Below also see: William Thomas, 1934
The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate, Tue 17 Mar 1931 1
TELEGRAMS
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NEW SOUTH WALES
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Sydney, Tuesday.
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Ernest Alexis Walker (19), salesman, and George Clayton (27), shearer, were remanded, at the Central Court this morning on a charge of having assumed the designation of constable. It was alleged that defendants went to a business man’s house in Darlinghurst, and said they belonged to the police, and if he did not give them £20 they were going to take him to the police station. They added that they intended to charge him with acts of indecency.
The police prosecutor said that inquiries were being made with a view to charging defendants with blackmail.
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Evening News, Tue 17 Mar 1931 2
ALLEGED BOGUS
POLICE
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Story Of Visit To
Business Man
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Ernest Alexis Walker, 19, salesman, and George Clayton, 27, shearer, were charged before Mr Laidlaw CSM, at the Central Court to-day, with having assumed the designation of a constable.
Detective-Sergt Arnold said that the two men went to a business man’s house in Darlinghurst and said: “We belong to the police, and if you don’t give us £20, we are going to take you to Darlinghurst police station.” They added that they intended to charge him with an act or indecency.
Inquiries were being made with a view of further charges of the nature of blackmail being made, said witness. “These men have been posing as police officers and trying to obtain money from street women.”
Both accused were remanded to March 24 on bail in £50.
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The Sun, Tue 17 Mar 1931 3
ALLEGED THREAT
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TO SYDNEY BUSINESS MAN
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TWO CHARGED
Sensational allegations of blackmail were made at the Central Police Court to-day when Ernest Alexis Walker, aged 19, salesman, and George Clayton, aged 27, were charged with having assumed the designations of constables of police.
Detective-Sergeant Arnold said that the defendants represented themselves as police officers and demanded £20 from a business man at his home at Darlinghurst.
They threatened to take him to the police station and prefer a serious charge if the money was not forthcoming.
Mr Laidlaw, CSM: What was the threat they made in respect to?
Sergt Arnold: They were accusing the man of trying to commit an indecent assault on the defendant Walker. Other inquiries are pending, and they will be further charged. It is known that they posed as police officers, and attempted to obtain money from street women in Woolloomooloo.
Defendants asked that the case be proceeded with forthwith.
Mr Laidlaw: You will be charged under the Crimes Act on a serious count.
In remanding the defendants to March 24, the magistrate increased the ball from £20 to £50 each.
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The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 18 Mar 1931 4
ALLEGED ATTEMPTED
BLACKMAIL.
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Ernest Alexis Walker (19), salesman, and George Clayton (27), shearer, appeared before Mr Laidlaw, CSM, at the Central Police Court, to answer a charge of assuming the designation of a constable of police at Sydney on March 13.
The Police Prosecutor asked for a remand.
Detective Arnold stated that defendants went to a business man’s house in Darlinghurst, represented themselves as police officers, and demanded £20 from him. The detective said that inquiries were being made with a view to charging them with attempting to obtain money by charging a person with an infamous offence.
The magistrate remanded them to March 24, and increased their bail from £20 to £50.
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The Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 18 May 1931 5
LAW NOTICES.
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Monday, May 18.
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QUARTER SESSIONS.
No. 1 Court.—William Ray Carroll and Samuel Joseph Carroll, attempt to choke with intent to commit a felony; Geoffrey Russel Turner carnally know daughter; Eric Kelly, stealing; Ernest Alexis Walker and George Clayton, threaten to accuse of a crime with intent to extort money.
No. 2 Court.—Edward Vercoe, false pretences; Thomas Gardiner Hutchinson, assault a female and commit an act of indecency; Alma Ferguson, stealing; John Bowthorpe, break, enter, and steal (for plea only); Roy Percival, break, enter, and steal (for sentence).
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The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 19 May 1931 6
QUARTER SESSIONS.
(Before Judge Curlewis.)
Mr McKean, KC, Senior Crown Prosecutor.
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TWO YOUNG MEN CHARGED.
Ernest Alexis Walker, 19, a salesman, and George Clayton, 27, a shearer, were charged with having threatened to accuse Reginald John Hope Neild of having attempted to commit an indecent assault, with intent thereby to extort money from Neild.
The Crown Prosecutor said it was alleged that Walker and Clayton told Neild that they were police, and were out to catch degenerate people. They said, it was alleged, that they received £5 for each case, and that unless he paid them some money they would take him to the police station.
The hearing will be resumed to-day.
Mr NJ Palmer appeared for Clayton; and Mr AH Ferguson (instructed by Mr Eric Howard) for Walker.
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The Sun, Wed 20 May 1931 7
TWO YEARS
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BLACKMAIL ATTEMPT
The desirability of having inquiries made concerning the character of persons applying for positions in the Boy Scout movement was mentioned at the Quarter Sessions to-day, by Judge Curlewis, when he passed sentence of two years imprisonment on Ernest Alexis Walker, 19, described as a former scout master, and on George Clayton, 27, who had been convicted of an attempt to extort money from a resident of Elizabeth Bay, by threatening to accuse him of a crime.
Roy Bennett, general secretary of the Boy Scouts’ Association, said in Court that before any person was appointed to a position where he would have control of Scouts, every investigation was made into his character. With regard to Walker, the only connection that he had had with the movement was when he was a boy, so Walker claimed. He had never held the position of either assistant Scout-Master or Scout-Master.
Image: Sunday Times, (Sydney, NSW), Sun 13 Sep 1908, p.3. Reproduction: Peter de Waal
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The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 21 May 1931 8
QUARTER SESSIONS.
(Before Judge Curlewis.)
Mr McKean, KC, Senior Crown Prosecutor.
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TWO YEARS GAOL.
Ernest Alexis Walker, 19, a salesman, and George Clayton, 27, a shearer, had been found guilty of having threatened to accuse Reginald John Hope Neild of having attempted to commit an indecent assault with intent thereby to extort money from Neild.
Walker and Clayton were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
Mr NJ Palmer appeared for Clayton; and Mr AH Ferguson (instructed by Mr Eric Howard), for Walker.
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SCOUT MOVEMENT.
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Selection of Officers.
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JUDGE’S ADVICE.
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Judge Curlewis made some comments yesterday at the Quarter Sessions Court on the selection of scoutmasters. He was about to sentence Ernest Alexis Walker, 19, described as a former scoutmaster, and George Clayton, 17, a shearer, who had been convicted of having threatened to accuse a man of having attempted to commit an indecent assault, with intent to extort money.
His Honor said: Everyone in the community recognises the excellent work done by the Boy Scout movement, and everyone recognises that it is a movement calculated to do a great deal of good to boys—consequently to the men of the future. I am sorry to say that this is the second case in six months in which I have dealt with a man connected with the Boy Scout movement.
Mr McKean, KC (Senior Crown Prosecutor) : The other man you dealt with was a scoutmaster.
His Honor: He was found guilty of indecent assault. Of course, if there is much of that it will ruin the movement altogether. I seriously suggest to the authorities of the movement that before a man is accepted as a scoutmaster they make sure that he has no convictions against him, especially convictions for violence or an offence like that which Walker and Clayton are guilty of. I feel sure that the police will do their very best to assist in any inquiries.
Later in the day Mr RF Bennett, general secretary of the Boy Scouts’ Association, made an explanation in court. He said that the association was very particular in making inquiries about everybody who applied for an appointment as an officer.
“I have records here to show that this man applied for appointment as assistant scout-master of the Bellevue Hill troop. We made inquiries, and considered him totally unfitted. His application stated that he had two years’ service at Rose Bay and Woollahra-Paddington as a boy. Walker has never held office as a leader.”
His Honor suggested that inquiries should be made at Katoomba to ascertain whether Walker had been in the scout movement under another name.
William Thomas, 1934
The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 7 Mar 1934 9
QUARTER SESSIONS.
(Before Judge White.)
Crown Prosecutor, Mr TS Crawford.
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(Before Judge Sheridan.)
Senior Crown Prosecutor, Mr McKean, KC.
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YOUTH ACQUITTED.
William Thomas, 19, baker, was charged with having at Woollahra on February 5 demanded money with menaces of Reginald John Hope Neild with intent to steal.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Thomas was discharged.
1 The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate, (NSW), Tue 17 Mar 1931, p. 1.
2 Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Tue 17 Mar 1931, p. 7. Emphasis added.
3 The Sun, (Sydney, NSW), Tue 17 Mar 1931, p. 9. Emphasis added.
4 The Sydney Morning Herald, (NSW), Wed 18 Mar 1931, p. 10. Emphasis added.
5 The Sydney Morning Herald, (NSW), Mon 18 May 1931, p. 3. Emphasis added.
6 The Sydney Morning Herald, (NSW), Tue 19 May 1931, p. 6.
7 The Sun, (Sydney, NSW), Wed 20 May 1931, p. 3. Emphasis added.
8 The Sydney Morning Herald, (NSW), Thu 21 May 1931, pp. 6, 10. Emphasis added.
9 The Sydney Morning Herald, (NSW), Wed 7 Mar 1934, p. 9. Emphasis added.