Shark Arm Case

[ColdCaseJury]

A long absence from these forums, largely due to publishing two more Cold Case Jury books this year - Poisoned at The Priory (Charles Bravo case, 1876) and The Shark Arm Mystery (The Shark Arm case from Australia, 1935) - e-book available immediately world wide, paperback published on 20 May 2021. I will be fascinated to hear anybody's view on the Shark Arm case. There have been two books published on the case this year, including mine, although I believe I'm the first author outside of Australia to have written about it.

There are many factors that make an interesting cold case, but I believe the narrative and sequence of events in the Shark Arm case makes one of the most interesting murder stories of the 20th century. If you disagree, let me know. I'm always looking out for the next Cold Case Jury murder! AMB

[Herlock Sholmes]

A long absence from these forums, largely due to publishing two more Cold Case Jury books this year - Poisoned at The Priory (Charles Bravo case, 1876) and The Shark Arm Mystery (The Shark Arm case from Australia, 1935) - e-book available immediately world wide, paperback published on 20 May 2021. I will be fascinated to hear anybody's view on the Shark Arm case. There have been two books published on the case this year, including mine, although I believe I'm the first author outside of Australia to have written about it.

There are many factors that make an interesting cold case, but I believe the narrative and sequence of events in the Shark Arm case makes one of the most interesting murder stories of the 20th century. If you disagree, let me know. I'm always looking out for the next Cold Case Jury murder! AMB

Hello Antony, I hope you’re well?

Poisoned At The Priory was excellent and you already know that I agree with your verdict on that one. I look forward to the Shark Arm Case book.

[ColdCaseJury]

Hi Herlock, I'm well thanks. And you? Yes, Poisoned is a great case. And you were correct in thinking that a majority decision would be achieved - although it is still early days. I think the Shark Arm is another gripping case, but I believe it may be like Wallace in that the evidence is ambivalent and can be interpreted in very different ways. But I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it - I'm sure you will see one or two things that I have missed!

[Herlock Sholmes]

I’ve ordered the Roope book as it seemed the only one available at the moment. I prefer to wait for the hard copy of your book as I just prefer ‘real’ books but if I’m hooked by the time I get my pad back I might end up getting the ebook. I had a read through of the case online but I hate trying to read lots of text on a phone. It sounds an interesting one. I hope it’s as easy to solve as the Wallace case.

[ColdCaseJury]

Actually, I now prefer e-books (on a Kindle): ability to search, look up a word meaning (even!) etc. With Roope you will get a good account of the case, but little exploration of the different theories and arguments.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Actually, I now prefer e-books (on a Kindle): ability to search, look up a word meaning (even!) etc. With Roope you will get a good account of the case, but little exploration of the different theories and arguments.

I might be tempted to get the e-book because I doubt I’ll have the patience to wait until May. Until I get the Roope I’m going to have a read of what’s available about the case online.

[ColdCaseJury]

I would like to get your views before then too!

[Herlock Sholmes]

I’ve read through Wiki’s retelling of the case Antony and I have 6 questions. None of them in connection to any theory.

1) How did the police find out that Smith had been blackmailing Holmes? And what did Smith have on him considering they were involved in the same scam?

2) Did the police have actual evidence of Smith being killed at Brady’s cottage?

3) Was Brady arrested because he was the last person seen with Smith or was there anything else?

4) Do we know anything that happened between 16th and 20th May which caused Holmes to attempt suicide? Would pressure from the police have caused this considering that in June he decides to cooperate with them?

5) When Holmes attempted suicide, in his own boat shed, how did the police come to be chasing him in a boat? Was it that they went looking for him when he didn’t show up at the Inquest?

6) If Holmes was shot three times what was done to make it look like a suicide?

[ColdCaseJury]

1) Smith was involved in the scams but Holmes had the most to lose - he was the ring leader. Evidence for blackmailing was circumstantial, but quite strong. In his second police statement, Holmes claimed Brady was blackmailing him.

2) Short answer, no.

3) Short answer, yes.

4) Holmes feared implicating himself as an accessory to murder if he testified at the inquest (after speaking to his lawyer)

5) The suicide attempt was most likely near Shark Island in Sydney Harbour rather than at his boat shed. There is some uncertainty concerning the exact details. He claimed he had been shot. The police chased him because he was careering around the harbour in his speedboat (after his suicide attempt).

6) His death was strange in that it looked like he had waited at his wheel of his car to be shot. It was not made out to look like a suicide.

These answers are extremely perfunctory. The longer answers are much more nuanced - as always.

[Herlock Sholmes]

1) Smith was involved in the scams but Holmes had the most to lose - he was the ring leader. Evidence for blackmailing was circumstantial, but quite strong. In his second police statement, Holmes claimed Brady was blackmailing him.

2) Short answer, no.

3) Short answer, yes.

4) Holmes feared implicating himself as an accessory to murder if he testified at the inquest (after speaking to his lawyer)

5) The suicide attempt was most likely near Shark Island in Sydney Harbour rather than at his boat shed. There is some uncertainty concerning the exact details. He claimed he had been shot. The police chased him because he was careering around the harbour in his speedboat (after his suicide attempt).

6) His death was strange in that it looked like he had waited at his wheel of his car to be shot. It was not made out to look like a suicide.

These answers are extremely perfunctory. The longer answers are much more nuanced - as always.

Thanks for the replies Antony. I’m going to read whatever info is online until the Roope book appears.

[Fisherman]

6) If Holmes was shot three times what was done to make it look like a suicide?

I´ve written about this case some time back for a Swedish crime magazine, and as I remember things, it was suggested that Holmes ordered his own murder so as to enable his family to cash in on insurance money that would otherwise have gone lost.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I´ve written about this case some time back for a Swedish crime magazine, and as I remember things, it was suggested that Holmes ordered his own murder so as to enable his family to cash in on insurance money that would otherwise have gone lost.

Hello Fish,

Ive recently seem a similar theory online but it gave the reason as saving his family from shame. Antony can correct me if I’ve misunderstood but I think that a book has been written based on this theory.

I bet that you inconsiderately wrote your article in Swedish?

[Fisherman]

Hello Fish,

Ive recently seem a similar theory online but it gave the reason as saving his family from shame. Antony can correct me if I’ve misunderstood but I think that a book has been written based on this theory.

I bet that you inconsiderately wrote your article in Swedish?

I´m ashamed to admit it, but yes. They wouldn´t pay otherwise...

[ColdCaseJury]

I´ve written about this case some time back for a Swedish crime magazine, and as I remember things, it was suggested that Holmes ordered his own murder so as to enable his family to cash in on insurance money that would otherwise have gone lost.

HI Fisherman - yes, you're correct. One theory (advanced by Alex Castles) is that Holmes paid an unspecified person or persons to kill him. As I say in my book, it was an assisted suicide, gangster style. Although Castles refrained from naming anyone in connection with Holmes' death, I suggest the most likely person would have been Albert Stannard, especially as the fingerprints of one of his causal workers was found on Holmes' car door. Roope rejects this theory, however, believing Stannard murdered his erstwhile friend.

The three theories presented and analysed in my book The Shark Arm Mystery concern the death of Jim Smith:

Accessory – Brady was forced to cover up the murder*
Instigator – Brady arranged the murder in revenge for the shelving of Watson**
Conspirator – Brady and Holmes worked together to murder Smith.

* Patrick Brady was innocent of murder. This theory is advanced by Roope and Meagher.

** In his book, Castles believed the murder was perpetrated by Eddie Weyman after his colleague (a man named Cottingham) was shelved following a failed bank scam in August 1934. As I show in my book, Castles got his facts muddled - the person who was sent down was a criminal called Stanley Watson, who had previously threatened Jim Smith with a gun.

[ColdCaseJury]

A picture of Stanley Watson. Was he connected to the murder of Jim Smith?