ESCAPEES FROM THE PRISON CAMP.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 191, 7 May 1908, Page 9

ESCAPEES FROM THE PRISON CAMP.

ONE CAPTURED. (BY TELEGEASH.—SrEOIA.I COnRESPONDENT.) ■ Auckland, May 6. ' John Johnson, one of tho escapees from the prison camp at Waiotiipu, has been captured at Mamaku and sentenced to an extra year's -, imprisonment. ': The "Herald's" Mamaku correspondent sends down' an account showing that the presence of the two convicts in their neighbourhood has been ; .creating a sort of terrorism. Early in tho, week, it appears, some clothing was . taken from one of the platelayers' cottages'at Taru.konga, and on.Tuesday night two strango mon stayed tho night with one of tho om-' , ployees on Mr. Martin's farm without arousing suspicion. On Wednesday afternoon,' , -when one of the men called for food at some of tho. houses on tho outskirts of'tho. village, the police were communicated with, and several constables and detectives arrived on Thursday morning.'. In the meantime, Mr. ■ A. Tindall's residenco on tho South Road • was visited, in the absencc of tho occupants, i' and. the', whole place turned upside down, .evidently in a search for loose cash.. Fbod • enough' to last two men for several days was ■ -takeir away, as'well as two complete suits ■ of clothing, two watchcs, a gold medal, a ■ pair of razors, and a compass. This latter : instrument would provo invaluable in enI abling tho men to make their way through > tho bush country, and as one of thoin is > said to'have been an ongiueor, lie would i- understand the proper use of it. Late on' - Wednesday _ night' a strango man '.was' scon i making a fire at tho side of the /road, and i it was - afterwards found that .clothing bad - boon burned thqro. On Friday -the police enr rolled a"number'.of ..vo|untocraj and a sys- ! tomatic search 'was made of tho bush sur--3 rounding the village, butwithout success., v On Saturday, however, Johnson was cornorr ed. Several constables still remain at Ma-