CAPTURE OF FITZGERALD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1192, 2 January 1885, Page 3

CAPTURE OF FITZGERALD.

Ever since the Nenthorne aff dr, rumor has been rife, and, accordingly, men answering the description of Fitzgerald have been seen in all sorts of places, both likely and nnlikely. The offer of LSO reward put all on the alert, and no efforts have been spared by the police to bring the offender to book. Several arrests have been made, only to find that the wrong man had been caught. The most vigilant search has been made for the man everywhere, hnt the last place on earth where ha might have been looked for was on a rocky isle of the sea. Yet it was on such a place within a short distance of Dunedin that be was run to earth on Christmas Day. It t anspires that last week a man came to Taieri Mouth, and wanted io go fishing. He apparently knew that the little island known as Green Island was a good ulace for that purpose, and he induced a young sailor, who bad hem collecting guano on the island, to go with him in a boat tor the purpose of catching fish Bill Mason, the yonirg sailor, somehow became suspicions that his campanion was the “wanted” Fitzternld, an t he then laid his plans with considerable skill for trappm. the man. The guano colleeioi-s have moor ings laid down where their boat could liwith comparative safety in a moderately rough sea There is a comfortable hut on the island, so that the two might have carried on fishing for long enough if Mason had not been suspicious of his man. They landed at Brighton, it appears, and laid in a good stock of provisions and clothing. They then returned to the island, ostentatiously to fish, lint Mason, who knew -the dangers well, instead of mooring the boat off. Ift her alongside the rocks, where she got smashed to pieces when a heavy sea set in. A small dingy; capable of carrying one mm. but not large [enough to carry two, is kept on the is'and, and in this Mason went a-ho e, •is he told his mate, to get another hj at, but in reality to inform the police of his sns picions. Immediate y two constables went to Brighton, but as the sea was too rough they had to wait till Christmas day befor Mason could go off to bring his mate ashore. There was no fear of the entrapped man getting away, howe' er, as the li' tie rocky isle is a couple of miles off shore. On Cniistmas Hay. accordingly, Mason, if thoriginal plan wvs carried our—hut «e have bad no means of ve hying this ns yet—went off to th- is'and, brought his man ashore, an 1 1 nded him, all nnsus l eating, in the a-ms of th- two constables- Power and M'Kenzic—who took him to Dunedin, wh re hel| was, brought rip at oi or and remanded. -He has been • identified as Fitzgerald, ,«e .nude stand, ami nlfojp t-her the manner, of his censure is icmance like The man was clean shaved, hnt in a'l other particulars he answered to tlie description of i‘tz-erahl. Mason, we presume, wid get the reward, so that his little fishing excellence will pay him better than collecting guano. Little Green Island, already famous for castaway and shipwreck even's, hag also had mio her chapter added to its fame. We glean the following additional par tioular-f om last nights Star Fi' when arrested, cave his name as ‘‘Jack Bonrke.” Hts whisk rs were clipped off, and altogether h- was so altered as to be hardly recogn'vble as the man wanted. Nevertheless th- constable told hj in that h- had a warra t for the arrest of the man Fitzgerald, and said he believed he was that man and informed him that ho shoo', have to take him to Dunedin. The eonsi able then read the wa-rant, and'to this Fi'Zge-ald unaware'. “That’s'nil right.” On arrival at the watch-house in Dunedin yesterday he was asked wl a his name was. and he replied, “Gerald Fitzgerald.” He was brought up at the Court yesterday afternoon, an 1 remanded until the Ist p ox.