Cathedral Hotel: Wrong Side of the Law

Cathedral Hotel: Wrong Side of the Law

The Cathedral Hotel North Adelaide
Photo: © 2017 - Allen Tiller

 After two robberies in North Adelaide, and several other smaller thefts, suspicions were being raised within the North Adelaide Police station of the identity of the offenders.

During the investigation of the Cathedral Hotel robbery, which netted the criminals a substantial amount of liquor and money, a timeline of events was established.
 The local tram night watchman was called in as a witness and told the police on the night in question, that he had seen Constable Edwards, at about 2am, walking his beat, and testing the bar-room doors to see if they were locked. He also stated, that after Edwards had long passed, he noticed lights on in the billiard room.

Constable Edwards confirmed that he had tried the doors during his nightly walk from about 1:30 to 1:45 am. The doors were locked, with no one else around.

 The detectives investigating the recent crimes now had a suspect, based on rumours they had heard, but more significantly, on the approximate time. The Detectives, Martin, Nation, Dedman and Goldsworthy drove out to Prospect to the house of Constable George Wyatt.

George Wyatt, a police officer of seven years, married with three children, answered the door and allowed the detectives in. He then allowed them to search his property, where they found a few bottles of alcohol, one of which had been handwritten on by Mr Opie. Also in Wyatt's possession were a number of tools, barbed wire and other goods, that Wyatt could not reasonably recount where he purchased them from.

 Wyatt was arrested and taken to his own precinct, The North Adelaide Police station for questioning. Wyatt refused to give up his accomplice, stating “I am mongrel enough for what I have done, but I can't settle one of my own mates."

 The Police began to look at who Wyatt's mates were, and settled upon searching the house of a friend, and fellow officer of 7 years, Constable John Farrar.

Farrar was found with a sum of money, and some of the missing bottles of alcohol. He was questioned and told his fellow officers Wyatt had given him the money and goods. When asked if he knew where they came from, he stated he did, but only after the fact.

The two police officers were formally charged, Wyatt with burglary and larceny, break and enter, and Farrar with receiving stolen goods.

Wyatt was sentenced to four years of hard labour and Farrar to three years of hard labour, both at Yatala prison, amongst some of the prisoners they had probably arrested!

Both men’s descriptions were printed in the South Australia Police Gazette.


John Farrar:

John Farrar, tried at Supreme Court, Adelaide, on November 4th, 1918, for receiving stolen property; sentenced to three years with hard labour; and at Adelaide, on November 11th, 1918, for unlawful possession; sentenced to 12 months with hard labour; native of England, labourer, born 1882, 5ft 11.5 inch high, dark complexion, dark hair, dark-brown eyes (lowering eyebrows) medium nose (risen on point) medium mouth, broad chin, scar on left elbow and outside forearm, very hairy on cheat and back, remains of tattoo on left wrist, black spot on centre of back, Freedom due July 14th, 1920.[1]

George Wyatt:

George Henry Wyatt, tried at Supreme Court, Adelaide on Nov 4th, 1918 for burglary and larceny, sentenced to four years hard labour, a native of England, cooper, born 1887, 5ft 11in height.
 Fair complexion, ginger colour hair, blue eyes, large nose, medium mouth, large chin, small ears (projecting), boil mark on the back of the neck, two small scars on right knee and one on the shin, small scar on left knee. Discharged in February 1921.[2]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller ©2018

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Bibliography

The Advertiser, Thursday 17 October 1918, p7

1918 'In the Courts. CRIMINAL.', Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), 16 November, p. 13. , viewed 29 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164166616

1918 'Burglary at North Adelaide.', Yorke's Peninsula Advertiser (SA : 1878 - 1922), 11 October, p. 3. , viewed 29 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article216349077

1918 'Sensational Arrests.', Port Pirie Recorder (SA : 1918 - 1919), 11 October, p. 2. , viewed 29 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95422823

1918 'Latest Telegrams', The South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA : 1906 - 1954), 11 October, p. 3. , viewed 29 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200047162

1918 'BURGLARS AT NORTH ADELAIDE.', The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954), 5 October, p. 2. , viewed 29 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63753531

1918 'Late Telegrams.', Eyre's Peninsula Tribune (Cowell, SA : 1910 - 1950), 11 October, p. 2. , viewed 29 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219277618

1918 'COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.', Port Pirie Recorder (SA : 1918 - 1919), 19 October, p. 3. , viewed 29 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95423254

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[1]:[1]  South Australia Police Gazette Indexes, 1862-1947. Ridgehaven, South Australia: Gould Genealogy and History, 2009.

Cathedral Hotel: Robbery

Cathedral Hotel: Robbery

The Cathedral Hotel at North Adelaide
Photo: © 2017 Karen Tiller

Originally known as the Scotch Thistle Hotel in 1850, the hotel was established on the north side of Kermode Street and John Street (now King William Road), and in 1881, was moved to its present location. In 1925, the hotel's name was changed to The Cathedral Hotel, and it has continued trading under this name for almost 100 years!

In 1918, several robberies had been occurred in and around North Adelaide. The police had no suspects, until a robbery occurred at the Scotch Thistle Hotel on October 4th.

 Mr Opie, husband of the hotels licensee, was on shift, and had closed the hotel. He followed his regular routine, locking all the doors and windows, except the one leading to the billiard room. He put the till into the store room, just off the dining room, turned out the lights, and locked the exit door on his way out at 2am.

 The following morning, Dorothy Walloschick, Mrs Ethel Opie’s sister, opened the hotel. At 6:30am, she found the storeroom door unlocked and all the contents of the room strewn about the place and the kitchen and billiard room doors had been left open by the offender.
 The burglar had smashed a window in the billiard room to gain entry, which he must’ve been very quiet in doing, as the Opie’s, asleep upstairs, did not wake to the sound.

Only a couple of months previously, a store on O’Connell street owned by Mr LeCornu had several items stolen. It was reported that the front door had been left unlocked, and the investigating Constable, Mr George Wyatt, had returned the key to Mr LeCornu and then filed a report for the missing goods.

 The goods included garden hoses, barbered wire, tools, implements and paint.

Missing from the Hotel were 10 bottles of Chateau Tanunda brandy, seven-pint bottles of Heather Bell whisky, three bottles of Walker's whisky, three bottles of Dewar's whiskey, two bottles of Burke's Irish whisky, eight-quart bottles of Henke's schnapps, eight bottles of Reynella family port, and twelve half flasks of-Heather Bell whisky, also missing, £22 in money.

Continued next week!

Researched and written by  Allen Tiller ©2018

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Bibliography published in next edition.