Escape of a Prisoner.

Manawatu Herald, 10 January 1893, Page 2

Escape of a Prisoner.

Much excitement was caused in police circles on Saturday, when it was reported that a prisoner named Catt had escaped from custody. The escape was made in this wise. The prisoner James Catt, who a few weeks ago was committed for trial at the Wellington Magistrate's Court on three charges of horse stealing, was on Wednesday last sent up to Palmerston North to answer another charge of the same description On this charge also he was committed for trial, and the following day he was taken up to Wanganui, where again he was committed for trial on a still further charge of stealing horses. «m Saturday he was brought down from Wanganui in charge of Constable Brown, of that place, arriving here by the 9.50 p.m train. The constable and his charge were met at the railway station by Constable Black, who enquired if he could render any assistance, or whether he should procure a cab in which to take Catt to the gao'. Both offers, however, were refused, and Brown started to walk the distance with his charge, who, strange to say, was not handcuffed. This was Oatt's opportunity. Soon after getting outside the limits of the Manawatu reclamation he slipped from the grasp of the constable, and almost before Brown, who is an elderly man, had perfectly realised what had happened, his prisoner was out of sight. On the matter being reported at the Police Station, arrangements were at once made for the prisoner's recapture. It was at first thought that he would visit a certain person in Wellington with whom he had been previously associated. The person in question, however, having left the city since his apprehension, the visit paid to this individual's former quarters proved fruitless. During Sunday all the available detective and police foree — mounted and dismounted, in uniform and in p ain clothes were engaged in searching for the missing one, but up to a late hour last night he had not been recaptured. Catt; was not destined to be long at large, for about two o'clock Monday morning he was apprehended on Lambtnn quay, outside the New Zealand Times office, by Constables F Bishop and Lawlor, and safely lodged in tho watch-honse. He will be brought up at the Police Court today. — N.Z. Times,