LUNATIC’S CAPTURE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1412, 24 March 1905, Page 2

LUNATIC’S CAPTURE.

(Per Press Association.) r

Auckland, last night. V. Constable O’Grady wont out from Waicoauku yesteßday to search for the lunatic, Joseph Henry White, who escaped from Avondale Asylum on Sunday week. His

mission was successful, the e3cnpee being jj..» captured and returned to the asylum, -f Constable O’Grady and Hr Muir (farm manager of tho asylum) went by train to Waimauku on Tuesday morning, taking their horses with them. They rode to ", Motutara, whero they received information that tho man had been seen on Sunday on the beach. Accordingly they proceeded afoot to the beach, and while walking along they happoned to see White near the edge of tho hush. Ho also saw them at the same moment, and immediately..' i. took to the bush. The constable and Muir followed,'and searched through the thick scrub for three hours over y very rough country beforo finding him in the vioinity oi a cliS. Wheu bailed up and asked to surrender, he refused, and backed jo into an adjacent flax swamp. The two meo.Jjjd to fire four shots over his bead etood up and said that he would ft sur. 3ndc-r. He then came out quietly, and j» in conversation with his captors appeared perfectly rational, do further trouble being experienced.

While Mr Strathern was sitting in his ._ office in High street on the morning of March 10th, 1899, White, who was thon a gumdigger, ca’led in. Taking a chair, he A started conversing with the relieving officer, and had only been in the office for a miuute or two when be pulled out a loaded revolver, and, pointing it at Mr Strathern, pulled the trigger. Luckily, however, the revolver did not go off, and Mr Strathorn disarmed tho man. He was afterwards bunded over _to the police, receiving a sentence of eight years* bard labor. ..