[Editor: This article, regarding a court case, was published in The Herald (Melbourne, Vic.), 10 February 1939.]
Charge of explosion accessory
Mount Gambier, Friday.
Allegations that he was an accessory to explosions which destroyed Borthwick and Sons’ freezing works at Mount Gambier on December 31 were made by the police against Ernest Victor Gerloff in the local Court today before Mr H. G. P. Nesbit, S.M.
Gerloff was charged with having placed gelignite, fuse and detonators in Borthwick’s freezing works, with intent to destroy the building.
Inspector G. E. McDonald said that Gerloff was manager at Mount Gambier for Bodley and Co., whose premises adjoined Borthwick’s and who also were interested in the buying and chilling of rabbits for export.
Gerloff was a brother-in-law of Lawrence Henry Bulling, who had pleaded guilty to a similar charge and had been committed for sentence.
A witness, who was employed at Attiwill’s quarry, would tell the Court that a letter was handed to him by Gerloff’s son, giving a plan of Borthwick’s works, how to get into the building and where to get explosives to blow up the works.
Alleged interview
In an interview with Detective Curtis, alleged Inspector McDonald, Gerloff had said that there had been friction between Bulling, who was buying rabbits for Bodley’s, and buyers for Borthwick’s. Bulling had said that he was going to Adelaide and would get some gelignite and blow up Borthwick’s. Gerloff had told him not to be a fool. Gerloff, added Inspector McDonald, had been interviewed again after Bulling had been committed for trial. He had at first denied that he had sent a certain letter, but after his arrest had admitted having sent a letter by his son.
Gerloff, said Inspector McDonald, was well aware that Bulling had explosives and contemplated blowing up Borthwick’s. He had admitted to Detective Curtis that Bulling had told him that the week-end would be a good time to do the job, but that he did not think Bulling would do it.
Sydney William Bailey, acting manager of Borthwick’s works, said that he had heard after the explosions that Gerloff had offered Borthwick’s half his freezing space to help them out. He believed that Gerloff had made a similar offer after a fire which damaged Borthwick’s works 12 months ago.
Alleged statement
Detective Walter R. Curtis, of Bordertown, said that on January 3 Gerloff was arrested and made a statement, in the course of which he said, allegedly, that Bulling had said to him seven or eight months before that he was going to Adelaide and would get some gelignite and blow Borthwick’s up. He had replied: “Do not be a fool; it is not going to do you any good to blow them up.”
He did not think that Bulling would do this. On his return from Adelaide, Bulling showed him a fuse and detonators, Detective Curtis alleged Gerloff said in the statement.
(The case is not finished.)
Source:
The Herald (Melbourne, Vic.), 10 February 1939, p. 9
Editor’s notes:
Co. = an abbreviation of “Company”
S.M. = Stipendiary Magistrate [see: stipendiary magistracy]
stipendiary magistracy = a system of stipendiary magistrates (magistrates paid with a stipend, i.e. those receiving regular payments, as part of a salary or to defray expenses), distinct from a system of unpaid magistrates (the roles and functions of unpaid magistrates were typically performed by rich men and landowning men)
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