Wednesday 25th April 2018, will mark the 50th anniversary of the 1968 riots during which A.S. Cooper's Warehouse, then located on Union Street in Hamilton, was burned to the ground.  This article, written by George Rose, highlights the arson at Cooper's warehouse and the result of the subsequent Police investigation into the cause of the fire, which was one of the many investigations carried out following the riots.

1968 RIOTS - THE BURNING DOWN OF A.S. COOPERS WAREHOUSE

A very rare and costly collection of Wedgwood china was among stock insured for £150,000 which went up in flames when A.S. Cooper’s warehouse was destroyed by fire during the April 1968 riots. In the collection was a rare antique vase, dating from 1877, one of only three in the world. One of these vases was recently sold for $9,000. Other stock included furniture, china, carpets and clothing. In addition to the stock the fire also destroyed two vans which were insured for £1,000 each. The building itself was insured for £5,000.

News reports described that the biggest blaze was at A.S. Cooper’s china warehouse on Union Street, which was gutted. Overhead, great boiling clouds of smoke tinted brilliant red climbed hundreds of feet into the air, followed by volcanic outbursts of flames – all from A.S. Cooper’s warehouse, Ideal Furniture and several houses. The fire spread to four nearby houses, severely damaging them.

Ensuing investigations led me on the morning of Monday 20 May 1968 to a construction site on the grounds of the Warwick Academy, Middle Road, Warwick where I saw a man I knew to be Winslow Vancourt ‘Dewey’ Durrant.  I said to him, “I am Dc Rose from the Hamilton C.I.D I am making enquiries into the burning down of Coopers Warehouse on Friday 26^thApril during the riots. I have reason to believe that you may be able to help me with my enquiries.” I cautioned Durrant and he said, “I must keep out of trouble. I have a wife and home now you know.”

I said, “Will you accompany me to Hamilton C.I.D now, I wish to ask you some more questions?” Durrant said, “I’ll tell you now that I was at home all over the trouble.”  He entered my police vehicle.

In an interview room at the Hamilton C.I.D, I said, “Dewey, I have reliable information which says that you were concerned with a lot of others on the Friday of the riots in burning down A.S. Coopers warehouse on Union Street.  I believe this information to be true and I want the truth from you as to your whereabouts that night and what you did.” I further cautioned Durrant who said, “I was at home. Honest to God I was at home. You check.”

I asked, “Will you make a statement to this effect?”  He replied, “Yes I will.”

I recorded a statement under caution from Durrant after which I said to him, “I am not satisfied with your explanation and I am arresting you on suspicion of having committed arson at Coopers Warehouse and Ideal Furniture on Friday 26^thApril 1968.  I again cautioned him and he said, “You will see you are wrong. Speak to my wife.” Later that afternoon I interviewed Mrs. Durrant and recorded a statement from her. In company with D/Sgt. Donald I re-interviewed Durrant and then recorded a second statement from him under caution.

Subsequently, Durrant was indictably charged with setting the warehouse on fire, and alternatively with being riotously assembled with others in destroying the building during the early morning hours of April 27. After a long form Preliminary Inquiry in which I gave my evidence Durrant was committed to stand trial at the next Supreme Court session. Together with other witnesses I was formally bound over to be available for trial purposes.

Unexpectedly, the trial date was brought forward on the Supreme Court calendar and on Thursday 1st August 1968 whilst on overseas vacation and travelling with a companion, I received the following communique delivered to me in my hotel room by a uniformed German police officer during the early morning hours:

CABLE TELEGRAM VIA INTERPOL TO GERMAN FEDERAL POLICE                                   

‘Detective Constable Rose of the Bermuda Police Force is touring Germany with a “Four Ways” coach party.  He is staying the night at Hotel Post, 72 Post Strasse Kempten / Allgau, Germany. Please inform him, he is to return to Bermuda to give evidence in the Supreme Court at 1000 hours on Monday 5 August 1968 [R v Durrant]’.

I immediately withdrew from the tour leaving my companion to complete her trip alone and made my way overland to Innsbruck, Austria - then on to London arriving Bermuda on 3^rdAugust 1968.

The Supreme Court trial commenced before the Chief Justice the Hon. Sir Miles Abbott. The Solicitor General, Mr. A.W. Sedgwick prosecuted and Durrant was represented by Miss Shirley Simmons. After uncontested evidence was led and placed into record, Inspector Douglas Hebbard who was in charge of a riot squad on the night of the warehouse fire said that as he proceeded with his men along Tills Hill and Court Street shortly after midnight the vehicle they were in was stoned and its windshield was broken. Noticing that Cooper’s warehouse and Ideal Furniture were on fire, Inspector Hebbard testified, he assigned half of the squad to cordon off one building, and half to cordon off the other. The men at the warehouse had stones thrown at them and they responded by using tear gas.

Capt. Theodore Early of the Hamilton Fire Brigade said he was in charge of the first vehicle to arrive at the warehouse fire. It was ablaze, he said, and shortly after they arrived the roof fell in, along with one of the walls. When this happened, the fire officer said, the blaze in the warehouse intensified and two houses nearby were also set on fire. These other fires were extinguished but the people living in the houses had to be evacuated.

Giving my evidence, I told the court that on May 20 I approached the accused on his construction job at the Warwick Secondary School and took him to the C.I.D offices in Hamilton where I questioned him about the fire. I told the court that Durrant denied being at the scene during any part of the riots on either the first night or the second night. I told the jury that I went to see Durrant’s wife to check on the alibi he had supplied to me in a written statement. When I returned to C.I.D headquarters Durrant was being interrogated by D/Sgt. Clive Donald and DC Leonard Maurice Edwards. I informed Durrant and my colleagues in the room that his wife had told me that he was not at home on the night in question and that she had supplied me with a witness statement to that effect.

I told the court that shortly after I entered the room Durrant agreed to make another statement.  Before I could read that statement to the court however, defense lawyer Miss Simmons objected. She said that the statement appeared to have been improperly taken, and her remarks resulted in the jury being sent out of the courtroom. For the next three hours I was part of a trial-within-a-trial concerning the admissibility of the statement. In the end the Chief Justice ruled the statement admissible. In this second statement, which I then read to the court, Durrant said that he was on the scene of the warehouse fire and was in the company of two girls. He gave the names of those he said he saw smashing the warehouse windows and said he “saw things like crates and boxes come out.” Continuing the statement, Durrant told me that he saw men and girls setting fire to the straw in these boxes and people began throwing the straw and burning boxes into the building, setting it ablaze.

Durrant’s statement continued: “Then someone shouted ‘the cops are coming’” and he ran off with the crowd. But as he ran, he said, he also threw a burning box into the warehouse. He slipped whilst running, and as he did so he received a strong dose of tear gas and someone helped him to get away as he could not see where he was going. Under cross-examination by Miss Simmons, I denied that I had added anything to the statement other than what Durrant had said. (The names of persons mentioned in Durrant’s statement were omitted from publication at the request of the Chief Justice).

D/Sgt. Donald gave evidence that during his questioning of Durrant the accused first said he was at home but later admitted he was on the scene of the fire when he was told that his wife had said he was not at home. D/Sgt. Donald said that there was some 45 minutes of further questioning of Durrant during which it was pointed out to him that the Police had information about what happened including Durrant’s having received a strong dose of tear gas. Durrant then offered to make a third statement about his part in setting the building on fire. In this third statement Durrant admitted he assisted in burning the building. During cross-examination, D/Sgt. Donald denied making threats or promises to Durrant to get him to make a confession.

DC Edwards corroborated Sgt. Donald’s testimony and said that he also had not heard any threats or promises being held out to the accused to make him confess.

In his evidence to the court Durrant denied that he had ever told the Police that he had thrown a box of burning straw into the warehouse, or that he had seen anyone else do things to destroy the building. “All I told them” the accused said, “was about my whereabouts and I thought that they were only writing down what I said about my whereabouts.” He accused detectives of concocting the confession they say he made to them.

Durrant said that he was with two girls, Ms. L. W and Ms. Y. D on Court Street during the second night of the riots, and Webb got a strong dose of tear gas. They went to an apartment near the warehouse to treat her for the gas. Durrant said that he saw nothing of the warehouse fire when he went into the apartment house or when he came out. But when he came out, he said, he saw some people running; a tear gas canister landed near him, and he received a strong dose of gas. He could not see, the accused said, and the girls assisted him to go behind Scratchy’s barbershop, and they treated his eyes. Later on, he continued, they all went in a taxi to Warwick, where they stayed for the night.

Under cross-examination Durrant agreed that the detectives had asked him questions about the fire, also about what other people were doing there, and about what he did there. But, he told the court, he did not think the detectives were writing down anything except what he was saying concerning his whereabouts. He said that he did not read what the detectives had written because he believed that it concerned only his whereabouts.

Ms. L.W gave an account of her movements with Durrant that night which corroborated Durrant’s testimony. However, under cross-examination, she agreed that she had made a statement to the C.I.D in which she told of sitting on a wall outside the apartment house with Durrant and seeing various persons breaking into the warehouse, throwing out boxes, setting them afire, and throwing them back into the warehouse. In reply to a question from the Solicitor General, Mr. A.W. Sedgwick, she said that the statement was true.

Mr. L.O, who was serving a prison sentence when he gave evidence for the defense, said that he was on the scene of the burning of Cooper’s Warehouse. He agreed that he had made a lengthy statement to the C.I.D about this and, that he had named a lot of people he saw taking part in the burning down of the building. In reply to a question from defense counsel Miss Shirley Simmons, he said that he did not see Durrant there, and that if Durrant was there he is sure he would have noticed him. O agreed that there were 30 or 40 persons there but he still would have noticed the accused if he were there, he said.

In her final address, Miss Simmons stressed that the prosecution had not brought forth the “best evidence” which is “direct evidence of what they say the accused did.” She noted that the detectives had told the accused they had evidence of what he did at the warehouse that night. “Why didn’t they produce this evidence?” the lawyer asked. She also noted that even though O had mentioned a lot of names of people he saw at the warehouse he insisted that he had not seen the accused.

Prosecutor Mr. Sedgwick asked the jury to “reject the suggestion” that three detectives each concocted the story that Durrant had made a confession of taking part in the burning down of the building. He also noted that the story as told by Ms. W of what she saw going on while she and Durrant were sitting on the wall was very close to what Durrant’s statement said, even though Durrant denied making the statement.

In his summation the Chief Justice pointed out that if jurors accepted statements in which the accused admitted being at the Cooper warehouse at the time the building was set alight then he would be guilty of arson. He asked the jury: “Who would be so utterly stupid as to sign a statement without taking the trouble to read it, knowing all the time the reason he was under arrest.” He pointed out that the accused had denied every single word in one of the statements although he had signed it as being the truth. In another statement the accused made a correction in a word but claimed he did not read the words making up the sentence.

The Chief Justice told the jury the case rested on their acceptance of evidence produced by the police and the degree of truth attached to claims by the accused that the reason he did not read the statements was because he thought they only concerned his whereabouts at the time. The jury, consisting of 11 men and one woman, retired at 11.55 a.m. returning an hour later with their verdict.

Winslow Vancourt  Durrant of Riviera Estates, Southampton, was sentenced to seven years in prison after a Supreme Court jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on a charge of setting fire to Cooper’s Warehouse in the early hours of Saturday morning, April 27. In passing sentence, the Chief Justice the Hon. Sir Myles Abbott told Durrant: “You have been found guilty of a very serious crime.”

The matter was later appealed and the Appeals Court judges at first felt there were insufficient grounds for appeal and legal aid was refused but later in the proceedings, in light of various questions raised, the decision was reversed, and Miss Shirley Simmons was appointed to represent Durrant. Solicitor General M.A.W. Sedgwick appeared on behalf of the Crown. Miss Simmons submitted that there was no evidence Durrant set fire to the warehouse. She said the entire prosecution case rested on two alleged confessions made by the accused.

She read excerpts from the statements allegedly taken by Police which said that Durrant admitted throwing a box into the burning building and running away. Miss Simmons claimed that the prosecution never produced any evidence to show that this act ignited the building. Regarding the alleged confessions, the lawyer said the Police had told Durrant they were in possession of information about his role in the affair that night, and that witnesses had seen him taking part.

Sir Paget Bourke observed at this point that it was a matter for care if confessions suddenly popped up when the Police had no other evidence. Referring to evidence at the trial, Sir Paget said one Police officer was recorded as saying “We were trying to get a confession.”  This, the judge said, suggested some form of pressure must have been used. Sir Paget said the Police should never produce confessions without accounting for conditions under which they were obtained. Mr. Sedgwick said he saw nothing wrong with Police endeavoring to obtain a confession from a suspect.

Words allegedly used by Durrant in one of the statements, ‘Oh alright, I did take part but I was not the only one,’ were sufficient to admit involvement, Mr. Sedgwick said. In answer to Miss Simmons’ point that if Police were in possession of certain evidence it should have been produced in court, he recalled the trial judge, in his summation, had said that if Police produced their source of information every time then no one would want to give any.

Mr. Sedgwick read several pages of questions and answers from the trial, placing emphasis on the number of times Durrant changed his story. At first the man denied being at the scene, but later when he was told his wife had not supported his story of being at home, he admitted being there, but not taking part, Mr. Sedgwick said.

Miss Simmons said the prosecution never proved their case. The very statements, which the prosecution’s case depended on, were suspect because of the objectionable manner by which they were obtained. She told the judges she was appealing not to them but to the law. The conviction could not and must not stand, Miss Simmons went on.

The Appeals Court deferred judgment on Durrant’s petition against his sentence and conviction for setting fire to the A.S. Coopers warehouse. Some months later, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and seven-year prison sentence of Durrant, noting that, “The appellant has a number of previous convictions.” The court concluded their judgment: “The court does not consider that the sentence imposed by the trial Judge was too severe and it must stand. The appeal is dismissed.”

Two of the three judges found that the trial judge was not wrong in believing that the Police had not brought pressure on the accused to confess his part in the burning of the warehouse. The third, Sir Paget Bourke, “intimated” that he disagreed. The Court’s majority judgment said in part: “His appeal against conviction and sentence was argued on several grounds but the only ground of substance was that the trial judge had not properly exercised his discretion in admitting the alleged confession of the accused. 

The judgement continued: “The case for the prosecution rested entirely on three statements made by the accused. The prosecution called three Police officers on the issue of admissibility of the second and third statements which had been objected to on the grounds that they had not been voluntarily given….

“By the cross-examination of these officers it was sought to show that these statements had been improperly obtained, but the officers all denied that pressure of any kind had been brought to bear upon the accused or that unfair means had been used. The accused admitted having signed the two statements but said that he had done so in the belief that they contained only what he had told the Police about his whereabouts on the night of the fire. He denied having told them anything else and accused them of having deceived him by adding to his verbal statements to them things that they told him he had done. On further questioning he said that he had told the Police about his whereabouts because he had been influenced or affected by the way in which he was being interviewed and that he would not have given a statement to the Police at all if they had not drawn his attention to statements made by other people and told him that if he pleaded guilty he would only be fined.

“The trial judge had to determine whether in all the circumstances the accused had been improperly induced to admit his guilt. The interview which preceded the second statement had lasted a long time and in answer to the question ‘Were you trying to get Durrant to confess during this ¾ hours?’ D/Sgt. Donald who had taken the statement answered ‘Yes.’

“This admission must however, be related to the rest of his evidence and interpreted in the light of the whole of the evidence given by the Police. They described the atmosphere in which the interviews were conducted as friendly and the attitude of the accused as co-operative throughout. They said that he gave a lengthy account of the events of the night of the fire and that for a long time he denied having taken an active part in the setting of the fire but admitted participating when he realized that his wife had not supported his alibi and that the Police knew that he had been tear-gassed.

“The trial judge clearly believed the Police and his decision to admit the statements indicates that in his view they had not strayed beyond the bounds of propriety in eliciting from the accused the part he played in the burning of the warehouse. The majority of the court is unable to say that his decision was wrong and the appeal against conviction must accordingly fail.  Mr. Justice Bourke wishes it to be intimated that he does not concur in this part of the judgment.”

REFERENCES:

Bermuda Sun Saturday 27 April 1968

BERMUDA UNDER CURFEW AS SECOND RIOT ROCKS HAMILTON

The Royal GazetteTuesday 6 August 1968

RARE CHINA COLLECTION WRECKED IN RIOT FIRE, ARSON TRIAL IS TOLD

The Royal Gazette

CONFESSION CONCOCTED BY POLICE, ALLEGED ARSONIST TELLS THE SUPREME COURT

The Royal GazetteThursday 8 August 1968

SEVEN YEARS IN GAOL FOR MAN WHO SET FIRE TO WAREHOUSE

The Royal Gazette

APPEALS COURT JUDGES REVERSE DECISION AND GRANT LEGAL AID TO MAN GAOLED AFTER RIOTS

APPEALS COURT SPLIT ON WHETHER PRESSURE BROUGHT ON ARSONIST TO CONFESS

BOXER EXTRAORDINAIRE (PART 2)

You will recall from Part 1 that Arthur Childs’ interesting life had been brought to our attention when a graphic designer in Canada was attempting on behalf of her client to reconstruct a damaged Bermuda boxing program dated 1936. After she reached out to the Editor of ExPo’s website for help in identifying the partially obliterated names of some of the boxers, the Editor asked me if I would be interested in researching further to see what might be discovered about Arthur’s boxing exploits and to assist the conservator with better identifying the partial or missing names of the boxers and the ships they represented.

Regrettably, our official Police records for that time were found to be very sparse indeed and there were no records found  at Police Headquarters to confirm that Arthur Childs had ever served in the Bermuda Police Force. The vast majority of police records dating back further than the 1950's are non-existent due to their destruction in the 1955 fire which destroyed the Hamilton Hotel where a considerable amount of government archived material was stored in the basement. Archived copies of The Mid-Ocean News newspaper were similarly affected. Microfilmed newspaper articles of the day remained the only choice for furthering a research effort since the Bermuda Archives held no references to the busy boxing programs of the day. 

In mid-November 2017 research endeavors were considerably enhanced after the quiet uploading of a digitalized collection of early Bermuda newspaper publications of The Royal Gazette covering the years 1936, 1937, 1938 and up to February of 1939. A few of the publications could not be recovered and were not therefore digitalized. This move by the Bermuda National Library was precipitated by the continuing deterioration of older microfilm stored at the Library. The Library’s next upload, to include the years encompassing the Second World War era, is expected to take place sometime in 2018.

These digitized publications were first noticed on or about the 13 January, 2018 – after an earlier Childs article (Part 1) was posted by Expo Bermuda. A search of these latest years, as reported in the local newspaper, produced the following results:

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Wednesday, April 29, 1936

Childs “Taking a Rest” Until after the Summer

The Royal Gazette learned on good authority that P.C. Arthur Childs will not be appearing in local rings until after the summer. Childs has been putting in daily training since the end of October last and it has been deemed advisable to “give him a rest,” The Royal Gazette was informed. Arthur appears to have been active during the late summer months of 1936 participating in the shooting sport of the Bermuda Miniature Rifle Association (BMRA); in Snipe racing and in billiards. 

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Friday, October 9, 1936

HAMILTON POLICE COURT

In Hamilton Police Court yesterday morning, before the Wor H. Martin Godet, Eastern District Magistrate, Eunice Bernice Gordon (21), who was described as unemployed and living at Smith’s Hill, Pembroke, was sent to prison for a month’s hard labour on a charge of using offensive words in a public place. P.C. Childs gave evidence that Gordon gave him her wrong name.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Friday, October 16, 1936

HAMILTON POLICE COURT

Two privates in “B” Company of the Sherwood Foresters, Thomas William Mason and John Leonard, were each fined a total of £2.15.0., on two charges in Hamilton Police Court yesterday morning. They were stopped early in the morning by P.C. Childs for riding bicycles without lights.

The constable discovered that they had taken the bicycles from outside the Hamilton Hotel. They were both under the influence of liquor, one of them having a cut lip and dust on his face, indicating a fall on the road.

The charges preferred against them yesterday were: removing a cycle without the owner’s consent, and riding a cycle at night without a light. On the first charge a fine of £2 was inflicted on each of the accused; on the second count the penalty was 15/- each.

In early January 1937 Arthur was a team member representing Bermuda in a rugby fixture against H.M.S. Dragon.

In the following stories, with a few short exceptions, I’ve concentrated solely on transcribing the fights involving Arthur Childs.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Monday, 8 March, 1937

SALTUS SCHOOL BOXING COMPETITION FRIDAY

Childs and La Rue Give Four-Round Exhibition Contest

The final bouts in the Saltus Grammar School’s second annual house boxing competition for the Boxing Shield presented by Mr. John Cox, an Old Boy of the School, were fought in the School Assembly Hall on Friday night. A four-round exhibition by P.C. Childs and John La Rue was staged at the end of the programme.

Mr. Stanley Paschal refereed the final bouts of the competition, the preliminaries of which had been run off during the week, Mr. Harry Williams acting as time-keeper. Dr. Frank W. Watlington and P.C. Childs judged the contests.

Results of the individual bouts were recorded and, interestingly, they included weight categories’ variously described as: Fly-weight; Microbe-weight; Mosquito-weight; Moth-weight; Bee-weight and Fly-weight.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Thursday, 11 March, 1937

COOGAN AND CHILDS TO FIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT

Light-Heavyweight Title at Stake in Return Bout

A six-round return match for the light-heavyweight championship of Bermuda between Mike Coogan, amateur middleweight champion of New Jersey, and P.C. Childs of the Bermuda Police Force will be the main bout on a card to be presented by the Bermuda Athletic Association at No. 1 Shed on Tuesday night. Proceeds from the programme will be devoted to the B.A.A., and British Empire Games Association, and the Bermuda Olympic Association funds.

The first encounter between Coogan and Childs, Bermuda’s most powerful battler, which closed last year’s boxing season, will be well remembered by local fight fans. After six of the fastest rounds ever seen in a Bermuda ring Coogan was awarded the decision.

The New Jerseyite, who is now 22, has been fighting ever since he left Bermuda last year. He has only lost one match during this time his contest with the former New Jersey State champion being stopped by the referee. Coogan, after leading in the opening rounds, lost his mouth guard and received a severely cut lip.

Meeting the champion again in a return bout, Coogan turned the table on his (American) rival, out-pointing him to gain the middleweight crown he now holds. Coogan is regarded as one of the outstanding amateurs in the United States

.

Six preliminary contests have been arranged.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Tuesday, 16 March, 1937

FULL BOXING PROGRAMME AT No. 1 SHED, HAMILTON, TONIGHT

Arriving yesterday in the Monarch of Bermuda were two American boxers who will be in the feature fights on tonight’s card at No. 1 Shed, Hamilton – Mike Coogan, who will meet light-heavy and heavyweight champion of Bermuda, P.C. Childs, in the main bout, and Sam Tiorre, who has just won the welterweight championship of New Jersey. Tiorre meets one of the cleverest boxers in the America and West Indies Squadron of the Royal Navy, cagey Able Seaman Hind. This last bout, and the Childs-Coogan scrap, will last six rounds.

Coogan, who is a Golden Glover, tried conclusions with Childs last year but lost the decision to his hard hitting opponent on points. Coogan is out to avenge himself tonight, and Childs is said to have improved considerably since last year, so that a needle fight is expected.

Other matches on the card, which promises to be full of punches and thrills, include a four-round fight between P.C. Fennessy and John La Rue, both of them new to the public ring but each of them said to be an excellent boxer. Both men have put in some hard training.

Whether Aircraftsman Kelly will be able to give Able Seaman Jones, Royal Navy, a peep at the stars, will be decided by another four-rounder.

Bobby Spence, of Bermuda, a plucky and clean fighter always sure of a popular following, will meet Officers’ Cook Heath, of the Royal Navy, in another preliminary bout that lasts four rounds – maybe. Other preliminary fights will round out the most attractive boxing programme seen here for many a day.

Tonight’s proceeds will be donated to a good cause, as they will help in efforts to send a Bermudian Team to the Olympics in Tokyo in 1940. The Bermuda Athletic Association is in charge of the programme.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Thursday, 18 March, 1937

P.C. ARTHUR CHILDS GIVEN DECISION OVER MIKE COOGAN TUESDAY NIGHT

Policeman Retains Bermuda Titles With Verdict Over New Jersey Champion in Second Encounter

Bermuda’s powerful policeman, Arthur Childs, retained his hold on the title of light-heavy and heavyweight champion of the Islands on Tuesday night with a verdict over Mike Coogan, middleweight champion of New Jersey. The husky constable secured the decision after six hard-fought rounds, in which Coogan, who defeated his opponent in a match last year, showed little of the ability and ring-craft that gained him his New Jersey title.

The Childs-Coogan fight found the visiting contender much too eager to administer the coup-de-grace, and although he did most of the pressing in the early stages of the fight, he placed many killing blow miles wide of the steadier Childs.

Coogan, at 165 lbs., gave his opponent ten pounds in weight, an advantage which Childs used in the all-too-frequent clinches which continually slowed down the fight.

After a little preliminary in-fighting in the opening of the first round, Coogan began to over-reach himself and left himself open to some short punches to the ribs. Childs back-stepped many of the New Jerseyite’s impetuous lunches with the left hand, but Coogan

came right after him and excelled in the in-fighting which followed.

Coogan again attempted to rush matters in the second round but was stopped by some telling lefts to the face. This round saw Coogan the aggressor throughout, but Childs was fighting cannily and hooked his opponent hard a number of times. Coogan was defeating himself by his lunges, which were not at all characteristic of him.

The third round was only a second or two old when Coogan completed a period in-fighting with a hard left to the face followed by swift blows to the body. Childs, however, was playing his left with effect and stopping Coogan resorting to clinches. Childs scored with some jolting uppercuts in this round as the over-anxious Coogan continued to fling himself off balance.

Childs scored with a hard right to the heart several times as the boxers clinched in a neutral corner. He was beginning to throw his punches into Coogan’s body, but the New Jerseyite still set the pace.

Childs landed more blows in the region of the heart as the fourth round commenced, but Coogan carried the fight back to him and swung a hard right to the jaw. Childs took refuge in a clinch, and then slashed back in a melee of blows.

As the two men battled on the ropes, Coogan landed some beautiful left upper-cuts. Childs, after another clinch, rapped Coogan with a right and then a left to the jaw. The men were not sparing themselves, but Childs’ star was already in the ascendant.

Childs carried Coogan to the ropes with an irresistible onslaught in the fifth round, and pasted his opponent badly. Coogan had definitely slowed down. The sixth round was a repetition of the fifth, with Childs giving slightly better than he got.

Of interest in respect of the Preliminary Bouts on this card there is the following mention of young Bermudian boxers and also of another police officer who fought on this night in 1937. The reports read as follows:

In a preliminary bout, popular Bobby Spence, of Bermuda, gained a points victory over O.C. Heath, of the Royal Navy, a decision which was not popular with the crowd. Heath was more of a slogger than Spence, but he was never allowed to get really going by his nimble opponent.

Bobby Flood and Bobby Caton, two Bermuda youngsters, were participants in a scheduled four round welterweight fight which lasted less than two rounds. 

The first round was a mild, well-mannered exhibition of ring exercise, with each fighter sparing the other.

Then, in the second round, came the one hard hit of the night – and it was all over. Flood is still wondering what Caton struck him with!  He was still wondering, long after the count of ten had finished.

The fight between Police Constable Fennessey and John La Rue, with Fennessey having an advantage of five pounds in weight and a longer reach, came to an end in the third round. Fennessey, down on his knees after some pile-driving rights from La Rue, was unable to get up and continue.

La Rue knew a little too much for the policeman, who forced the pace most of the time but wilted from the persistent slugging of La Rue.

A special “brotherly love” encounter between eight-year-old Sydney Adderley and nine-year-old Morris Adderley provided plenty of laughs as the kiddies gradually wore themselves out wielding big, 16-oz gloves.

The prizes were presented by Mr. A.E. Nicholl. Officials for the programme, promoted by Mr. W.F. Hayward, were: referees and timekeepers, Mr. R. Kensall and Mr. S. Paschal: judges, Dr. Watlington, Superintendent Mc Beath and Mr. H. Palmer; and announcer, Major Cookson.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Tuesday, 23 March, 1937

NEW JERSEY CHAMPION TO FIGHT FOR BERMUDA TITLE TUESDAY NIGHT

Coogan and Childs, Though Not Matched, Also on Card

This title fight to be held next Tuesday, 30 March, will be between Sam Tiorre, welterweight champion of New Jersey who will make a bid for the welterweight title of Bermuda at No. 1 Shed when he will meet Leading Aircraftsman Jones of the Royal Air Force. This title match will feature a card of eight bouts not otherwise discussed herein, but which will include the following semi-final bout between Childs and DeGraaf.

The semi-final bouts brings togetherP.C. Childs, the husky policeman who last Tuesday [16th March] smashed his way to a decision over Mike Coogan, New Jersey light-heavyweight champion, and Karel DeGraaf. Childs will appear in defence of his light-heavy and heavyweight titles against DeGraaf, a European boxer from the S.S. Volendam. DeGraaf will outweigh Childs by 10 pounds, but the constable, a powerful hitter, is not likely to suffer a great deal from the disadvantage in weight. The bout will go six rounds.

Mike Coogan, who secured a verdict over Childs last year, is also scheduled to appear on the card, and John La Rue will be matched against the best available middleweight.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Wednesday, 24 March, 1937

NEW JERSEY FIGHTERS IN PUBLIC WORKOUTS

Two visiting New Jersey boxing champions, Mike Coogan, light-heavyweight title-holder, and Sam Tiorre, the State welterweight crown wearer, are working daily out for their bouts at the No.1 Shed on Tuesday night in the Bermuda Athletic Association gymnasium. The public are invited to attend.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Monday, 29 March, 1937

New Jersey Welterweight Champion in Main

Fight on Tomorrow’s Boxing Card

A semi-final bout will bring Police Constable Childs, light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion of Bermuda, into competition with Karel DeGrass, sic.a seaman from the Holland-America Line S.S. Volendam. DeGrass is expecting to weigh is at 10 lbs. more than Childs, and it will be interesting to see Childs’ tactics in view of this weight disadvantage. Childs used his heavier weight successfully in his recent fight with Coogan, light-heavyweight, of New Jersey. 

There will be 6 rounds of boxing in eight bouts.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Tuesday, 30 March, 1937

NEW JERSEY CHAMPIONS ON FIGHT CARD TONIGHT

Tiorre Makes Bid For Bermuda Title, Coogan Also Appears

P.C. CHILDS IN 6-ROUNDER

Arthur Childs, the husky police constable who out-fought Mike Coogan of New Jersey in a well-matched struggle two weeks ago, will be opposed tonight by Karel De Graaf, (sic) a European fighter from the Volendam.  The powerful policeman will be outweighed by some 10 pounds, but his battle with Coogan, New Jersey middleweight champion, proved that he can absorb punishment as well as he can hand it out.

Coogan will also star on the programme, and will be matched with L/c. Finch of the Sherwood Foresters. Four other bouts are scheduled with the opener stating at nine o’clock.    

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Thursday, 1 April, 1937

QUICK ENDS TO 2 MAIN FIGHTS ON TUESDAY

Fiorre Impresses in his Bout with Aircraftsman Jones

CHILDS KNOCKS OUT DUTCHMAN

Despite some poor matching in several bouts, Tuesday night’s boxing programme at No. 1 Shed, Hamilton provided nearly 1,000 spectators with plenty of action and hard punches.

CHILDS’S VICTORY

There was never any doubt which way the Childs-DeGraaf fight was going. DeGraaf’s bulging waistline was the policeman’s obvious target. The match never really became a fight, Childs proving too much of a hitter for the older Dutchman, who was knocked through the ropes a number of times in the less than three rounds of the bout.

DeGraaf took a count of two in the first round, vainly endeavouring to cover up against Childs’s onslaught, and the second round had scarcely begun when he went down again for a count of two.

Childs got the Dutchman on the ropes and there leathered him with every punch he could command.  The fight was by now over, although DeGraaf gamely hung on and absorbed more punishment.

A terrific left and an equally hard right by Childs wrote finis [sic.] to the contest when the third round was about a third of the way through. DeGraaf sat down with a spine-jarring bump, struggling to rise but failing to do so. As the count of nine began his seconds threw in the towel, but he was counted out anyway.

In many respects, the preliminaries provided the best fighting of the evening.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Monday, 5 April, 1937

Mike Coogan and Arthur Childs Battle Thursday to Break One-All Deadlock

Having scored a victory each in their two previous encounters, P.C. Arthur Childs of the Bermuda Police Force and Mike Coogan of New Jersey will step into the ring at No. 1 Shed on Thursday night prepared for an all-out battle to settle their account. The Childs-Coogan match is being staged for the benefit of the Bermuda Athletics Association funds, and will headline a programme of eight bouts.

Childs, the wearer of the Bermuda light-heavy and heavyweight crowns, dropped the decision to Coogan when the New Jersey fighter paid his first visit to Bermuda last year, but the powerful Constable revenged himself two weeks ago in their return bout, gaining a well-earned decision after shaking Coogan badly during their six-round battle.

Coogan, who is the middleweight champion of New Jersey, gave a somewhat disappointing exhibition in his second match with Childs. He showed a surprising absence of the skill and ring technique which one would expect from the holder of a title in the United States, and he foolishly attempted to out-punch his husky opponent. The New Jerseyite absorbed more punishment than he was able to give, and he left himself with little strength in hand after his mad rushes.

However, it is certain that Coogan must be acquainted with more varied tactics than he employed in his last tilt with the burly policeman, and Thursday night will show what he will do to beat down Childs’ stubborn defence and to offset the constable’s heavy, but slow-moving artillery.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Saturday, 10 April, 1937

MIKE COOGAN GAINS POINT DECISION OVER ARTHUR CHILDS IN THIRD BOUT

Another of the perennial Arthur Childs – “Mike” Coogan scraps saw the decision go to the New Jersey lad on points. Childs, light-heavy and heavyweight champion of Bermuda, was out-pointed through four of the six rounds over which the fight travelled.

In this fight, again, there was a big disparity in weights. Childs weighed in at a solid 175 lbs., Coogan being a long way behind with 159 lbs. The visiting contender was wise to Child’s use of his weight, and constantly thrust the policeman away from him as the in-fighting became too protracted.

The opening round was an easy one, both men doing a little preliminary sparring without any really hard punching. Coogan kept a nice left going and began to pile up a useful lead in points. He did most of the forcing, following up much more often than Childs was to do later at some fairly crucial moments of battle.

Coogan continued to play his left fist to good effect in the second round, varying it with a short, stabbing uppercut which repeatedly straightened up Childs but failed to do any real harm. The New Jerseite was again doing most of the forcing, Childs seemingly content to wait to land “just the right punch.”

It was in the third round that Childs was seen at his best, and he reduced Coogan’s points lead by taking the attack to the visitor behind a straight left. Childs pummeled Coogan on the ropes more than once, but failed to shake unduly the contender, who was always ready to come back for more.

As the round neared its end, Coogan swung the tide of battle, but Childs undoubtedly took this round. Childs had flung in some jolting body blows, but was no whit ahead of Coogan in the respect. Coogan kept his right snaking to the region of Child’s kidneys, being faster than the policeman.

The fourth round saw each man giving and taking some punishing blows, but Coogan scored again and again with riposts to the face and uppercuts that travelled no more than a few inches.

The fifth round was practically a repetition of the fourth, with Coogan doing most of the pressing and adding to his lead in points. Childs in this round landed some terrific blows, but Coogan could take them. Child’s lunging attacks did not avail him much, as Coogan refused to stay in and mix it with him.

In the sixth round Childs was coming back and both men fought hard. [It was] a good clean fight, with plenty of action. If Childs had followed up with Coogan’s intentness a different story might have been told.

During the programme A. B. Judge, heavyweight champion of the British Navy, issued a challenge to any heavyweight in Bermuda.

In May 1937 P.C. Arthur Childs is recorded as being the co-owner of a Snipe sailing boat along with G. Mac Ronald. The name of the boat was the “Greyhound”. The two men engaged in Snipe racing which took place under the auspices of the Southampton Boat and Sports Club.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Friday, 19 November, 1937

Three Months in Gaol for Swearing 

at Policeman

Samuel Ray was sent to prison for three months at hard labour on being convicted in Hamilton Police Court yesterday of using threatening, abusive and offensive words at Middletown on Sunday, November 14. He entered a plea of not guilty.

Constable Childs and Sergeant Hitchcock told the court that they went to Ray’s house on Sunday morning and asked to see a woman staying there. They were met by a volley of filthy language from the accused, who told them in no uncertain way what he thought of the police.

Ray stayed that Constable Childs “bolted up the steps to the door and stated asking questions.”  He admitted telling the constable to get off his steps, and using obscene language in doing so. He was provoked at the way the Constable rushed up the steps.

The Magistrate commented that it was a bad case. The police had gone to Ray’s house in the execution of their duty, asked to see the woman and were greeted with such language.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Monday, 28 February, 1938

FOUR BOXING TOURNEYS IN MARCH AND APRIL

At a meeting of the Boxing Committee of the Bermuda Athletic Association held on Thursday, a programme of four shows was decided upon for the current season. The first is scheduled for Tuesday, March 22, the remaining dates being Thursday, March 31, Tuesday, April 12, and Thursday, April 21.

Negotiations have been opened with Mr. Daniel J. Ferris, Secretary Treasurer of the Amateur Athletic Union of the U.S.A., for the purpose of securing at least two of the outstanding performers in the light-heavyweight class from the United States to take part in several of these shows. Mr. Ferris selected well-known Mike Coogan, who visited here the last two seasons, and can be depended upon to select men who will uphold the prestige of the amateur boxers of America.

The leading local light-heavy, Police Constable Arthur Childs, who now holds the title in both that and the heavyweight class, is expected to take part in most of these tournaments. Childs has just returned from a three-month holiday spent in England where he attended a number of important bouts and visited some of the training quarters of top-notch performers, with, according to himself, his eyes wide open.

He also attended several of the more important shows in and around New York on his return. He weighs somewhere around 190 lbs. now and has continued training for his first appearance, and expects to enter the ring at 180 lbs.

There is a scarcity of local talent, and a determined effort is to be made to interest possible starters. Courses of coaching are to be given in the B.A.A. Gymnasium. Theseboxing tournaments have become a Bermuda institution, and have always proved to be most enjoyable affairs. This year’s effort, from all indications, will be no exception and followers of the sport should be well pleased with the programme offered.

Further information regarding the tournaments will be announced in these and out advertising columns.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Saturday, 5 March, 1938

Made Nuisance of Himself at the Police Station

For making a nuisance of himself in the Police Station on Saturday, February 26, Henry Thomas Fox was fined £2 in Hamilton Police Court on Thursday morning. He was charged before the Worshipful D.C. Smith with offensive behavior, and entered a plea of not guilty.

After hearing the evidence of Constables Ford and Childs, who were in the Station at the time Fox entered, Fox was convicted.  The accused went to the Station about a friend of his who had been “locked up,” and demanded his release. Fox said he was a law-abiding citizen.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Friday, 11 March, 1938

BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS AT SALTUS TONIGHT 

Exhibition by Childs Will Follow Tournament Finals

The final bouts in the Saltus Grammar School’s third annual boxing tournament will be fought tomorrow night in the School hall. The preliminary rounds of the competition have been boxed during the week, and tonight’s encounters will decide the various weight championships of the School for the Cox Shield.

An exhibition match be P.C. Arthur Childs, light-heavy and heavyweight champion of Bermuda, will be staged after the School matches. The first bout is scheduled to start at eight o’clock.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Wednesday, 16 March, 1938

GOLDEN GLOVES BOXERS TO FIGHT IN B.A.A. 

SHOW ON TUESDAY

Arthur Childs, Local Champ, Meets American Light-Heavy

1^STTOURNEY AT No. 1 SHED

The first of this season’s boxing shows under the auspices of The Bermuda Athletic Association will be staged at No.1 Shed next Tuesday evening and will feature two American Golden Gloves boxers, selected to take part in the show by Mr. Daniel J. Ferris, secretary-treasurer of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States. These men are at present unknown by name locally, but in cabled advices to the local authorities Mr. Ferris states that they are the very best available light-heavyweights in the country. They will arrive Monday.

One of these men will be matched against the present Bermuda light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion, P.C. Arthur Childs, in the first show. Childs has been training intensively during the month in preparation for the bout. He has always given a good account of himself in these tournaments, last year having met and defeated Mike Coogan of New Jersey, as well as in previous encounters having defeated such men as Pal Clark, Canadian Navy champion, Leading Seaman Hill, champion of the West Indies nd South American Squadron of the British Navy. He has yet to be knocked down, and it claimed that he is in top-notch condition, this season.

Details of the two Golden Glovers are not yet available, but as soon as these are received they will be published in these columns.   

Eight bouts have been arranged for the card… two six-rounders and six three-rounders,

and no effort is being spared by the committee in charge to assure the comfort and enjoyment of the spectators……….. Early application for seats is advised, as the choicest are always in great demand.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Friday, 18 March, 1938

LOCAL CHAMPION MEETS U.S. FIGHTER TUESDAY 

Arthur Childs Clashes with American Light-Heavyweight

FEATURE OF B.A.A. SHOW

The first in a series of four boxing tournaments ……….. will be staged on Tuesday ……

B.A.A. boxing shows have always proved most enjoyable, and the programme for this series promises to be better than ever, with present indications pointing to a complete sell-out of reserved seats ……

One of the American fighters will be matched with Police Constable Arthur Childs, the present holder of the Bermuda light-heavyweight and heavyweight crowns. Childs needs no introduction to local fans. He is a hard hitter and possesses the staying power in the top weight division. In all his amateur ring career he has never been knocked down, a record which any boxer, amateur or professional, may be justly proud.

…………………

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Monday, 21 March, 1938

TWO AMERICAN BOXERS DUE TO

ARRIVE TODAY

One Will Meet Bermuda Champ in B.A.A. 

Tourney Tomorrow

The fighters are Irving Goldberg, 179 lbs. and John O’Shea, 177 lbs.

For tomorrow night’s show it is likely that P.C. Arthur Childs, the Bermuda champion, will be matched against Goldberg, with O’Shea yet to be matched. This latter boxer will doubtless occupy the main spot in the next show, which, according to the schedule, will take place on the evening of March 30, at the same place. A brisk demand was made for tickets on Saturday, when the advance sale of ringside seats opened at the Smoke Shop, and while there still remains a good number of choice seats, we would advise early bookings.

MAIN BOUT

(Six Rounds)

P.C. Childs vs. Goldberg or O’Shea

SEIMI-FINAL

(Six Rounds)

Ali. Barber (Bermuda) vs. A.B. Crawley, (H.M.S. Ajax)

SPECIAL

(Three Rounds)

A.B. “Pal” Clark (Canadian Navy)  vs. Sto. Greenhals (H.M.S. Ajax)

PRELIMINARY

(Four Rounds)

L/A/C Jones (Royal Air Force)  vs. Sto. Woodward (H.M.S. Ajax)

(Three Rounds)

L/S Brennan (H.M.S. Ajax) vs A/C Jones (Royal Air Force)

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Tuesday, 22 March, 1938

GOLDEN GLOVERS MEET BERMUDA AND 

CANADIAN NAVY CHAMPIONS

American Fighter Top B.A.A. Boxing

Programme at No. 1 Shed Tonight

 

Two husky young men stepped ashore from the Monarch of Bermuda yesterday morning and were welcomed to Bermuda by Jim Murray, the Bermuda Athletic Association’s energetic secretary. Tonight, the pair, both United States’ Golden Glovers sent by Mr. Daniel J. Ferris, ……………. will headline the B.A.A.’s first boxing show of the season at No.1 Shed, Hamilton. 

Irving Goldberg and John O’Shea are their names, and as they are to appear in four tourneys within the next month, the two names will soon be well known to local fans. Goldberg is matched against Bermuda’s heavyweight and light-heavyweight champion, Police Constable Arthur Childs, in the six-round main bout, and the heavyweight champion of the Canadian Navy, “Pal” Clark, will meet O’Shea in the semi-final, also over six rounds. Six other bouts are on the card, and men from the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and Bermuda will provide the action.

Although nothing was known about Goldberg and O’Shea until their arrival yesterday, local fans were assured that as representatives of the Amateur Athletic Union of the U.S., they would be well able to live up to the high standard set by American amateur fighters here. Details of the fighters’ records were disclosed yesterday, and by all accounts the two men are the best that have ever appeared in a local ring.

Goldberg, who is 21 years old, has lost only four fights in his career. He has been fighting for three years, and about half of his more-than-20 victories have been scored by knockouts. Of the greatest interest to Bermuda fistic fans is his knockout victory over Mike Coogan, who battled with Childs here last year and the year before. Goldberg fought Coogan in Newark two years ago and knocked him out in the second round.

The New Jersey light-heavyweight title holder in 1935, Goldberg was the winner of the light-heavy division in the New Jersey District Golden Gloves elimination last year and went as far as the quarter-finals in the actual Golden Gloves tournament.  He held the Golden Belt in 1935 and again in 1936, when he also won the State Golden Gloves title. Last year he captured the newspaper “Paterson Cull” championship.

O’Shea, whose weight is the same as Goldberg’s, 175 lbs., fought as a heavyweight in the New Jersey Golden Gloves elimination, which he won, and reached the semi-finals in the Gollden Gloves final tournament. He has been boxing for four years and has won 39 fights out of 43. Twenty-two of his wins were knockouts. O’Shea was New Jersey middleweight champion in 1936 and is the present holder of the Newark A.C. Golden Belt.

Childs, the powerful constable who has never been knocked off his feet, is also the possessor of a fine record. In his matches in Bermuda he has met and beaten Mike Coogan, “Pal” Clark and Leading Seaman Hill, champion of the West Indies and South America Squadron of the Royal Navy. He has been training intensely in preparation for the invasion of the two Americans and is in fine shape. Last year Childs visited the training camps of leading fighters in Britain and gained quite a lot of ring knowledge from his observations.

Clark has fought here on several previous occasions and will be remembered by fight fans. A heavy hitter, Clark has had most of his wins by early knockouts, and frequently surprises his opponent by rushing in with a furious hail of blows almost before the opening gong has finished ringing.   ……   

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Wednesday, 23 March, 1938

U.S. FIGHTERS WIN AND LOSE – Irving Goldberg (left), New Jersey light-heavyweight champion cleanly outpointed Police Constable Arthur Childs, Bermuda light-heavy and heavyweight titleholder, in a five-round main bout at No.1Shed last night. John O’Shea, holder of the New Jersey heavyweight crown, lost to A.B. “Pal” Clark, Canadian Navy heavyweight champion, the bout being stopped in the first round. Clark knocked O’Shea down twice, and Referee Stanley Paschal halted the bout after two minutes and five seconds of fighting. The two U.S. Golden Glovers are here for a series of four tourneys under the aegis of the Bermuda Athletic Association.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Thursday, 24 March, 1938

CANADIAN NAVY TITLE HOLDER STOPS

GOLDEN GLOVER IN FIRST ROUND

New Jersey Light-Heavyweight Champion Decisive

Winner over Arthur Childs Tuesday

[O’Shea’s defeat at the hands of “Pal” Clark was not transcribed]

Avenging his fellow American’s defeat, Irving Goldberg, New Jersey amateur light-heavyweight champion, thoroughly punished Police Constable Arthur Childs, local light-heavyweight champion, in the five-round main bout. Plainly outclassing the solid, slow-moving constable, Goldberg scored on Childs’ face almost at will, and was only prevented from doing more serious damage by Childs’ desperate rushes into clinches.

From the first, the American carried the fight, and he showed such superior ring-craft and speed that Childs was not able to land more than half a dozen heavy blows during the match. At long range, the policeman was ………… against Goldberg’s attack but his strength enable him to tie the American up in the clinches.

Goldberg came out of his corner fast on the bell and peppered Childs with stiff lefts before the policeman drew him into a clinch. Childs attempted to lead once in the opening round but he ran into a barrage of rights and lefts to the face and was glad to get into close quarters to tie Goldberg up. Goldberg consistently worked his left hand into Childs’ face and was fast on the follow-up.

A short right hook to the side of Childs’ head shook the constable in the second round, but Childs also landed two telling blows in Goldberg’s mid-section as he closed in. The American quickly drew out of danger and continued his more effective long-rang battering. By the end of the second round Childs’ face showed signs of wear, and his right eye was beginning to close.

Childs dragged his opponent into clinches more and more frequently as he found himself unable to meet Goldberg’s persistent offensive. The American scored frequently as Childs rushed into close quarters, hooking to the side of the policeman’s head as he dodged his rushes.

At the end of the fourth round Childs was badly done up. Goldberg beat the policeman badly with a left to the stomach and then piled in a succession of punishing blows as Childs stumbled into a clinch. Childs’ right eye was practically useless now, and in the final round Goldberg hit him as he wanted. Childs was too exhausted to do more than hang on in the clinches, and the fight ended with the policeman clinging desperately to Goldberg in the centre of the ring.

Due to the quarantining of H.M.S. Ajax, the majority of the five other bouts on the card were last-minute substitutes and not up to the standard that the promoters had intended. Another drawback was the ……ess of the preparation of the night. The ropes were so slack that they were more of a nuisance than anything, and it was surprising that no one was hung during the course of the night. 

Police Constable Arthur Childs (left) and Irving Goldberg come out of their corners for the first round

of the main bout at the Bermuda Athletic Associations boxing programme at No 1 Shed on Tuesday

night. Goldberg, New Jersey light-heavyweight champion was an cosy winner on points in the

five-round encounter. Childs is the holder of the Bermuda light-heavy and heavyweight titles.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Friday, 25 March, 1938

GOLDBERG – CLARK FIGHT FIXED FOR

WEDNESDAY

Tuesday’s Winners Meet in 2^ndB.A.A. Boxing Tourney

O’SHEA WILL MEET CHILDS

The second in a series of four amateur boxing tournaments ……………… will be held at No.1 Shed on Wednesday night. The main bout on the card will be between A.B. “Pal” Clark ………….and Irving Goldberg, the conqueror of Bermuda’s ……. champion, Arthur Childs.  [Balance of report in not transcribed]

Goldberg’s skillful mauling of Childs on Tuesday showed that the New Jerseyite has great knowledge of ring-craft and damaging offensive power in both hands, and the meeting of the two should draw a capacity crowd.

Amateur Boxing Poster for Wednesday 30th March 1938

In the semi-final bout, Childs will be matched with O’Shea. O’Shea, who is the New Jersey amateur heavyweight champion, intends to wipe out the memory of his defeat [against “Pal” Clark] and is putting in some heavy training to overcome the effects of his sea voyage from New York. If only for the sake of his reputation, O’Shea is not likely to commit the blunder of underestimating an opponent twice.

Naval boxers, who were unfortunately unable to appear on the last programme, will be matched in the remaining bouts on the card. 

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Monday, 28 March, 1938

NEW JERSEY CHAMPIONS FIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Goldberg Meets Clark and O’Shea Tackles Childs

SECOND B.A.A. PROGRAMME

…………….. [Johnny] O’Shea, who is determined avenge his spectacular upset, fights Childs. The New Jerseyite had a fine reputation, and the unexpected setback which he received as the result of a single blow from the powerful Canadian has made him eager to vindicate himself. Although plainly out-marshalled by Goldberg, Childs is a game fighter and has to his credit many impressive victories over American and Naval boxers.

Last year he beat Mike Coogan, another New Jersey champion, and he has defeated Clark.

THE ROYAL GAZETTE AND COLONIST DAILY

Friday, 1 April, 1938

CHILDS WINS DECISION OVER JOHNNY O’SHEA,

NEW JERSEY CHAMPION

Local Title-Holder Hands Golden Glover 2^ndDefeat

MAIN BOUT WAS CANCELLED

Although knocked down for the first time in his ring career, Arthur Childs, Bermuda’s light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion, won a five-round decision over Johnny O’Shea, amateur heavyweight champion of New Jersey, in the main bout of the B.A.A. boxing tournament at No. 1 Shed on Wednesday night.

The local constable was a much more aggressive fighter on Wednesday than he was last week when Irving Goldberg handed him a severe beating, and after taking some hard blows in the first two rounds he finished strongly to pile up a comfortable point margin.

There was a great deal of disappointment when it was announced that the much-expected bout between Goldberg and ….and “Pal” Clark …… would not be held. Mr. James Murray, secretary of the B.A.A. promised the disappointed fans that Golberg and Clark will meet on April 12.

O’Shea, apparently all out to finish Childs as quickly as he was himself stopped by Clark, opened up at a furious pace. But when his best punches failed to find their mark he slowed down [and] in the last three rounds he took a great deal more punishment than he gave. As in the Childs – Goldberg match last week, frequent clinches spoiled the action, but on Wednesday it was O’Shea and not the local fighter who was doing the holding.

The New Jersey champion scored heavily on Childs’ head as his rushing offensive bore down the local fighters’ defence in the first round. O’Shea’s left gave Childs trouble but the Bermuda champion was able to dodge the New Jerseyite’s wild overhand rights which might have done damage if they had connected. O’Shea finally landed a right that sent Childs to his knees, but the policeman was up again before the count started.

O’Shea continued to force the pace in the second round and he hurt Childs with a string of smashing blows to the face as the policeman retreated to a corner. Childs, however, was beginning to settle down and he landed several good blows in O’Shea’s mid-section. In close-range fighting Childs was definitely superior and O’Shea was still unable to find the mark with his right.

LOCAL CHAMPION SCORES 

Police Constable Arthur Childs lands a hard right to Johnny O’Shea’s jaw

in the main bout of the Bermuda Athletic Association boxing tournament

on Wednesday night. Childs, Bermuda light-heavyweight champion, won

the decision in the five-round bout. O’Shea is New Jersey

amateur heavyweight title holder. 

A blow with the New Jersey champion’s weight behind it brought a gasp from Childs, and O’Shea rushed the policeman against the ropes with a succession of stinging blows to the head early in the round. Childs, however, suddenly fought back furiously and chased O’Shea across the ring, shaking the New Jerseyite with heavt blows just above the belt.

Following up his advantage of the previous round, Childs doubled O’Shea up with a left to the jaw that staggered the New Jersey champion. O’Shea tried to drive Childs off, but the policeman scored again with two successive rights to the head in a sharp exchange on the ropes. The fourth round saw Childs in more confident and dangerous form.

O’Shea stopped Childs’ attack in the final round with a right to the head, but the local champion bore in and scored with a stiff left to O’Shea’s ribs. Childs took two more rights and then closed in again. He shook O’Shea with a powerful right to the jaw as the New Jerseyite broke away and came in to close quarters once more just as the final bell rang.

It must have been gratifying for Bermuda’s light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion that, having been knocked to the canvas for the first time in his ring career, Arthur fought his way to a five-round decision over Johnny O’Shea, amateur heavyweight champion of New Jersey. 

This Part 2, covering the period from April 1936 to April 1938, considerably enhances Arthur’s earlier life story inclusive of his police boxing exploits from late December 1935 to April 1936 as depicted in Part 1. But there is more to come, – plans are in motion to include reported aspects of Arthur’s life as a policeman which will result in a Part 3 sequel. Working in conjunction with the Bermuda Library we currently await the next upload of digitalized publications taking us into and beyond the Second World War era – 1939 - 1945.

END OF PART 2