THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1961.
Page
A NEW LUSTGARTEN-IT'S CERTAINLY AN EVENT. IF YOU SAVOUR A GOOD COURTROOM DRAMA
Suspicious - when a policeman has £12,000
at the bank
I
Avory emotion softened
ory: "Not a particle
the lines of that gaunt and shrivelled face."
L
There was Mirs Meyrick'a The writer then roundly "43" Club in Gerrard-street,' denounced Goddard for taking described by one 'unknown cor- bribes from various club and respondent of the Yard apo "a house proprietors, and declared sink of iniquity, at which young that Goddard's capital assets men of means are filled with and his mode of life were totally drinks, pelted by prostitutes, and unrelated to his police remunera- robbed.
tion.
Police file
There was Uncle's Club in Albemarle-street, run by Luigi Ribu, former boss ot Victor's Club in Leicester-square (which had been raided), and whose new premises zoom boast- ed a polico Ale well Alted with unsigned charges et drunken- ness and disorder,
smart
"I would suggest," the name- less accuser then concluded, "that if you caused officers to inquire into the truth of the statements contained in this communication they would all be proved, both in substance and in fact.”
Sensational
Secret Inquirles were accord-
checked,
asser
may.
not
easily The results extravagantly, be termed censa-
Less prominent and preudo- inkly made into the secondl,
thin these notorious more haunts, but also buttressed by a ton. band of loyal patrons, there was a bawdy-house in Greek-street, tional. inancged by a Mrs Godda, which welfare organisation diligently watched and the West minster housing authority view- ed with pirang suspicion.
Goddard, though, never furnished his superiors with the evidence required to institute proceedings against any one of them. On each successive com- plaint passed to him, he reported back that hly inquiries had tumed out negative, and that for the present no action could be taken or indeed was called for.
DO not suppose for a moment that Mr Justice Avory, who despised pretensions and detested histrionics, ever consciously cast himself in the role of Nemesis. That he not only fulfilled, but was seen to fulfil, that role more strikingly than any among his contemporaries is an indisputable Out of luck? fact that must be attributed to nature. Cast of mind and cast of features alike equipped him for the part.
It has been said-and perhaps with truth-that an innocent prisoner could count himself lucky to be tried Avory. It has also been said and perhaps with equal truth-that a guilty prisoner would get a gentler deal from almost any other judge.
sere
Was
Goddard possessed o freehold house, a Chrysler car, two pros-, perous bank accounts, and three Deposit antes one of which contained £12,000 in cash.
His wages stood at £0 155. -- O. a week.
Confronted with these dis- coveries, Goddard declared that he had been lucky on the horces and in currency speculations. Ho
conTM did not, at that stage. deseend to details, Hauled up
boterea Disciplinary Board, He
pleaded guilty to Neglect of Duty (falling
to account for large Gums received by him from
nod unknown sources) Discreditable Conduct (belling, and associating with book- makers). "I shan't say any thing I don't want to disgrzce the force." he said.
Mrs Meyrick. Her "43" Club was described as "a
sink of iniquity."
that gaunt and shrivelled face, People might have supposed
That did not occasion -- nor
people often did suppose that warrant immediate suspi-
no human blood flowed through You need luck, as well
those knotly veins; only the dis- clon. ay judgement, to catch wrong- When the Disciplinary Board tilled water of cold intellect,
If Goddard did not one dismissed him from the service, doers red-handed: and
feel a tnight suppoco, quite feasibly, Goddard may well have thought sinking of the heart when his that Goddard's luck out that now the worst was over; eyes absorbed the little duity, s ley, night clubs and other West End With Mrs Gadda, Mrs Meyrick, that a full-scale criminal prose-
was more intropid-or less sen- He was technically fair and innocent. Aloof end
and 'Ribuff! But gradually, s cution would not follow. But alive than most, meticulously correct: he firmly unchanging in expression, with placet of resort.
not time went by without is bad patient research Into the provi- Such allegations grasped and faithfully applied skin like old parchment and
uneasiness in ous story of the banknotes the legal rules; his conduct of pale, piercing eres. Avory looked lacking nor justification for luck changing
high polics echelons began to richly lining his Deposit safes his tells repeatedly gained op- - he was-the
clarac- In the heetle, embediment them.
successfully traced the source at proval from the
teristically poet-war, saturalia grow. Court of cf retribution.
The "43"
was ralded, with least of some. They had been Criminal Appeal. But-always Fow know that better, even only finally dispatched by the
out Goddard's prior knowledge, strictly within procedural limits betere his trial certainly nono Depression of the Thirties -
agers, out ot their bank Avory often gave rein to tha: knew it better afterwards throughout. W.1 establishments by officers from outside his pad out, by their bank man-
found they which, division;
illegal accounts, to Mrs Meyrick, Mrs tealt of character by which he than the sacked pollee offer to sprang into is now most vividly remembered whom postarlly has restored his depended, for their popular su drinking there on an extensive Gadda, and Ribuff. otrait of relentlessness, of im- forfelt titic, and
still
calls cess and commercial proßt, en scale: Mrs Meyrick admitted it, sent down for six placability.
"Sergeant" Goddard...
violation of the licensing laws, if and was
months. Policemen
vecationally on nothing worse.
That substantially deepened exposed to great temptation ----
the doubts of Goddard's, probity, the wonder is they yield to it so
for taking drastic steps. offered more than
It was a letter to the Chief Commissioner that touched eff the climax. and brought the storm raging down delinquent's head.
Aloof,
icy'
He did no more injustice -
are
existence
No emotion
From that moment, a graver
1920, at In January
the Oll
The Crown, naturally enough, were unable to produce direct evidence of bribes actually_pass-
ng Mrs Meyrick and Ribu denied giving, as strongly as
So the practical issue for the Goddard denied receiving, them. jury to decide was: Where had Goddard got his money from?
Did Mrs Meyrick and Ribum --to say nothing of Mrs Gadda give him the banknotes that had been traced back? If so there was room for only one
le, not so much-bui Goddard under Goddard's particular sur- but still gave insufficient ground sequel became inevitable; and construction.
ond, in some cases. far less reasonable share.
his
These establishments fell
veillance; during his tour of พร
duty he took part in more than 100 raids, and his valuable work than Judges of
milder 1
Joining the Metropolitan force in suppressing law-breakers espect.
.on le within a few months of the day won him many complimenta and temperament and Geldcm, if ever, sought to secure when Avery amended to the eulogies in court. convictions that
not Benth in 1910, he inspired such thoroughly
and
Tavo or three places. however, patently cadence among his seniors deserved. The worst that can that, only eight years later, they although persistently the subject be said of him is that he entrusted him with the highly of complaint and gossip, secured appeared even heener to punish responsible plain clothes Job of to be more than a match for the guilty than to procet Investigating allegations against Bergeant Goddard's real.
were
the
the
"I am destrous," this anony- mous letter opened formally, "of bringing a matter of great hub
le importance to your notice, It concerns the activities of Sergeant Coddard....."
Bailey, alongside of Mrs Meyrick
and 'Ribuṁ · (Mrs Gadda had prudently gone abroad), ex-Ser- geant Goddard came face to face with Nemesis....
Avory looked through rather than at the prisoners the were brought up and disposed before him. Not a particle of emotion softened the lines of
The defence
.0
Might he, though, have come into possession of them in some other way? That was the sole
the only possible-defence.
Avory sat silent and Impas- sive while Goddard struggled to
establish this defence on oath. Any lingering doubts that this The judge entered without com conclusion wns well-founded ment in his note the explana- were totally dispelled by his God. tions tendered for that carefully lordship's summing-up. hidden fortune; to successful dard's counsel had legitimately bets with street bookies ("£7,000 dilated on his client's good char- er £8,000) and successful gam- acter and excellent police record, bling in francs ("£2,000
that these should or and urged £3,000") Goddard row added on count in favour of his credibility. interest in musle business Avory, however, would not ("about £5,000"), and in the sale brook, that argument. of rock at Wembley Exhibition his career before you," he said "What is the use of parading
("about £4,000"), «
There was no documentary to the Jury, in that same dry, mark, be said, of these trans- alightly crackling voloc, "when actions; being a police officer he he himself had to admit that for desired none. Ho foolt his gains, years past he has been systema- as they accrued, in Treasury tically amassing money by
notes, and-for easier storage — breach of the regulations under
them into banknoter which he held his office?". changed
merelless one, too.
Sentenced
as opportunity occurred, 'Chiang A just point, doubtless, but a ed them with anyone he met who had the banknotes: club pro- prietors, 'club habflues (Includ- Ing. his informers). respectable West End residents such as Mrs Gadda (who, Goddard claimed, had been slandered and tradue cd).
Suddenly, Avery leaned for ward. Only an inch or two, but the effect was like that of a statue moving.
Questions
"Why didn't you tell the Dis- elplinary Board that you had ac- quired the money in the way you have told us that you did?"
The dry, slightly crackling voice made the question an ac- cusation also.
"I knew," said Goddard, "that in any case I should be relega-
ted or dismissed,"
It was, though, when the jury -after alang absence-pro- nounced a guilty all three accused that the instru
verdlet upon ment of retribution reached its pinnacle. Mrs Meyrick and Ri→ buff were each sentenced to ifteen months hard labour. Suft, but the real failing was reserved for Goddard.
Unlike them
of course, he had held a post of trust. But un- Hke them also, had lost a reputation, a pension, and a job. Avory gave him eighteen months' hard labour. He ordered him to pay the costs of the prosecution. He imposed a fino on him at
£2,000.
Reeling under this shower of blows, the prisoner feebly bowed and half turned to go below.
The Judges and the Judged by Edgar Lustgarten
"If you didn't give an ac- But the pitiless reeltal had not count?"
ended. "If,** the dry, slightly
"At that time I didn't anticl- cracking, voice continued, that pate criminal proceedings. fine has not been paid when your
"Why didn't you give an ac-
sentence has expired, until it is count?
paid you will remain in custody."
"I didn't want to bring names of my friends into maller."
the
the
"Why," perslated Avory ze- morselessly, "were you so an- xious to protect their names?"
Goddard licked his lips.
Ing here," he said again.
"I didn't anticipate my coni-
It buzzed all through the build- ing within against him.
So ex-Sergeant Goddard pain- fully learned that, in defiance of traditional mythology, Nemesis had a tall--and that the tail. con- tained a sting in
Next week:
moments: Avory's DEATH ON LEAVE
-(London Express Service).
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