"THE SILENT FIVE"
Offer In Writing
They Were Self-styled Killers, But Soon Scared Stiff.
(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Representative).
"If the next time there is no money here, you will get your throat cut. Don't think this is a fairy tale. It isn't — we mean it. — 'The Silent Five.' — P.S. — We are killers."
THUS, a band of young ne'er-do-wells in Dunedin tried to emulate the terrorising tactics of a Chicago "underworld."
The three youths who crowded in the dock of the Dunedin Supreme Court the other day and faced his honor Mr. Justice MacGregor, did not look much like "killers," even though they did represent what the police had raked in of the notorious "Silent Five."
Far from it. In fact, as one of their counsel declared them, they looked "scared out of their lives."
Samuel Joseph Blee, Reginald Robert Sutherland and Albert George Rodgers were the three young men whose exploits under the mystery pseudonym of "The Silent Five" brought them within the net of the law.
In the lower, court, all had pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries.
Against Blee there were four counts of breaking, entering and theft, and three of breaking and entering; Sutherland, one charge, of breaking, entering and theft, and two of breaking and entering; and Rodgers, one charge of breaking, entering and theft.
Pleading on behalf of Rodgers and Blee, Mr. C. J. L. White deprecated the police reports on accused.
The police, said counsel, had no evidence to substantiate the suggestion that Blee was responsible for the loss of a quantity of goods from his employers.
Counsel produced references from the youth's employers, and cited incidents of Blee's previous honesty in returning money he had found and an overpayment of wages.
In similar vein, Mr. White condemned as "grossly exaggerated" the police information regarding Rodgers.
Accused was not a larrikin and guilty of other crimes, nor was the home influence bad. The youth's mother had reared eight out of ten children without the family encountering the criminal law.
For Sutherland, Mr. A. G. Neill put forward unemployment as the cause of "idle' hands and an idle mind" going astray.
As to the "Silent Five" note which savored of the "melodramatic cinema," counsel said: "They'd scatter like rabbits if they heard a door bang, or saw a watchman peeping through a fence. And these are the men who left a note postscripted: 'We are killers'!"
"There is no doubt as to their guilt, yet they put forward specious pleas why they should not be punished," said, the judge curtly.
"Sheaves of testimonies say that they are good lads, yet it is quite clear that they are nothing of the kind. These young larrikins must be taught a lesson."
Two years' reformative detention was handed out to each of the three "killers." -NZ Truth, 14/2/1929.
So, you may ask, what happened to the "Silent Five"? To begin, I should add that the name was not original - a gang of that name featured in the newspapers in 1926, having committed a number of offences in Dannevirke. They were sent to a Borstal institute.
As to the "Dunedin three" who called themselves the "Silent Five," here is what I have found of their stories...
GUNSHOT WOUND IN CHEST
Suffering from a gunshot wound in the chest, Samuel Joseph Blee, a single man, aged 27 years, who lives at 13 Thomas Burns street, was admitted to Hospital at 10.30 last night. His condition is not regarded as being serious. -Otago Daily Times, 28/8/1937.
ACCUSED REMANDED.
ILLEGALLY ON PREMISES CHARGE.
DUNEDIN, This Day. A sequel to the capture last evening of a masked intruder on the premises of Wilson, Balk and Company was the appearance in the Police Court this morning of Samuel Joseph Blee, a middle-aged man, charged that, being deemed a rogue and a vagabond, he was found by night without lawful excuse in an enclosed yard. Accused was remanded till Wednesday. -Ashburton Guardian, 29/10/1938.
“A FAIR COP”
MASKED INTRUDER SENTENCED
By Telegraph — Press Association DUNEDIN, November 7.
Seen by a detective to clamber over a fence surrounding the premises of Wilson Balk Ltd., on the evening of October 28, Samuel Joseph Blee, aged 28 years, was caught in a yard with a partial face mask. He commented that “it was a fair cop.” On a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond he was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. The Police stated that the premises had been entered seven times in the last few months. Small quantities of tea and groceries were taken. Complaints had been received that Blee was selling tea round the city. -Timaru Herald, 8/11/1938.
Samuel Blee was called up by the Army on September 14, 1939. He was posted as "missing" in June, 1941 - after the Battle of Crete - and reported PoW in March, 1942. He was kept in Lamsdorf PoW camp in Poland and repatriated in 1945.
DRUNKEN DRIVER.
“It was a silly and dangerous drunken prank,” said Senior-sergeant MacLean when Reginald Robert Sutherland pleaded guilty to a charge of being intoxicated while in charge of a motor car. He was represented by Mr O. Stevens. The Senior Sergeant stated that Sutherland was seen to enter a car and drive it along McBride street, where he collided with another car. He was driving in a very erratic manner, and was subsequently found to be in a drunken condition. The car belonged to a friend, who had been teaching him to drive. The accused, who was of the hoodlum type, was not a competent driver.
The Probation Officer described the accused as “a drunken young waster.”
Sutherland was fined £5 and was prohibited from driving for twelve months. -Evening Star, 10/7/1933.
CITY POLICE COURT
Thursday, October 21 (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.)
DRUNKENNESS A charge of drunkenness against a first offender, 72 years of age, was adjourned for six months, the magistrate stating that he did not wish to enter a conviction, as it might affect the defendant’s old age pension. If the defendant were of good behaviour during that period, the charge would be dismissed. Charles Goodman, a statutory first offender, was fined 10s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment.
INDECENT LANGUAGE Reginald Robert Sutherland was charged with, on October 20, using indecent language in a public place, namely, at the corner of Hanover and King streets. The accused pleaded not guilty. — Senior Sergeant Packer said that on the previous evening Constable Quirk’s attention was drawn to a disturbance at the corner of Hanover and King streets. The constable made inquiries and found that the accused was alleged to have used indecent language to two passing cyclists, who had gone back to see what he meant by it. They had found the accused with his coat off, waiting to fight them. — The two cyclists and Constable Quirk gave evidence. The constable stated that he had seen the accused strike one of the cyclists several times. He stopped the fight as soon as he arrived. The accused was well under the influence of liquor. He had heard bad language used, but he could not say who had used it. He had arrested the accused. — The accused said that he did not remember using any bad language. He did not remember much about it. He was on sustenance. — The magistrate said that the evidence of the two witnesses was clear as to the use of bad language, and he found that bad language had been used. The accused would be convicted and fined 40s, in default three days’ imprisonment. — The accused asked for time to pay the fine. — The magistrate said that the accused did not deserve much consideration. He would, however, allow him seven days — but seven days only — in which to pay. - Otago Daily Times, 22/10/1937.
Roberts was called up for Army service in September 1939. He also was captured on Crete in 1941 and kept in Lamsdorf camp.
LABOURER CHARGED: UNABLE TO PAY TAXI
“I really thought I had money on me at the time,” said Reginald Robert Sutherland, a 37-year-old labourer, of no fixed address, when pleading guilty in the Police Court this morning to a charge of failing to pay a taxi fare of 5s. To another charge, of drunkenness, Sutherland also pleaded guilty.
Senior-sergeant J. H. Hogg explained that Sutherland had lured a taxi last night, and had been taken to Stafford street. When asked for the fare, he had not been able to pay it. The police were informed, and they found him to be drunk.
Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., adjourned the first charge until September 9, the amount of the fare to be paid in the meantime. On the charge of drunkenness, Sutherland was fined 10s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. -Evening Star, 26/8/1947.
FINED FOR DRUNKENNESS
Reginald Robert Sutherland, a porter, aged 40, was convicted and fined £2 for having been found drunk in Oxford on April 22, having been once previously convicted for drunkenness in the last six months. -Press, 26/4/1950.
FOUND DRUNK
Reginald Robert Sutherland, a porter, aged 42. was fined £2 on a charge of being found drunk in High street on April 22. having been once previously convicted for drunkenness in the last six months. -Press, 19/2/1954.
BREAKING AND ENTERING CHARGE
Reginald Robert Sutherland, a porter, aged 43, pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering a house at 203 Barbadoes street on January 26 and committing theft.
Detective-Sergeant A. B. Tate said the house was occupied by two women. About 4 p.m. on January 26 a woman friend called (the occupiers were out) and found the back door smashed and open. She walked through the house, and saw the accused hiding behind a door. She talked to him and did her best to detain him, but he made off. She gave chase on her bicycle, but after a short distance he dodged her. Later she and her husband found Sutherland, and the police were called. When arrested the accused admitted entering the house and stealing some goods. He had been drunk, he told the police. The goods stolen were worth about £5, and the damage to the door amounted to £l.
The Magistrate said he would remand Sutherland for a week. He wished to see the Probation Officer’s report. -Press, 12/2/1954.
Drowned In Harbour
(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 19.
The man who drowned yesterday after falling from the Jervois Quay breastwork into Wellington harbour has been identified. He was
Reginald Robert Sutherland, aged 54, labourer.
His last known address was St. Patrick’s Home, Wellington. Four men, including Mr Sutherland, were sitting on the breastwork stringer when Mr Sutherland overbalanced. As he fell, about 12.15 yesterday, Mr W. Clark, labourer, of Wellington, tried to save him and also overbalanced. Both men fell into the sea. -Press, 20/10/1964.
Albert Rodgers was working as a watersider in 1939 and was a witness in a theft case. I have found nothing further regarding him.
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