ESCAPED PRISONER RECAPTURED.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 February 1928, Page 7

ESCAPED PRISONER RECAPTURED.

ACCOMPLICE TRIES TRICK TOO OFTEN AUCKLAND, Last Night. The arrest of William Scholes, the prisoner who escaped from custody seven months ago, was effected under sensational circumstances at Dominion road about mid-day on Friday, tho capture being the result of a cleverly laid police trap. In the afternoon the police arrested Andrew Simpson. Simpson is alleged to be an associate of Scholes and the police had reason to suspect that the two had been uttering cheques to business people in more than one suburb of Auckland. At this juncture, Mr R. .1. Catos, of the Progress Stores, 575, Dominion road, came into the story. To a reporter yesterday morning Catos unfolded the unusual account of Simpson's arrest. Ho stated that Detective Knight called at his shop at 12 o'clock on Friday morning, stating that the two men were suspected of having cashed cheques with business people in other suburbs of the city. It was thought that they might pay a visit to Dominion road during tho next few days, as this suburb was one that had not so far been given attention. Cates was told to look for a possible tendering of any cheque on which was printed with a rubber stamp the words “trust account." “The detective had hardly been gone an hour when a man entered my shop and gave an order for £2 worth of groceries," added Mr Cates. “For'payment "he tendered a cheque on which was marked ‘trust account.’ It was a cheque for £7. All my employees were ■ alive to the situation, and I instructed an assistant to take as long as possible in making out tho docket. “In the meantime one of my young ladies slipped into my house next door and telephoned the detective office, while Constable Belcher, of Mount Roskill, was also informed of what had happened. “While this was going, on Constable Belcher arrived and I explained things to the man. He seemed uneasy and appeared as if ho wanted t® leave tho shop. “A few minutes later he bolted from the constable and myself and ran through the storeroom and out of tho back door. He cleared a sft. 6in. fence without difficulty and quickly disappeared with the crowd of us in pursuit. “The man was observed going down William street so we got a motor-car and followed him. Wo eventually discovered him in a gully. “Watts, one of my employees, went down after the fugitive who had become entangled in some wire. Watts caught hold of the man and brought him 'back to the street where he was handcuffed and taken charge of by Constable Belcher, who removed him to the Mount Roskill lock-up. “Later he was taken in the van to the city station. " Later in the afternoon Detectives Knight, Alsopp, Davis, and Nalder went to a house in Mount Albert and arrested Scholes. The escapee submitted to arrest quietly. However tha detectives were taking no further chances, and handcuffed him. On July 27 of last year, Scholes was being brought to Auckland on the Wellington Express and was with two other prisoners, the trio being in charge of a single warder. Until Karaka was reached the three prisoners. and their escort were quite comfortable in a smoking carriage, but when the passengers had.to trans-ship at a big slip, which had occurred at Karaka that morning, the prisoners and warder were compelled to continue the. rest of the journey in a crowded carriage which contained a number of women and children. Scholes had previously gone to the lavatory to , obtain a . drink of water and had returned to the warder. But when the train was travelling slowly through Pphinui he again asked th« warder if he could-get another drink. The warder was about' to accompany him when Scholes got in ' froyat of a woman and three children, thus placing, tho warder at a disadvantage. As soon as Scholes was missed a search was made, but hp could not be found. Until his rccamurc yesterday he had enjoyed his freedom. Both Simpson and Scholes were brought before Mr F. K. Hunt at the Police Court yesterday morning. Simp | son was charged with attempting to ! obtain goods and money of a total of £7 by a valueless cheque, and was remanded until March 1 on bail of £2OO. Scholes was charged with escaping from lawful custody. Bail was asked for but was refused, Chief Detective Hammond stating that Scholes was an habitual criminal and an estapcc therefore he was not eligible to be bailed.