AN ARMEO LUNATIC AT LARGE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2287, 22 November 1889, Page 2

AN ARMEO LUNATIC AT LARGE.

HIS CAPTURE. A young man named George THlet, who during the laat few days has been laying several people ia the vicinity of, Burnham under contribution for food for himself and horb, ncoured the Wakanui district yesterday, but waß captured at Eakaia this morning. Tillet who some year* as[o resided ia Ashbutton, has juafc com* eluded a aentence of two years' imprisonment. During hia incarceration Tillet ahosved symptoms of insanity, and he was examined by two medical men, who, however, pronounced him to be sane* The head gaoler, however, was of opinion th»tt the man was not right m his head. Tho horae he rode, together with the saddle and bridle, are believed to have been stolen, ao are alao a gun and two revolvers witb which he was armed. At several plaoea on the 'north side of the Rakaia river he demanded and obtained food. He came nearly es far as the Rakaia bridge on Wednesday evoning ; but seeing, it is believed, a policeman there, he struck down stream and crossed at Dobbin's t!'ord. He pat np for the night at a hnt on Mr Wilson's property, near the month of the RaknU river, and after providing for hia own refreshment allowed his hone to help Itae'f from a bag of oats which ha fouad there, and a quantity of which he took with him as pruveadac foi his steed by the way. He was tracked to this hut by ttie police, but. when they arrived the bird had fb*n. He next made his appearance at Wakanui, paaoing the bliok> cmltbi' shop ftboot 8 o'clook la the morning He then went down one of the oross roads to the river whhh as shown by the marks on the bank he made two. or tbrea attempts to oroaV bat wai unsaooesaful. Later m the day* he was Been ia the San field district, r.'ding furiously aboot, and braodiehicg his gun. Ia the aftainooa he visited some frlenda of his who realda la Trevorton and with them ha stayed till late tn the evening, They ootloed nothing unusual m his domeanonr, and do not appaai to have known that the police were In quoat rf him- On leaving their place Tillet made his way northwards, and, Intimation ranching Constable Blaok at Rakaia that he was coming that way, the Constable stationed himself oa the bridge and waited for his man. When Tillet made his appearance, -.Constable Black called upon him to surrender and to throw down hi*B arena, emphasizing the rt quest by firing a oonplo of shots from Utis revolver over Tiliet's head, A 1 hough the Utter had announced his intention of shooting the first policeman be met, he evidently came to the conclusion that discretion waa the batter pare of valor, and m lesponce to the Constable's demand he threw his gun and the two revolvers down and gave himself up. As far as we oan learn hadid not bail up anybody m this county for food, the oata taken at Mr Wilson 1 * being the extent of his depredations.