NOT ALTOGETHER TRUE.

Evening Star, Issue 3430, 18 February 1874, Page 2

NOT ALTOGETHER TRUE.

following paragraph appears in the Wellington. ‘Evening Post’ of the 13th instant ; , “Avery clever capture was made on board the Mikado yesterday by Sergeant Monaghan, accompanied by Sergeant Frazer. By the Alhambra, advices were received from Melbourne that a person named George Maurioe Drummond, late manager of the Provincial and Suburban Bank, Richmond, Victoria, had absconded, after embezzling about LI,OOO, and was supposed to have come to Nevy Zealand in the Claud Hamilton, accompanied by a young lady named Emma or Ellen Austin, said to be his cousin. It was ascertained that the parties had arrived in the Colony, and had proceeded to Otago, but no further trace of them c.mld be found. The Mikado was searched at Port Chalmers and Lyttelton, without success, but yesterday Sergeant Monoghan spotted bis man in the person of a Mr Douglas, who, accompanied oy “Mrs Douglas/’ was booked through from Dunedin to San Francisco. Mr Douglas, alias Drummond, was found in one of the state cabins, and on being arrested admitted his identity. About L 470 in half-sovereigns was found beneath his pillow, and was taken possession of by the police. After thoroughly searching the cabin, Sergeant Monaghan allowed the prisoner to have a private interview with the companion of his flight, and although she at first desired to laud here, the result was that she proceeded on her voyage iu the Mikado. On being brought ashore, Drummond was taken before Mr Walter Turnbull, J.P., and reuianded for a week. It is said that the prisoner, although filling a position of considerable responsibility, had only a salary of £2 10s a week. Drummond is understood to have deserted his wife and ch id, as well as robbed the Bank. The capture reflects great credit on the clever officer by whom it was made.”

llie misstatements in the above are in connection with Drummond'a stay in Dunedm, and in giving Sergeant Monoghan the d \ of hls cl P ture - The pjlice at rort Ohalmers were mainly the cause 01 his arrest, and Monaghan merely acted on the information that was gained here by Ser* geant Neil, as appears from the following short statement of facta. Drummond arF°ft Dhalmera last week by the Wellington, and stayed at the Port aoipp Ume. v |h« attputjon of Sprgeapt Npil mid Constable Sullivan was directed tp hini, and thpir suspipions aroused by his actions there: out they did not receive any information respecting the man, nor his description, until the day after the Mikado sailed. JNpil, how. ever, kept an eye rn his movements until the steamer sailed, and next day, being oonvinced that it « as Drummond who had been under his surveillance, forwarded information to the Commissioner of Police, whose communication by telegraph with the police authorities at Lyttelton and Wellington led to the man’s arrest at the latter place. Monaghan is entitled to a reward of L6O and a percentage of the moneys found on Drummond.