Capture of Armed Man.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 16 October 1917, Page 1

Capture of Armed Man.

AN ALLEGED DESERTER. WEEKS SPENT IN THE BUSH. (Auckland "Herald's" Correspondent) TE AWAMUTU, Monday. An armed man named Gilbert 1 Walker, alleged to be a military doserter, was captured at Korakonu'i this morning under sensational eircumetances. The reservist, who is the only son of F. Walker, a settler at Korakonui, about 13 miles from Te Awamutu, was drawn for service in the fourth ballot, but failed to appear for medical examination, and a military warrant was issued for his arrest. He lived with his parents in a lonely spot in a bush clearing, but repeated attempts by the police failed to locate him, as he spent most of his time in the bush. Recently the police were seeking to locate some unknown individual who, according to a Maori prisoner's story, was raiding the property of the Waikeria prison farm, and in the course of their search they went to the home of F. Walker to make inquiries. As they were approaching they observed a man get through a window and disappear into the bush. They were met by Walker, sen., who, it is alleged, made use of disloyal language. As a sequel to this the father was charged with disloyal utterances, but when the case came before the Court it was withdrawn because of the peculiar circumstances. POLICE SURROUND HOUSE. On Sunday night Constables Woodley (Kihikihi), Doyle and Rushton (Te Awamutu), and Ebbett (Hamilton), were despatched from Te Awamutu to capture Walker, jun. They arrived in the vicinity of the farm at 3 a.m. Rusliton and Ebbett took up a position in the bush on the south side of the house i ! and the others in the fern on the northeast side. The constables remained in their positions in heavy rain until 7.45 a.m., when Walker, sen., was seen to leave the house, mount a horse, and rid<* 1 away, passing within a few yards of Woodley and Doyle without seeing them.

Soon after, Walker, jun., came out of the back door with a rifle on his shoulder, and made in the direction of the bush, near the spot where Kushton and Ebbett were hiding.

When about ten yards from Rushton he evidently saw the constables, and immediately made back for the house t pursued by the four policemen.

As lie ran, Walker turned round, and, it is alleged, threatened to shoot. His mother, hearing the noise, came out of the back door and the son got into the house, being followed by his mother, who locked the door.

Woodley called out that he had a warrant for the arrest of Walker, and asked to be allowed to enter quietly. The mother, it is alleged, said she would never open the door and defied the police to enter. Woodiey and Ebbett then went round to the front door, and Doyle and Eushton remained at the back. Doyle looked through a small window near the back door and noticed that Walker had him covered with the rifle. The latter called out, "Don't come in hero or I'll shoot." ACCUSED DISARMED. Just then Woodley and Ebbett forced the front door, whereupon Walker rushed towards it and pointed the rifle at the constables, threatening to shoot them if they attempted to enter. Both stood to one side for a moment. Then Ebbett seized the rifle by the barrel and threw it upward, and Woodley seized Walker, dragging him outside.

After a desperate struggle the rifle was secured. Walker's clothing was almost torn off him in the melee. He was then handcuffed and taken by Conatables Rushton and Woodley to a trap about half-a-mile away. The other constables searched the house and found two slyit guns in a bedroom, 'and a .303 rifle, a Snider carbine,, a .22 calibre Winchester rifle, a bayonet, pistol, bandolier, and cartridge belt and ammunition in a loft over the kitchen.

In the meantime the mother had rushed off and the father came galloping back to the house, when the constables secured him. The father becamo very excited, and it is alleged said that if he had been there they would not have got his boy, and they could consider themselves very lucky that he was away.

Walker, jun., in a statement to thp police, said that he had been sleeping in the bush for week's with his rifle and a tin of ammunition which he kept planted in the bush, and thfct he was going back to the bush when he saw the police. Last night was the first night he had slept iii the house for weeks.