FATALLY STABBED PERTH: The notorious Sydney criminal, George Wallace, known as "The Midnight Raider," died from three stab wounds in the chest, abdomen and arm, a liver disease, and a skin complaint. This evidence was given to-day at the inquest in Perth Court House. A machine miner, Leonard Herman Levy, 31, who was arrested in Melbourne, has been charged with the murder of Wallace.
- Goulburn Evening Post, Thursday 13 January 1949, Page 4
-----
Charge of murder.
PERTH, Tues.— A charge of having murdered the notorious Sydney criminal, George Wallace, known as the "Midnight Raider," was today preferred against machine miner Leonard Herman Levy, 31. Wallace died in Perth 15 days after he had been stabbed with a carving knife at the rear of the European Club about 1 a.m. on November 23.
- Brisbane Courier Mail, Wednesday 29 December 1948
-----
The razor gang era in Sydney stretched from 1927 to 1932. Without doubt it was the most vicious period that city has ever known. Hospital casualty wards were regularly called on to treat people suffering from razor wounds to the face - usually extending in an 'L' shape from the ear, down the cheek and across the mouth.
The savage wounds were inflicted during battles between rival gangs and criminals - fighting for profit and power in the narcotics, sly grog and prostitution rackets of the underworld. George Wallace, the leader of one of the most feared standover gangs in Kings Cross, was the greatest exponent of the razor. He was well aware that firearms led to murder charges and that the threat of a savage scar across the face was enough to make anybody do as he wished. He and his gang used the slashing technique to extort money from dope runners.
The idea of using the razor as a weapon quickly caught on and Sydney's darkened streets became a battlefield. Razor slashing became a popular method of operation used by independent standover men, thugs and others who wanted to wound without killing - even prostitutes used it, to ward off obstreperous clients.
Many of the drug runners carried weapons to protect themselves from the razor gangs. One drug runner who had been slashed by George Wallace down the cheek went looking for him after he had recovered. He found Wallace one night in a Kings Cross lane and thrust a revolver into his stomach, but the gun jammed. Wallace casually pulled out his razor and slashed the man's other cheek.
Also well known for their proficiency with the razor were Norman Bruhn, Snowy Cutmore and Frank Green. All were to die violently.
Norman Bruhn was the first to die. He had heard of the profits to be made by extracting money from cocaine dealers, so he left his familiar Melbourne haunts to wield his razor in Kings Cross. On the cold wintry night of 22 June 1927 Bruhn walked down the darkened Charlotte Lane in Darlinghurst. He fell a few minutes later with five bullets in his body.
- Australian Crimes
-----
SENTENCE OF DEATH ON MURDERER
Sentence of death was pronounced by the Chief Justice (Sir John Dwyer) in the Criminal Court yesterday afternoon on Leonard Herman Levy (31), miner, after he had been convicted by a Jury on a charge of having murdered George Wallace (45), a notorious Sydney felon known in the underworld of several states as "the Midnight Raider."
Levy turned ashen pale when the jury, at the end of a 45 minutes' retirement, announced the verdict of guilty. In a brief statement from the dock he said that he could assert with a clear conscience that he had never had any intention of causing Wallace's death. "I have had a reasonably fair trial," he added in level tones, "and must now abide by the jury's verdict." The Chief Justice who refrained from assuming the Black Cap said that in his view the verdict was the proper one, on the evidence. It was no doubt true that there might have been no intention to kill, but it was equally true that there was intention to cause serious bodily harm. If there had been intention to kill the proper verdict would have been one not of murder but of wilful murder. "WITHOUT CAUSE." The sentence prescribed by law for the offence of which the prisoner had been found guilty was sentence of death, which would now be pronounced. It was directed that Levy be returned to the place of his former custody, and that at a time and place to be appointed by the Governor he be hanged by the neck until he was dead. The accused had killed a man without cause, and his Honour added that he was not prepared to say that the sentence passed should not be inflicted. That was a matter, however, that would be left to another authority — the Executive to determine. The accused, who while the Judge was speaking maintained the air of composure which had characterised his demeanour throughout the trial, turned and left the dock with a firm step, on the first stage of his journey back to Fremantle Gaol, where he was placed in the condemned cell. DEEP WOUNDS.
George Wallace died at the Royal Perth Hospital on De- cember 7, following pneumonia and hepatic insufficiency which supervened on a flare-up of his dormant syphillis after he had received penicillin treatment for three deep wounds in his chest, arm and abdomen inflicted by Levy with a carving knife at the European Club, Lake-street, soon after midnight on November 22. The prosecution was conducted by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. K. G. Walsh), and the accused was defended by Mr. C. B. Gibson. The trial commenced on Monday. At the outset of yesterday's proceedings Det.-Sgt. D. H. Richardson, recalled, produced Wallace's record of past of fences, number 135, extending from 1918 to last year. His biggest sentence, the sergeant said, was six months' imprisonment on a charge that being a felon, he had firearms in his possession. His crimes had not been such as to justify his being labelled a gunman. To Mr. Gibson: The charges on which Wallace had been convicted included discharging a firearm to the danger of the public, causing malicious damage, behaving riotously, assaulting with intent to rob, and resisting the police in the execution of their duty.
"FIGHT TALK."
The sole witness for the defence was the accused, who said that he arrived in Perth from Big Bell early last October. He had known Wallace in the Eastern States about five years ago and renewed the acquaintance in Perth last year, when he often drank and played cards with him. On November 18 witness pawned his watch for £20. He had £ 200 locked up in his room at home at the time, but did not want Wallace to know where he was living. During the afternoon he went to various hotels with Wallace. When he found that a £5 note was missing from one of his pockets he accused Wallace of taking it and an argument ensued. There was "'fight talk" and knowing that Wallace was too tough for him, witness, against his better judgment, agreed that there might have been a mistake. He then shook hands with Wallace, and resumed drinking with him. On November 22, Levy proceeded, he met Wallace and they both got fairly intoxicated. Witness, when he "came to" at an unknown house in a semi-dazed condition, found that £140 in bank notes which he had placed in a bag and pinned inside his clothing, had disappeared. He was informed that Wallace had left the house an hour or two earlier. Witness called at a number of hotels in search of him, but failed to find him. It was possible that he paid a brief visit to the European Club, Lake-street, during the evening, but he did not see Wallace there until midnight. He told Wallace to "bung over" the £140 which he had taken from him. Witness added, "If you took it from me for my own protection give it back now and the incident will be forgotten." Wallace said "What are you trying to put over me, you dirty mongrel? Go and get —— ." He then walked away.
"SNARLED MENACINGLY."
Witness got a knife from a shelf in the club, he said, and followed Wallace. Witness said "You had better give that dough back to me, or else the game is going to be on." Witness, trying a bluff, raised the knife, but had no intention of using it otherwise. Wallace snarled menacingly. "Now I will fix you," and put his hand to his hip-pocket. Thinking he was about to draw a gun and blaze away with it, witness stabbed him. Witness had known him to carry a gun in Sydney, and was well aware of his bad reputation there.
DECEASED STABBED.
After the first stab Wallace grabbed witness and began to overpower him; his strength was far greater than that of witnesses who made several more stabs "in a frenzy to break free." Wallace reeled back and witness, throwing the knife on the floor, left the club and went home. He stayed in Perth for the next 10 days and then went to Melbourne because he did not wish to face a wounding charge, and wanted to get well away from Wallace. To the Crown Prosecutor: Witness had never been a good friend of Wallace's, merely a fairly close acquaintance. In Sydney on one occasion witness got him some clothing by a black-market purchase. When delivering the goods he noticed a pistol lying on the table in Wallace's room. Witness knew that Wallace was what was known as a bad man; he was aware of his antecedents and of his criminal record and of his syphilitic condition. When he arrived in Perth witness frequently spent all day drinking with him and sometimes stayed up all night playing cards with him.
ACCUSED'S MOUSTACHE.
Witness was very angry with Wallace, believing that he had stolen money from him, but his sole motive in stabbing him was to protect himself against Wallace's superior strength. He had told Det. B. Gooch that he intended to give Wallace a king hit and then kick him in the guts when he was down. He was a massively-built man, and witness knew that he would be no match for him if the arugment developed into a fist-fight. After the stabbing witness grew a moustache; he went to Adelaide under an assumed name, by train, and completed his journey to Melbourne by plane.
- The West Australian, Wednesday 9 February 1949, Page 11
- Goulburn Evening Post, Thursday 13 January 1949, Page 4
-----
Charge of murder.
PERTH, Tues.— A charge of having murdered the notorious Sydney criminal, George Wallace, known as the "Midnight Raider," was today preferred against machine miner Leonard Herman Levy, 31. Wallace died in Perth 15 days after he had been stabbed with a carving knife at the rear of the European Club about 1 a.m. on November 23.
- Brisbane Courier Mail, Wednesday 29 December 1948
-----
The razor gang era in Sydney stretched from 1927 to 1932. Without doubt it was the most vicious period that city has ever known. Hospital casualty wards were regularly called on to treat people suffering from razor wounds to the face - usually extending in an 'L' shape from the ear, down the cheek and across the mouth.
The savage wounds were inflicted during battles between rival gangs and criminals - fighting for profit and power in the narcotics, sly grog and prostitution rackets of the underworld. George Wallace, the leader of one of the most feared standover gangs in Kings Cross, was the greatest exponent of the razor. He was well aware that firearms led to murder charges and that the threat of a savage scar across the face was enough to make anybody do as he wished. He and his gang used the slashing technique to extort money from dope runners.
The idea of using the razor as a weapon quickly caught on and Sydney's darkened streets became a battlefield. Razor slashing became a popular method of operation used by independent standover men, thugs and others who wanted to wound without killing - even prostitutes used it, to ward off obstreperous clients.
Many of the drug runners carried weapons to protect themselves from the razor gangs. One drug runner who had been slashed by George Wallace down the cheek went looking for him after he had recovered. He found Wallace one night in a Kings Cross lane and thrust a revolver into his stomach, but the gun jammed. Wallace casually pulled out his razor and slashed the man's other cheek.
Also well known for their proficiency with the razor were Norman Bruhn, Snowy Cutmore and Frank Green. All were to die violently.
Norman Bruhn was the first to die. He had heard of the profits to be made by extracting money from cocaine dealers, so he left his familiar Melbourne haunts to wield his razor in Kings Cross. On the cold wintry night of 22 June 1927 Bruhn walked down the darkened Charlotte Lane in Darlinghurst. He fell a few minutes later with five bullets in his body.
- Australian Crimes
-----
SENTENCE OF DEATH ON MURDERER
Sentence of death was pronounced by the Chief Justice (Sir John Dwyer) in the Criminal Court yesterday afternoon on Leonard Herman Levy (31), miner, after he had been convicted by a Jury on a charge of having murdered George Wallace (45), a notorious Sydney felon known in the underworld of several states as "the Midnight Raider."
Levy turned ashen pale when the jury, at the end of a 45 minutes' retirement, announced the verdict of guilty. In a brief statement from the dock he said that he could assert with a clear conscience that he had never had any intention of causing Wallace's death. "I have had a reasonably fair trial," he added in level tones, "and must now abide by the jury's verdict." The Chief Justice who refrained from assuming the Black Cap said that in his view the verdict was the proper one, on the evidence. It was no doubt true that there might have been no intention to kill, but it was equally true that there was intention to cause serious bodily harm. If there had been intention to kill the proper verdict would have been one not of murder but of wilful murder. "WITHOUT CAUSE." The sentence prescribed by law for the offence of which the prisoner had been found guilty was sentence of death, which would now be pronounced. It was directed that Levy be returned to the place of his former custody, and that at a time and place to be appointed by the Governor he be hanged by the neck until he was dead. The accused had killed a man without cause, and his Honour added that he was not prepared to say that the sentence passed should not be inflicted. That was a matter, however, that would be left to another authority — the Executive to determine. The accused, who while the Judge was speaking maintained the air of composure which had characterised his demeanour throughout the trial, turned and left the dock with a firm step, on the first stage of his journey back to Fremantle Gaol, where he was placed in the condemned cell. DEEP WOUNDS.
George Wallace died at the Royal Perth Hospital on De- cember 7, following pneumonia and hepatic insufficiency which supervened on a flare-up of his dormant syphillis after he had received penicillin treatment for three deep wounds in his chest, arm and abdomen inflicted by Levy with a carving knife at the European Club, Lake-street, soon after midnight on November 22. The prosecution was conducted by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. K. G. Walsh), and the accused was defended by Mr. C. B. Gibson. The trial commenced on Monday. At the outset of yesterday's proceedings Det.-Sgt. D. H. Richardson, recalled, produced Wallace's record of past of fences, number 135, extending from 1918 to last year. His biggest sentence, the sergeant said, was six months' imprisonment on a charge that being a felon, he had firearms in his possession. His crimes had not been such as to justify his being labelled a gunman. To Mr. Gibson: The charges on which Wallace had been convicted included discharging a firearm to the danger of the public, causing malicious damage, behaving riotously, assaulting with intent to rob, and resisting the police in the execution of their duty.
"FIGHT TALK."
The sole witness for the defence was the accused, who said that he arrived in Perth from Big Bell early last October. He had known Wallace in the Eastern States about five years ago and renewed the acquaintance in Perth last year, when he often drank and played cards with him. On November 18 witness pawned his watch for £20. He had £ 200 locked up in his room at home at the time, but did not want Wallace to know where he was living. During the afternoon he went to various hotels with Wallace. When he found that a £5 note was missing from one of his pockets he accused Wallace of taking it and an argument ensued. There was "'fight talk" and knowing that Wallace was too tough for him, witness, against his better judgment, agreed that there might have been a mistake. He then shook hands with Wallace, and resumed drinking with him. On November 22, Levy proceeded, he met Wallace and they both got fairly intoxicated. Witness, when he "came to" at an unknown house in a semi-dazed condition, found that £140 in bank notes which he had placed in a bag and pinned inside his clothing, had disappeared. He was informed that Wallace had left the house an hour or two earlier. Witness called at a number of hotels in search of him, but failed to find him. It was possible that he paid a brief visit to the European Club, Lake-street, during the evening, but he did not see Wallace there until midnight. He told Wallace to "bung over" the £140 which he had taken from him. Witness added, "If you took it from me for my own protection give it back now and the incident will be forgotten." Wallace said "What are you trying to put over me, you dirty mongrel? Go and get —— ." He then walked away.
"SNARLED MENACINGLY."
Witness got a knife from a shelf in the club, he said, and followed Wallace. Witness said "You had better give that dough back to me, or else the game is going to be on." Witness, trying a bluff, raised the knife, but had no intention of using it otherwise. Wallace snarled menacingly. "Now I will fix you," and put his hand to his hip-pocket. Thinking he was about to draw a gun and blaze away with it, witness stabbed him. Witness had known him to carry a gun in Sydney, and was well aware of his bad reputation there.
DECEASED STABBED.
After the first stab Wallace grabbed witness and began to overpower him; his strength was far greater than that of witnesses who made several more stabs "in a frenzy to break free." Wallace reeled back and witness, throwing the knife on the floor, left the club and went home. He stayed in Perth for the next 10 days and then went to Melbourne because he did not wish to face a wounding charge, and wanted to get well away from Wallace. To the Crown Prosecutor: Witness had never been a good friend of Wallace's, merely a fairly close acquaintance. In Sydney on one occasion witness got him some clothing by a black-market purchase. When delivering the goods he noticed a pistol lying on the table in Wallace's room. Witness knew that Wallace was what was known as a bad man; he was aware of his antecedents and of his criminal record and of his syphilitic condition. When he arrived in Perth witness frequently spent all day drinking with him and sometimes stayed up all night playing cards with him.
ACCUSED'S MOUSTACHE.
Witness was very angry with Wallace, believing that he had stolen money from him, but his sole motive in stabbing him was to protect himself against Wallace's superior strength. He had told Det. B. Gooch that he intended to give Wallace a king hit and then kick him in the guts when he was down. He was a massively-built man, and witness knew that he would be no match for him if the arugment developed into a fist-fight. After the stabbing witness grew a moustache; he went to Adelaide under an assumed name, by train, and completed his journey to Melbourne by plane.
- The West Australian, Wednesday 9 February 1949, Page 11
FATALLY STABBED PERTH: The notorious Sydney criminal, George Wallace, known as "The Midnight Raider," died from three stab wounds in the chest, abdomen and arm, a liver disease, and a skin complaint. This evidence was given to-day at the inquest in Perth Court House. A machine miner, Leonard Herman Levy, 31, who was arrested in Melbourne, has been charged with the murder of Wallace.
- Goulburn Evening Post, Thursday 13 January 1949, Page 4
-----
Charge of murder.
PERTH, Tues.— A charge of having murdered the notorious Sydney criminal, George Wallace, known as the "Midnight Raider," was today preferred against machine miner Leonard Herman Levy, 31. Wallace died in Perth 15 days after he had been stabbed with a carving knife at the rear of the European Club about 1 a.m. on November 23.
- Brisbane Courier Mail, Wednesday 29 December 1948
-----
The razor gang era in Sydney stretched from 1927 to 1932. Without doubt it was the most vicious period that city has ever known. Hospital casualty wards were regularly called on to treat people suffering from razor wounds to the face - usually extending in an 'L' shape from the ear, down the cheek and across the mouth.
The savage wounds were inflicted during battles between rival gangs and criminals - fighting for profit and power in the narcotics, sly grog and prostitution rackets of the underworld. George Wallace, the leader of one of the most feared standover gangs in Kings Cross, was the greatest exponent of the razor. He was well aware that firearms led to murder charges and that the threat of a savage scar across the face was enough to make anybody do as he wished. He and his gang used the slashing technique to extort money from dope runners.
The idea of using the razor as a weapon quickly caught on and Sydney's darkened streets became a battlefield. Razor slashing became a popular method of operation used by independent standover men, thugs and others who wanted to wound without killing - even prostitutes used it, to ward off obstreperous clients.
Many of the drug runners carried weapons to protect themselves from the razor gangs. One drug runner who had been slashed by George Wallace down the cheek went looking for him after he had recovered. He found Wallace one night in a Kings Cross lane and thrust a revolver into his stomach, but the gun jammed. Wallace casually pulled out his razor and slashed the man's other cheek.
Also well known for their proficiency with the razor were Norman Bruhn, Snowy Cutmore and Frank Green. All were to die violently.
Norman Bruhn was the first to die. He had heard of the profits to be made by extracting money from cocaine dealers, so he left his familiar Melbourne haunts to wield his razor in Kings Cross. On the cold wintry night of 22 June 1927 Bruhn walked down the darkened Charlotte Lane in Darlinghurst. He fell a few minutes later with five bullets in his body.
- Australian Crimes
-----
SENTENCE OF DEATH ON MURDERER
Sentence of death was pronounced by the Chief Justice (Sir John Dwyer) in the Criminal Court yesterday afternoon on Leonard Herman Levy (31), miner, after he had been convicted by a Jury on a charge of having murdered George Wallace (45), a notorious Sydney felon known in the underworld of several states as "the Midnight Raider."
Levy turned ashen pale when the jury, at the end of a 45 minutes' retirement, announced the verdict of guilty. In a brief statement from the dock he said that he could assert with a clear conscience that he had never had any intention of causing Wallace's death. "I have had a reasonably fair trial," he added in level tones, "and must now abide by the jury's verdict." The Chief Justice who refrained from assuming the Black Cap said that in his view the verdict was the proper one, on the evidence. It was no doubt true that there might have been no intention to kill, but it was equally true that there was intention to cause serious bodily harm. If there had been intention to kill the proper verdict would have been one not of murder but of wilful murder. "WITHOUT CAUSE." The sentence prescribed by law for the offence of which the prisoner had been found guilty was sentence of death, which would now be pronounced. It was directed that Levy be returned to the place of his former custody, and that at a time and place to be appointed by the Governor he be hanged by the neck until he was dead. The accused had killed a man without cause, and his Honour added that he was not prepared to say that the sentence passed should not be inflicted. That was a matter, however, that would be left to another authority — the Executive to determine. The accused, who while the Judge was speaking maintained the air of composure which had characterised his demeanour throughout the trial, turned and left the dock with a firm step, on the first stage of his journey back to Fremantle Gaol, where he was placed in the condemned cell. DEEP WOUNDS.
George Wallace died at the Royal Perth Hospital on De- cember 7, following pneumonia and hepatic insufficiency which supervened on a flare-up of his dormant syphillis after he had received penicillin treatment for three deep wounds in his chest, arm and abdomen inflicted by Levy with a carving knife at the European Club, Lake-street, soon after midnight on November 22. The prosecution was conducted by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. K. G. Walsh), and the accused was defended by Mr. C. B. Gibson. The trial commenced on Monday. At the outset of yesterday's proceedings Det.-Sgt. D. H. Richardson, recalled, produced Wallace's record of past of fences, number 135, extending from 1918 to last year. His biggest sentence, the sergeant said, was six months' imprisonment on a charge that being a felon, he had firearms in his possession. His crimes had not been such as to justify his being labelled a gunman. To Mr. Gibson: The charges on which Wallace had been convicted included discharging a firearm to the danger of the public, causing malicious damage, behaving riotously, assaulting with intent to rob, and resisting the police in the execution of their duty.
"FIGHT TALK."
The sole witness for the defence was the accused, who said that he arrived in Perth from Big Bell early last October. He had known Wallace in the Eastern States about five years ago and renewed the acquaintance in Perth last year, when he often drank and played cards with him. On November 18 witness pawned his watch for £20. He had £ 200 locked up in his room at home at the time, but did not want Wallace to know where he was living. During the afternoon he went to various hotels with Wallace. When he found that a £5 note was missing from one of his pockets he accused Wallace of taking it and an argument ensued. There was "'fight talk" and knowing that Wallace was too tough for him, witness, against his better judgment, agreed that there might have been a mistake. He then shook hands with Wallace, and resumed drinking with him. On November 22, Levy proceeded, he met Wallace and they both got fairly intoxicated. Witness, when he "came to" at an unknown house in a semi-dazed condition, found that £140 in bank notes which he had placed in a bag and pinned inside his clothing, had disappeared. He was informed that Wallace had left the house an hour or two earlier. Witness called at a number of hotels in search of him, but failed to find him. It was possible that he paid a brief visit to the European Club, Lake-street, during the evening, but he did not see Wallace there until midnight. He told Wallace to "bung over" the £140 which he had taken from him. Witness added, "If you took it from me for my own protection give it back now and the incident will be forgotten." Wallace said "What are you trying to put over me, you dirty mongrel? Go and get —— ." He then walked away.
"SNARLED MENACINGLY."
Witness got a knife from a shelf in the club, he said, and followed Wallace. Witness said "You had better give that dough back to me, or else the game is going to be on." Witness, trying a bluff, raised the knife, but had no intention of using it otherwise. Wallace snarled menacingly. "Now I will fix you," and put his hand to his hip-pocket. Thinking he was about to draw a gun and blaze away with it, witness stabbed him. Witness had known him to carry a gun in Sydney, and was well aware of his bad reputation there.
DECEASED STABBED.
After the first stab Wallace grabbed witness and began to overpower him; his strength was far greater than that of witnesses who made several more stabs "in a frenzy to break free." Wallace reeled back and witness, throwing the knife on the floor, left the club and went home. He stayed in Perth for the next 10 days and then went to Melbourne because he did not wish to face a wounding charge, and wanted to get well away from Wallace. To the Crown Prosecutor: Witness had never been a good friend of Wallace's, merely a fairly close acquaintance. In Sydney on one occasion witness got him some clothing by a black-market purchase. When delivering the goods he noticed a pistol lying on the table in Wallace's room. Witness knew that Wallace was what was known as a bad man; he was aware of his antecedents and of his criminal record and of his syphilitic condition. When he arrived in Perth witness frequently spent all day drinking with him and sometimes stayed up all night playing cards with him.
ACCUSED'S MOUSTACHE.
Witness was very angry with Wallace, believing that he had stolen money from him, but his sole motive in stabbing him was to protect himself against Wallace's superior strength. He had told Det. B. Gooch that he intended to give Wallace a king hit and then kick him in the guts when he was down. He was a massively-built man, and witness knew that he would be no match for him if the arugment developed into a fist-fight. After the stabbing witness grew a moustache; he went to Adelaide under an assumed name, by train, and completed his journey to Melbourne by plane.
- The West Australian, Wednesday 9 February 1949, Page 11
- Goulburn Evening Post, Thursday 13 January 1949, Page 4
-----
Charge of murder.
PERTH, Tues.— A charge of having murdered the notorious Sydney criminal, George Wallace, known as the "Midnight Raider," was today preferred against machine miner Leonard Herman Levy, 31. Wallace died in Perth 15 days after he had been stabbed with a carving knife at the rear of the European Club about 1 a.m. on November 23.
- Brisbane Courier Mail, Wednesday 29 December 1948
-----
The razor gang era in Sydney stretched from 1927 to 1932. Without doubt it was the most vicious period that city has ever known. Hospital casualty wards were regularly called on to treat people suffering from razor wounds to the face - usually extending in an 'L' shape from the ear, down the cheek and across the mouth.
The savage wounds were inflicted during battles between rival gangs and criminals - fighting for profit and power in the narcotics, sly grog and prostitution rackets of the underworld. George Wallace, the leader of one of the most feared standover gangs in Kings Cross, was the greatest exponent of the razor. He was well aware that firearms led to murder charges and that the threat of a savage scar across the face was enough to make anybody do as he wished. He and his gang used the slashing technique to extort money from dope runners.
The idea of using the razor as a weapon quickly caught on and Sydney's darkened streets became a battlefield. Razor slashing became a popular method of operation used by independent standover men, thugs and others who wanted to wound without killing - even prostitutes used it, to ward off obstreperous clients.
Many of the drug runners carried weapons to protect themselves from the razor gangs. One drug runner who had been slashed by George Wallace down the cheek went looking for him after he had recovered. He found Wallace one night in a Kings Cross lane and thrust a revolver into his stomach, but the gun jammed. Wallace casually pulled out his razor and slashed the man's other cheek.
Also well known for their proficiency with the razor were Norman Bruhn, Snowy Cutmore and Frank Green. All were to die violently.
Norman Bruhn was the first to die. He had heard of the profits to be made by extracting money from cocaine dealers, so he left his familiar Melbourne haunts to wield his razor in Kings Cross. On the cold wintry night of 22 June 1927 Bruhn walked down the darkened Charlotte Lane in Darlinghurst. He fell a few minutes later with five bullets in his body.
- Australian Crimes
-----
SENTENCE OF DEATH ON MURDERER
Sentence of death was pronounced by the Chief Justice (Sir John Dwyer) in the Criminal Court yesterday afternoon on Leonard Herman Levy (31), miner, after he had been convicted by a Jury on a charge of having murdered George Wallace (45), a notorious Sydney felon known in the underworld of several states as "the Midnight Raider."
Levy turned ashen pale when the jury, at the end of a 45 minutes' retirement, announced the verdict of guilty. In a brief statement from the dock he said that he could assert with a clear conscience that he had never had any intention of causing Wallace's death. "I have had a reasonably fair trial," he added in level tones, "and must now abide by the jury's verdict." The Chief Justice who refrained from assuming the Black Cap said that in his view the verdict was the proper one, on the evidence. It was no doubt true that there might have been no intention to kill, but it was equally true that there was intention to cause serious bodily harm. If there had been intention to kill the proper verdict would have been one not of murder but of wilful murder. "WITHOUT CAUSE." The sentence prescribed by law for the offence of which the prisoner had been found guilty was sentence of death, which would now be pronounced. It was directed that Levy be returned to the place of his former custody, and that at a time and place to be appointed by the Governor he be hanged by the neck until he was dead. The accused had killed a man without cause, and his Honour added that he was not prepared to say that the sentence passed should not be inflicted. That was a matter, however, that would be left to another authority — the Executive to determine. The accused, who while the Judge was speaking maintained the air of composure which had characterised his demeanour throughout the trial, turned and left the dock with a firm step, on the first stage of his journey back to Fremantle Gaol, where he was placed in the condemned cell. DEEP WOUNDS.
George Wallace died at the Royal Perth Hospital on De- cember 7, following pneumonia and hepatic insufficiency which supervened on a flare-up of his dormant syphillis after he had received penicillin treatment for three deep wounds in his chest, arm and abdomen inflicted by Levy with a carving knife at the European Club, Lake-street, soon after midnight on November 22. The prosecution was conducted by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. K. G. Walsh), and the accused was defended by Mr. C. B. Gibson. The trial commenced on Monday. At the outset of yesterday's proceedings Det.-Sgt. D. H. Richardson, recalled, produced Wallace's record of past of fences, number 135, extending from 1918 to last year. His biggest sentence, the sergeant said, was six months' imprisonment on a charge that being a felon, he had firearms in his possession. His crimes had not been such as to justify his being labelled a gunman. To Mr. Gibson: The charges on which Wallace had been convicted included discharging a firearm to the danger of the public, causing malicious damage, behaving riotously, assaulting with intent to rob, and resisting the police in the execution of their duty.
"FIGHT TALK."
The sole witness for the defence was the accused, who said that he arrived in Perth from Big Bell early last October. He had known Wallace in the Eastern States about five years ago and renewed the acquaintance in Perth last year, when he often drank and played cards with him. On November 18 witness pawned his watch for £20. He had £ 200 locked up in his room at home at the time, but did not want Wallace to know where he was living. During the afternoon he went to various hotels with Wallace. When he found that a £5 note was missing from one of his pockets he accused Wallace of taking it and an argument ensued. There was "'fight talk" and knowing that Wallace was too tough for him, witness, against his better judgment, agreed that there might have been a mistake. He then shook hands with Wallace, and resumed drinking with him. On November 22, Levy proceeded, he met Wallace and they both got fairly intoxicated. Witness, when he "came to" at an unknown house in a semi-dazed condition, found that £140 in bank notes which he had placed in a bag and pinned inside his clothing, had disappeared. He was informed that Wallace had left the house an hour or two earlier. Witness called at a number of hotels in search of him, but failed to find him. It was possible that he paid a brief visit to the European Club, Lake-street, during the evening, but he did not see Wallace there until midnight. He told Wallace to "bung over" the £140 which he had taken from him. Witness added, "If you took it from me for my own protection give it back now and the incident will be forgotten." Wallace said "What are you trying to put over me, you dirty mongrel? Go and get —— ." He then walked away.
"SNARLED MENACINGLY."
Witness got a knife from a shelf in the club, he said, and followed Wallace. Witness said "You had better give that dough back to me, or else the game is going to be on." Witness, trying a bluff, raised the knife, but had no intention of using it otherwise. Wallace snarled menacingly. "Now I will fix you," and put his hand to his hip-pocket. Thinking he was about to draw a gun and blaze away with it, witness stabbed him. Witness had known him to carry a gun in Sydney, and was well aware of his bad reputation there.
DECEASED STABBED.
After the first stab Wallace grabbed witness and began to overpower him; his strength was far greater than that of witnesses who made several more stabs "in a frenzy to break free." Wallace reeled back and witness, throwing the knife on the floor, left the club and went home. He stayed in Perth for the next 10 days and then went to Melbourne because he did not wish to face a wounding charge, and wanted to get well away from Wallace. To the Crown Prosecutor: Witness had never been a good friend of Wallace's, merely a fairly close acquaintance. In Sydney on one occasion witness got him some clothing by a black-market purchase. When delivering the goods he noticed a pistol lying on the table in Wallace's room. Witness knew that Wallace was what was known as a bad man; he was aware of his antecedents and of his criminal record and of his syphilitic condition. When he arrived in Perth witness frequently spent all day drinking with him and sometimes stayed up all night playing cards with him.
ACCUSED'S MOUSTACHE.
Witness was very angry with Wallace, believing that he had stolen money from him, but his sole motive in stabbing him was to protect himself against Wallace's superior strength. He had told Det. B. Gooch that he intended to give Wallace a king hit and then kick him in the guts when he was down. He was a massively-built man, and witness knew that he would be no match for him if the arugment developed into a fist-fight. After the stabbing witness grew a moustache; he went to Adelaide under an assumed name, by train, and completed his journey to Melbourne by plane.
- The West Australian, Wednesday 9 February 1949, Page 11
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