CHRISTIE'S CAPTURE.

Evening Star, Issue 2967, 22 August 1872, Page 3

CHRISTIE'S CAPTURE.

Christie was at large for a week before the police obtained any information of a specific kind ue to the direction be had taken. On

Saturday night last, Suh-Tnspector Fox and Mr Fraser, governor of Invercargill gaol, acting on the clue obtained, started in pursuit, and went as far as Menzien’s Ferry, where they rested a few hours i hey then proceeded as far as the Mataura Bridge, taking with them Constable Purdue, stationed there. They crossed the Mataura at the Long Ford on the afternoon of Sunday, and making towards the Waikaka, saw tracks in the snow on the Crown Ridge, which they identified as Christie’s. The tracks, followed for two or three miles, ultimately led them to a shepherd’s hut, where it was discovered that Christie had recently partaken of a meal. It may be stated that Christie was well acquainted with this part of the country, having been for some time employed as a bullockdriver on the station, which belongs to Mr M ‘Nab, As evening was fast closing in, no time was lost in following up the information acquired, and his three pursuers, having taking different directions, closely examined the neighborhood, and shortly alighted on the object of their search, wlxo was found conce led in a gully, close to a swamp, to which ho had been making when he discovered that his pursuers were at hand Having been challenged by Mr Fox, Christie submitted to be arrested without resistance, and was taken to the Long Ford the same evening. Being brought into town on Monday night he was safely lodged in gaol about six o’clock. In his old quarters again he became communicative, and related that on getting over the gaol fence, having previously thrown over a loaf of bread, be kept on the grass, going round by the Court House, and over the Puui Creek bridge, crossing to the Seaward Bush by the back of Mr Fraser’s house (the old Victoria Hotel) During his run he did not meet with a single individual. He dodged in the bush all day, without seeing any one, until he came out at Mr Lawrence’s, and had tea there the same night, representing that ho was looking for a horse. After Mr Lawrence’s lad had shown him over the Waihopai, which was flooded, ho went across the fiat and took the Seaward Bush at the back of Mr Couplands, lie lost himself in that bush until the Wednesday evening, when he gained the open again, and made for M‘Lennan’s, at Mavis Bush, in the hope of getting something to eat. On reaching the road, he heard two horsemen coming along, who proved to be Sub-Inspector Fox and Mr Fraser, He crouched down in the ditch in the shadow of the moonlight, and on* of them, dismounting to open the slippanel leading to M'Lennan’s, passed so near him that be could have touched him. Fearing to be discovered, he went into the bush again, having first obtained an old velvet coat, an old black hat, and a pair of trousers. He kept in the bush till he crime out at Moitm Mains on Thursday morning ; had a meal there, saying that be had 10-t his way coming from fdondale. He tlun went on towards the Mataura. keeping a little lower down than the edge of the terrace all the way, and hiding in the tusso ks when he saw anyone approaching. Ho crossed the Mataura in a boat, and went to M‘Nab’s Station, but the shepherds there having refused to punt him across the Wakaia, he took to the ranges again, where he was got by the police, as described above.

(For continuation of news see fourth page.}