Tales from way back when…
‘Eggs’ free again!
-Leaps from ship off groyne
By Graphic Crime ReporterCECIL Rodney, also known as ‘Eggs’, has disappeared again. The well-known criminal plunged from a ship into shark-infested waters at the mouth of the Demerara River yesterday about noon, and has not been seen since.

Rodney, wanted by the Police here, was being brought from Trinidad by the ‘Sun Brayton’.

He was, however, not under guard, but instead travelled as a deck passenger in the name of Cecil Weber.

When the boat was about 400 yards off Fort Groyne, Rodney jumped overboard into a strong ‘falling tide’.

Meanwhile, his arrival in Georgetown was being anxiously awaited by a strong batch of CID men under Inspector Yaw and Sub-Inspector Matthews as soon as the ‘Sun Brayton’ had moored in the river.

But when the Police boarded the boat, they were told that their man had jumped overboard over an hour ago.

The Police immediately left in their launch and began combing the river, but up to late last night, they had not yet located Rodney, nor his body.

Rodney, who has chalked up 49 indictable convictions, was wanted in connection with the theft of a safe from a spirit shop about three months ago.

He was held for the offence, and subsequently sent to the Public Hospital under Police guard but got away.

Since then, the Police have been in search of him.

It is believed that he managed to stow away to Trinidad.

He was held by the Police there, only after a row with a woman with whom he was friendly.

Rodney was put aboard the ‘Sun Brayton’, and a cable sent to the local Police informing them.

When Inspector Yaw and his men boarded the boat, they were told that the Third Officer of the ship had seen when Rodney made the plunge, and the Captain had also seen him swimming in the river.

The big question is: Did Rodney really make a death leap, or did he swim to a fishing boat or to some part of the waterfront unnoticed?

A former waterfront worker, Rodney is said to be a good swimmer.

(Guiana Graphic: January 7, 1957)

Police still looking for ‘Eggs’
CECIL Rodney, called ‘Eggs’, might have reached the coastland after making the plunge into shark-infested waters of the Demerara River on Sunday.

This theory is partly borne out by at least one man who saw Rodney making his safety bid.

The man reported he was well on his way to approaching the seashore.

But as the Police continued to examine what effects the strong falling tide would have had in thwarting his efforts from reaching safety, the real question still remains unanswered.

Why was Rodney, one of the most crafty criminals in this country, not sent under the charge of the Captain of the ‘Sun Brayton’?

This important question is expected to result in much correspondence between the local CID and the Trinidad Police.

It is reliably understood that Rodney was sent as a deck passenger under the name of Cecil Weber, and that no unusual precaution was exercised over him while travelling from Trinidad.

Police sources, meanwhile, are still divided as to whether Rodney went down with the strong current, or that being a strong swimmer, he was able to cut the current and reach his destination.

(Guiana Graphic: January 8, 1957)

‘Eggs’ is no more
THE shell of ‘Eggs’ has been found.
Yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Lilian Small, mother of Cecil Rodney, alias ‘Eggs’, and his brother identified his decomposed body, which was fished out of the Demerara River a few hours earlier.

Thus came the dramatic end of a 32-year-old man whose case proves once more that crime does not pay.

The daring criminal took a death leap into the shark-infested Atlantic Ocean last Sunday.

At about 10:30 o’clock yesterday morning, the Police recovered his body in the vicinity of Sandbach Parker’s wharf.

It was tied with a rope and dragged to the Bond stelling.

The CID was imm
ediately informed, and a number of sleuths, with Inspectors Yaw and Welcome, hustled to the stelling.

They found that it was indeed a shell, for all that remained of the shark-eaten human frame was the skeleton, but the head was intact.

(Guiana Graphic: January 10, 1957)

BG housewives will soon cook with gas
MR HD KNOX, Assistant LPG Manager, Shell and Regent Petroleum Distributors (W.I) Ltd, arrived in Georgetown on Monday to introduce ‘PROGAS’ — liquified petroleum gas in cylinders.

Having successfully solved the problem of safe transportation of LPG cylinders, Petroleum Marketing Industries Ltd has been appointed by their principals, Shell and Regent Petroleum Distributors Ltd. as sole distributors for ‘PROGAS’ in BG.

For the domestic application of cooking, water heating and lighting, ‘PROGAS’ is clean, safe and economical.

(Guiana Graphic: January 12, 1957)

A butcher and a jackass head
AN AWFUL stunt was played on a butcher on Saturday morning.

When he arrived at his East Bank shop, he saw the head of a jackass and a pair of legs at the entrance.

If it was meant to be a means of showing protest in the present strong beef competition now going on, very little success was achieved.

The butcher quickly got in touch with the Police and had the head of the jackass and the other parts removed.

Within a short time, customers began to flock the butchery as usual.

(Guiana Graphic: January 14, 1957)

BG Cong’l Union preparing for 150th anniversary
THE British Guiana Congregational Union, as direct successors of the London Missionary Society, England is planning to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the coming of the faith to BG in February next year.

There are 34 Congregational Churches, with a membership of 20,000 members and adherents.

Through the Churches and 18 primary schools, the denomination has made a contribution out of all proportion to its size.

A country-wide ‘Gift Day’ later this year will give all an opportunity to assist in the Triple Jubilee Fund, and pay homage to a great Englishman, the pioneer missionary, John Thompson Wray.

(Guiana Graphic: January 7, 1957)

New Councillors for Woodley Park
THE Local Government Board has appointed a new set of Councillors for the Woodley Park Local Authority, West Coast Berbice.

Among the lot is landed proprietor, Mr Edwin Bacchus of Number 6 Village, who has also been appointed Chairman of the Local Authority.

The others are Messrs Abdool Shakoor, Balram Drepaul, and Raghunandan Brijmohan.

The Board has also appointed Mr Surij Deen a member of the Cotton Tree Local Authority.

He replaces Mr John Adolphus.

(Guiana Graphic: January 7, 1957)

No light at Golden Grove train station
FOR THE past three to four nights, people at Golden Grove train station have had to purchase tickets in darkness.

This state of affairs is causing a certain amount of embarrassment among people travelling by the night train in the area.

A gasoline lamp is used at the station, but it will appear that the lamp is without fuel.

(Guiana Graphic: January 9, 1957)

Georgetown to get modern, new cinema
MRS. MARGARET Lucky-Samaroo, cinema magnate of Trinidad, and her eldest son, Dennis, along with Mr Dudley Moore of ‘Mence and Moore’, Chartered Architects of Trinidad, arrived in Georgetown on Monday last to finalise arrangements to start the construction of their new modern Strand De Luxe Cinema at the corner of Wellington and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown.

The seating capacity will not be less than 1500, the interior will be acoustically designed to give perfect high-fidelity sound, the lighting throughout will be indirect.

Parking facilities have been carefully studied, and patrons visiting this cinema will have no problem, as permission has been granted by the authorities for a private car park.

Accommodation for 1000 bicycles will be provided. with adequate protection against theft.

(Guiana Graphic: January 9, 1957
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Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the above articles at cliffantony@gmail.com or by telephone: 657-2043.