GERMANS ESCAPE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 276, 10 August 1918, Page 8

GERMANS ESCAPE

MISSING FROM SOMES ISLAND

FOUR MEN DISAPPEAR

PRISONERS STILL AT LARGE

The disappearance of four prisoners from the internment camp at Sonies Islaud was reported yesterday morning. The men wero at their quarters at 2 a.m., when the cliicer-in-charge went tho rounds personally. They wero missed by the guard shortly after U a.m., and warnings wero sent to the civil and mjlitary police ashcr?, but up to a late hour last 'night nothing had been heard of the men. The official description of tho four missing prisoners is as follows: — Charles Hadler: About 33 years, height sft. 3in., weight 1371b., fair complexion, fair hair, blue- eyes, tnitoocd both arms and chest, design not known, scar right ear nnd eye, speaks good English. Arrested in Wolliiigtaa end interned August 12, 1914. Born in Wisniar, . Mecklenburg, Schwerin, Germany, and arrested on arrival in New Zealand in the Star of India, on which lie was serving as a fireman.

William Otteng, alias Brauner: About 23 years, height Oft. BJin., weight 1641b., ruddy complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, tattoo design (not dascribable) on right forearm, epeaks good Knglish. Arrested in Wellington August 12, I'JH, and interned same day. Born in Koono, Busslaud, Eussia. Cook by trade, and was employed at Te Aro Restaurant, Wellington. In Kow Zealand aboni a year before internment. '

Paul Wolf: 33 years, height sft. Tin., dark conipiexioned, inclined to bo swarthy, dark hair, brown eyes, knife scar across face—eye to left ear. Horn at Bochuui, Westphulen, Prussia, l'lrenian ou. Star of India, and arrested on arrival of ship at Wellington on August 12, 1914. iuirt Babenstein: 21 years, height Oft. 4in., weight HOlb., sallow complexion, brown hair, grey eyes. Arrested at Woodr side, Otago, February 3, 1910, and iiiternod two days later, fjays he was a shepherd, but believed to bo a .seaman. Born in Hanover, and only in New Zealand one monili prior to being interned. .Each man was dressed normally in bhio or brown denims, with heavy military boots. The island was (searched thoroughly yesterday, extra guards being sent irom Wellington for lliis purpose, but no trace of the men was found. The Defenco authorities wero not fully satisfied last night that tho men wero off Iho island, since tho eaves and recesses along the shore aro difficult to examine thoroughly. The searchers had found no indication that any sort of craft had touched at Ihe island or had been launch-' ed from it. .A careful search along (ho harbour waterfront on both Ihe city and Petono sido similarly failed to reveal any trace of the prisoners. The four men nro staled, lo have been all good swimmers, nnd one theory advanced yesterday was that they had swum from the island. If they did there is quite likely lo have, been a tragedy, for Ihe night was slormy and the sea, within Hib harbour was unusually rough. The men would Inive required exceptional physique as well as skill to swim from Somes Island lo the mainland in the darkness. The authorities slnlo they do not: believo Die men could have- had a boat, of any tion, but thero is no precise evidence on this poinl. A suggestion was made I hut the prisoners might have reached, by some means, an oversea vessel that left port yesterday morning. Inquiries show that this vessel was thoroughly searched by the police before departure, i "ft will be remembered that four other prisoners escaped from Some.s Island, recently. Threo of them wero recaptured the same night and the fourth man lost his life. The disappearance of a second batch of four prisoners within a fortnight is expected to lead to a substantial reduction of the liberty enjoyed by the interned Germans and Austrians on Somes Island: Defence Headquarters may consider the advisability of constructing a, wire compound,of ttie kind used in England, I'rance, Germany, and elsewhere for the guarding of prisoners. A rectangular compound, with lights properly placed, can be guarded effectively by a. few sentries. The arrangements on Somes Island at the present tinie arc said to make it practicallv impossible to prevent prisoners leavii'j their ouarters at night if they determine to do 60. A military tribunal was set up to investigate the escape of (he first four prisoners. The report of 1 this Court has not vet reached iho Minister, of Defence.