How Rowe Was Caught.

Manawatu Herald, 23 February 1904, Page 3

How Rowe Was Caught.

The story of the maimer in which Stanley Rowe, who was sentenced for the Great Fingall frauds, concealed himself after his defalcations ;is romantic. Having shaved and ! otherwise disguised himself, he eluded the detectives in England for five months. Then lie managed to get on board a cargo boat at Bristol and reached Montreal. He was suspected, and it is believed that a Montreal detective actually spoke to the “ wanted man, but hia assumption of indignant surprise and his different appearance totally disarmed the officer. Rowe, or Prescott, as he called himself, managed to evade the Canadian police for three mouths, travelled hundreds (j* miles in the Dominion, visiting Winnipeg, Ontario, and Quebec, and finally arrived at Toronto. There he went direct to the office of Mr Reginald f. Brown, a stockbroker, making a speciality of English securities. “Mr Alfred Prescott ” presented to Mr Brown a sheaf of letters of introduction from prominent men in England. “Mr Prescott ” received an important appointment from Mr Brown, and soon brought a great deal of business to the firm. The deeds of partnership had been drawn up, and were only awaiting the signatures, when one morning two strange men entered the stockbroker’s office. “Mr Prescott” was alone in charge. The visitors were detectives from Quebec and Ontario. “If I tap twice on the floor with my umbrella I have identified the man,” whispered one officer to the other. For some seconds “Mr Prescott ” and the strangers stared at each other. Then the umbrella tapped twice on the floor. “Mr Prescott ” was a prisoner.