PRISONERS RECAPTURED

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1926, Page 1

PRISONERS RECAPTURED

DINGHY WRECKED ON ISLAND. BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. AUCKLAND, February G. The two prisoners who escaped front Rangitoto Island on .Monday night were recaptured at Brown’s Island at the entrance to this port. AUCKLAND, February 7. The two prisoners, Charles Wahle, and Samuel Rattray, who made a sensational escape from the prison camp at Rangitoto Island, last Tuesday morning in a dinghy fitted with an outboard motor, were recaptured at the back of Cowes Bay, Waihekc Island, yesterday morning, and brought back to Auckland last evening. Information that the men were somewhere in the vicinity of Waihekc Island was received by the police on Friday night, and detectives Moon ami McWhirter and Constables Butler, Yeoward and Audley were despatched by steamer.

Constable Lsley, who is stationed on Waihekc, states that yesterday morning Mr iY. J. McConnell, postmaster at" Cowes Bay, saw the two escapees its they were leaving the rear of his store. They had something in a hag which was later found to be biscuits, which they had taken from the store room. Mr McConnell immediately informed Constables Butler and Yeoward, went to Air McConnell's place and Wahle and Rattray were traced into the bush behind Cowes Bay, and after a search lasting two hours, the police party, at last, were hot on the trail.

The first to locate the two men was Sydney Weir, who saw them in the hush. The other constables soon arrived, and both Wahle and Rattray submitted to arrest quietly. Contrary to expectations neither of the men appeared to have suffered from hutigct or the weather. Both were clean shaven, in fact, their gear, included a shaving outfit. The only thing they said they were in need of was cigarettes. Both were clad in civilian clothes having got rid of their prison garb, and they wore ordinary caps. They stated that the dinghy, which they used to csc-ape from Rangitoto Island was blown on the rocks near Church Bay. and wrecked, one side being stove completely in. 1 hev bad been using a blanket lor a sail and intended making for the mainland, when they were cast ashore it distance of twenty miles from where they were arrested. They stated they had experienced « bad time since they made their escape on Tuesday. After both had been arrested and luuuk-ufi'ed, a search of the immediate vicinity revealed that the men had lit a camp fire. They- had even killed a lamb and after cooking it over the fire ate it.