JUNGLE ARREST

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 72, 21 September 1935, Page 16

JUNGLE ARREST

MAN'S POSE AS MISSIONARY

News has been received in Rabaul from the Wewak head-waters in the Sepik district of the arrest of Ludwig Schmidt, who escaped irom Wewak gaol on August 20, while awaiting trial on. a charge of murdering natives, say? the "Sydney Morning Herald."

All the miners in the vicinity were immediately instructed to secure firearms! and ammunition, and to refrain from: sending natives to', shoot game, thus providing Schmidt with an opportunity of obtaining weapons.

Schmidt, while at liberty, posed among the natives as a missionary. While searching for Schmidt, Assistant District Officer Kyle was inform' ed;by natives on August 24 that there was a White man in a village on another mountain peak, three miles away. .-Kyle and a lance-corporal of the native police hurried to the village, where they were met by a "doctor boy," who stated that Schmidt was sitting in a house. Kyle sent the "doctor boy" to engage Schmidt in conversation, while he and the policeman crept towards the open-side of the house, Schmidt was sitting on a native bed, and he rose as Kyle appeared. Kyle rushedcupon him, while the policeman seized a revolver and a knife. After a violent struggle Schmidt was secured, with the assistance of natives. His revolver was found to be a dummy, cleverly made of shaped wood, piping, and copper. The natives and even the policeman thought it was a revolver until Kyle handed it to them for closer inspection. Schmidt was returned to Wewak gaol.

The local chief showed commendable common 'sense in dissuading Schmidt from travelling-on, and iir providing him with a bed and food, while lie sent "Word to Kyle. Kyle commends his'lance-corporal for bravely facing a supposedly armed white man.