused of the double murder said ‘Jack Russell done this.”

The coroner was inquiring into the deaths of Sidney Sylvester Shelley, 34, and his wife, Elva Shelley, 21, whose beheaded bodies were found in their house on April 23.

Sergeant Cahill said he arranged for O’Connor to confront Russell and repeat his allegation.

O’Connor had said to Russell, according to Sgt. Cahill: ” I think you shot them and cut off their heads.”

Russell had replied, ” You are a liar. Now I know that you done it.”

Sgt. Cahill said O’Connor had admitted to police that he had received from Russell a .32 calibre Colt revolver which Russell had borrowed from Shelley on Easter Monday.

When asked what he had done with the gun, O’Connor said that he had thrown it into the sea off Nobby’s Lighthouse, Sergeant Cahill said.

O’Connor had denied that he had shot the Shelleys with the gun, even after police had told him that bullets fired from the gun for practice into a post in the Shelley‘s back yard matched the bullets taken from Mrs. Shelley‘s head when the head was found.

Det. Sgt Cahill said that when police asked O’Connor why he and Russell wanted the gun from Shelley, O’Connor had replied, ” We only borrowed it. We heard he had one and we wanted to do a job.”

OWN PISTOL KILLED SHELLEY POLICE CLAIM

MAITLAND, Thursday.

A detective sergeant said in the Maitland Coroner’s Court to-day that he told a man accused of a double murder that two bullets dug from a post in the yard of a house at East Maitland showed identical firing markings to two bullets taken from the decapitated head of a woman which was found floating in Newcastle Harbour.

Det. Sgt. Jack Bateman, of the Sydney C.I.B., said this when giving evidence in an inquest into the deaths of Sidney Sylvester Shelley, 34, and his wife Elva, 21. Their bodies were found, decapitated, in their East Maitland home on April 23.

Mrs. Shelley’s head was taken from Newcastle Harbour a week later.

Before the court was Terence Patrick O’Connor, 32 married, of Maitland. O’Connor is in custody on charges of murdering the Shelleys.

At the sixth day of the inquest to-day Sgt. Bateman said he put it to O’Connor that police, by comparing the bullets from the post at the Shelley home with the bullets taken from Mrs. Shelley’s head, had established that Shelley and his wife had been killed by a pistol which Shelley had owned.

Sgt. Bateman said he further told O’Connor that police had established that a man named Jack Russell had borrowed the pistol from Shelley and had given it to O’Connor.

O’Connor had replied, ” Yes, he gave it to me, but how do you know it is the one that killed her “? Sgt Bateman said.

The hearing was adjourned to to-morrow. To-morrow all evidence is expected to be completed and the Coroner, Mr. Jenkins, is expected to record a finding.

Painter To Stand Trial For Maitland Killings

MAITLAND, Friday .- The Maitland Coroner, Mr. V. R. Jenkins, to-day found that Terence Patrick O’Connor had murdered Elva Shelley, 21. and her husband, Sidney Sylvester Shelley, 34, at their Maitland home on April 23.

Mr. Jenkins committed O’Connor for trial ” I am satisfied beyond any ( reasonable doubt ) that in each instance the killing was done by O’Connor, ” Mr. Jenkins told the court

Mr. Jenkins also found that Elva Shelley died from bullet wounds in the head. Sidney Silvester Shelley had died from some injury inflicted on the head.

The beheaded bodies of the couple were found in their East Maitland home. Mr Jenkins said the head of Elva Shelley had been identified to his complete satisfaction.

” I can find no evidence which implicates either John Vile Russell, or Alan Dawson, ” he said. ( Two counsel earlier said ” two other men ” could be said to have motive for the killings. )

Mr. Jenkins committed O’Connor to stand trial at Central Court, Sydney, on August 22.

://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/137115735

[divider_dotted]

Murder Trial Jury To Visit Cottage

Man Convicted Of Maitland Headless Murder

NEWCASTLE, Tuesday. – A jury took 75 minutes to-day to find a 33-year-old Maitland painter guilty of the ” Maitland headless murders.”

The accused, Terrence Patrick O’Connor, was sentenced to penal servitude for life.

The jury found O’Connor guilty of having murdered Sidney and Elva Shelley at their home at East Maitland on or about April 23.

The trial started last Tuesday.

The jury retired at 2.25p.m. to consider its verdict and returned at 3.40 p.m.

After the jury delivered its verdict, Mr. Justice Brereton asked O’Connor if he had anything to say.

O’Connor who appeared distressed, said, ” There is nothing I can say Your Honour.”

The judge then delivered his sentence and O’Connor was taken to the cells below the courtroom.

Mr. Justice Brereton said that there was nothing in the case which even faintly suggested justification for the deed.

” The possibilities were that Shelley was shot as he went to the door and that Mrs. Shelley was shot while lying in bed,” he said.

” Then it seemed that Shelley‘s body was dragged out, his head was cut off and put in a bag.”

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136936995

LUCKY SHOT WITH RIFLE ” GRASSED ” HEINKEL

How a lucky shot put out of action a Heinkel fighter in the Sollum area is described by Sergeant V. McCrohon in a letter to his brother, Mr. A. McCrohon, of Boolaroo School staff.

An armored tank detachment, of which Sergeant McCrohon is attached, was awaiting orders to go into action and was being continually harassed by the German machine.

A private member of the supporting Infantry column casually remarked that he would fix the blighter and, raising his service rifle, fired.

The Heinkel faltered in its course and was obliged to make a forced landing.

An inspection of the machine revealed that the bullet had severed a vital link in the rudder control mechanism. The crew of the Heinkel was taken prisoner.

Sergeant McCrohon was the driver of the first tank to enter Bengazi.

Presentation At Paxton.

SERGEANT ( A.I.F. ) McCROHON FAREWELLED.

At a brief ceremony held at Paxton Picture Hall last Saturday night, Paxton people assembled to bid farewell to Sergeant Victor McCrohon, who is shortly to go overseas with the 2nd A.I.F., making the fourth local representative to assist in England’s democratic fight.

Handing over a set of hair brushes and fountain pen and pencil, Mr. P. S. McLeish complimented Sergeant McCrohon upon having been accepted to serve with the 2nd A.I.F, and conveyed the good wishes of Paxton people for a safe journey, a clean, victorious fight, and a quick return home.

Speaking in support, Mrs. F. Hindmarsh said that having known Mr. McCrohon all his life, she felt justified in saying he was a worthy son of Paxton and regretted the cause of his departure. However, he had seen fit to answer Australia’s call, and was certain he would do his best for his country.

On behalf of the Great War veterans living in the district, Mr. Ivor Davies expressed the belief that as long as the 2nd A.I.F. was composed of men like Sergeant McCrohon, the old Diggers could rest assured that the spirit of Anzac would never die.

In reply, the guest of the evening thanked all responsible for the present, and said he had been set a hard task to justify the nice things said about him. However, he would always endeavour to do the right thing, and trusted that the people of Paxton would continue to maintain their good faith in the boys of the 2nd A.I.F.

The proceedings were brought to a close with the rendering of “God Save The King.”