PRISONERS ESCAPE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1765, 15 December 1917, Page 3

PRISONERS ESCAPE

TEN GERMANS FROM MOTUHH. DESTINATION IS UNKNOWN. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Defence announces that ten prisoners of war, including two naval officers, escaped from Motuihi Isjand in Auckland harbour in a launch yesterday. It is not known in what direction they have gone. Steps have been taken to search for them, and the public are invited to be on the watch and report at once to the police station any-information which may aid in the discovery of those who escaped. DETAILS OF ESCAPE. SEE ADLER’S CAPTAIN GONE. GUARD CAUGHT NAPPING AND LAUNCH AND DINGHY TAKEN. Auckland, Last Night. The ten Gorman prisoners who effected their escape from the internment camp at Motuihi about G. 30 yesterday evening included Lieut.-Commander Felix Von Luckner, commander of the German raider See Adler; Lieut. Kirseheiss, navigating lieutenant of the Sec Adler; a sailor named Erdmann, a member of the Sec Adler’s crew; a plantation owner named von Egidy, formerly of Samoa, two wireless operators, and four naval cadets who were captured at Samoa shortly after the outbreak of war. Von Luckner, Kircheiss, and Erdmann were captured in a launch at Waikaya Island in the Pacific several weeks ago by a party of Fiji constabulary on board the steamer Amrah. With three other members of the crew they were brought to New Zealand. Details so far as obtainable show that the whole of the Germans were accounted for at the usual roll call at fi p.m, yesterday. Soon afterwards the launch Pearl, used by the (ramp commandant, disappeared. It is believed two Germans secured possession of the launch and dinghy and picked up the other eight at another point where (hey were wailing to embark. The Pearl and dinghy wore the only boats available, and pursuit by the guard was impossible. There is a direct telephone wire to Waihckc, and one to Auckland. Attempts were made to telephone to (he military authorities at Auckland, but communication could not be established through a break in the circuit. The fault was repaired, and just about midnight Major Price, A.A.G., was communicated with, and he look immediate steps to organise a search party. At 1.30 a.m. four boats were despatched to search for the escapees. Two of the vessels were armed with a machine gun. The crews were also armed, consisting of detachments of garrison artillery and the Auckland wharf guard. A thorough search was made in the vicinity of Motuihi Island as far as Capo Colville, Kawau, Waiwera, Waihckc, and the passages between the various islands. All passing vessels, were intercepted, but no trace of the escapees could be found. It is believed that the Pearl had sufficient petrol to run for several hours. There was not a great deal of food on board. Throughout the whole of to-day a large fleet of boats was engaged in the search.