CAPTURE OF THE CONVICT ROBERTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1856, 1 June 1888, Page 3

CAPTURE OF THE CONVICT ROBERTS

Jonathan Roberts, who was sentenced at the last criminal sittiugs at Timaru to five years hard labor for horse stealing, and who shortly afterwards made his escape from the Tiroaru gaol, was captured on May 31st at Killicohy, in thoEUesmere district, by Constable Simpson of Ohristohuroh. The police got information of Roberts' whereabouts and a posse of police arrived at Leeston on Thursday ' moroing to ecour the locality. Dotective J O'Connor, Christchurch, was at the head < of affairs. When on ti.e ground, where the j convict was supposed to be, tho police I divided their forces. Constable Simpson i while travelling along a little frequented" , road espied a laborer grubbing gorse on the road side. Almost at the same instant the laborer changed his tactics and disappeared, a movement which went far to assure the viligant constable that he was on the right track • He rapidly rode after ( his man, and got close enough to call for a j surrender, which, not being complied with, was followed by three shots from j the constable's revolver. Swiftness of limb and valour snc:umbed to tbe leaden missiles as they wh zzed near the runaway and he gave op the race. Constable Simpson covered him with his pistol until three men near by bad arrived on tbe scene. He requested these to place the bracelets on the prisoner," which they did. Soon after Detective O'Connor and Constable Warring pHt in an appearance, the i anangement having been that the three were to meet at a particular point, and the arrest appears to have been near the place decided upon. Roberts was removed to the Railway Station, placed in the train, and conveyed to Christchurch . The Timaru police had a few days ago rdceived tidings of the man's whereabouts, and Constable Kenny, in plain clothes, followed the trail. He came upon the posse of Chrietchurch police just when the arrest was completed. Roberts made his escape on April 28th, and the measure of liberty he has enjoyed Bince has been taken very comfortably. When he escaped he took with him a change of clothes and as soon as he got clear of the town he changed hiß prison garb and continued his flight. For the first night and several others he slept under haystacks and in sheds, keeping as much to the back country as possible. In the first forty-eight hours he calcalated he travelled nearly fifty inileß He heard of a job at Maklkihi, and obtained a situation on a threshing machine. Here he worked for a fortnight, and during that time the paddock in which be was visited by two policemen, but he escaped ident fication. Suspecting pursdit, he left for fresh fields and gradually worked his way to Temuka, where he slept in a stable for three nights and then came northwards, tramping by day and by night and getting his meala as beßt he could. At the Ashburton river he saw a horseman, the image of a mounted constable, and to avoid detection took off his trousers and waded the stream, He passed Rukaia in daylight and slowly journeyed northwards until he reached Killinchy laat Tuesday week. There he offered his services tq a Mrs Crowe, who declined them as sho did not want a man, He asked only 10s a week wages when he repeated his offer, whioh Mrs Crowe finally accepted, and on her farm he worked for nine dayß, winding up his , adventures by falling into the handß of | the Christchurch polioe. Roberts, with all his travelling and knocking about, has succeeded in faring well, judging from tho healthy appearance ' he presented when cptured.

(PBtt PKEBS ASSOCIATION.)

Chexstohuroh. Jane 1. At the R. M. Court to-day Jonathan Boberfca was remanded till Tuesday lie appears m oapital condition and Baid he would plead guilty as be wanted to bave it over as soon aa possible