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| A Sydney city mugshot from the twenties. |
The early 1900’s were the days when Sydney’s crime really paid.
A surge in organised crime during the late 1920’s was mitigated by several factors, particularly the prohibition on prostitution, the ban on selling cocaine through chemists and the closing of public bars at 6pm.
Combine this with the rise of gun culture, cocaine use, prostitution and big egos, Sydney bars turned into criminal meeting rooms and paupers turned into bankrollers.
South-east Sydney was not exempt from the crime and violence that plagued the back alleys and terraces in Sydney’s city.
Matilda “Tilly” Devine bought multiple dwellings in Maroubra and Coogee that housed her closest allies around the area. Afternoon gun duels that began in the city flowed on to front lawns on Malabar road.
Shot by revolvers, and dying on the ground, the victims still refused to speak to police.
This tough, criminal underworld had one important rule. No squealing to the cops.
Here’s a story about the human arm that was found in the middle of the Coogee Palace Aquarium (currently known as the Coogee Pavilion) on Anzac Day, 1935..
A 3.5 metre Tiger shark was caught off the coast of Jiles Baths and put on public display inside the building. News quickly spread that a bizarre discovery had been made at the Coogee Aquarium. Crowds gathered that Anzac Day to see a regurgitated a human arm. Contrary to initial thoughts, it was soon realised that the arm had been severed at the shoulder, which opened up an investigation for murder.
The arm had two distinct features. A piece of rope tied around it and a tattoo of two sparring boxers. The police struggled to solve the murder because a regurgitated arm was all they had and hardly anyone they spoke to would cooperate with the authorities.
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| The victim- James "Jim" Smith |
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| The boat salesman- Reginald Holmes |
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| Guilty?- Patrick "Paddy" Brady |
Eventually, two prime suspects emerged. Paddy Brady, a criminal figurehead in Sydney's underworld and Reginald Holmes, a well-off businessman operating a boatbuilding business out of Lavender Bay. The victim, Paddy Brady and Reginald Holmes were last seen together having a drink at Cronulla pub before the murder took place.
The victim was Jim Smith, a small time criminal and boxer. When questioned by police, Holmes denied knowing Smith and Paddy Brady’s entire family stayed mute during the interrogation process.
When the police arrested and charged Paddy Brady for the murder of Jim Smith, Holmes reacted in a bizarre fashion. Holmes drove his speedboat into Lavender Bay and tried to shoot himself in the head. He was unsuccessful and while injured and mildly delusional, he led the police on a wacky goose chase in around Sydney Harbour.
Holmes eventually surrendered and was in hospital under police guard.
He was ready to snitch. His version of events went like this. The day after Holmes, Smith and Brady were at Cronulla enjoying a drink, Holmes said Brady came to his house showed him Smith’s severed arm in a brown leather kitbag.
He said that Brady had later thrown the arm into the sea at Maroubra Bay.
Eventually, Holmes agreed to give evidence against Brady at a Coronial Inquest. On the day he was due to appear in court, Holmes’ body was found slumped over the wheel of his car at Miller’s Point.
Holmes’ death derailed the case against Brady over the murder of Smith. Brady was released and lived as a free man, taking the true story of the shark arm mystery to his grave. The case remains unsolved.
What only a few people knew at the time was that the victim, Jim Smith was a police informant. He put a bank robber in jail and broke the golden rule- no squealing to the cops.
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| Tilly Devine. |
