RECAPTURED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1846, 29 June 1918, Page 3

RECAPTURED.

TRENTHAM CAMP ESCAPEES

The two brothers, John Larkin and Robert Ernest Larkin, who escaped from detention in Trentliam Camp on Bth January of this year, have been recaptured in the Wairarapa district. ’ They have had an adventurous career in their attempts to avoid military service. At the end of! 1917 they stowed away in the bunkers of a steamer leaving' New Zealand for Sydney, but, were discovered and brought back to the Dominion, their passage money for the return trip being deducted from funds in their possession. Arriving in Wellington, the Larkins were Invaded over to the police,, and charged under the War Regulations with leaving the country without a permit. Cor (his they were sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, with hard labour, and ordered to bo handed over to the military authorities as deserters, on the expiration of their sentence. Having served their terms, the Larkins were transferred to Trentham Camp, and they were awaiting their trial by courtmartial when they made their escape. The Larkins, with two other men, Alex. Arthur Walker and George Henry Holleyman, were in the detention barracks at Trentham. About 10 o’clock at night, one of the prisoners’ asked permission of the sentry to go outside. This was refused, whereupon one of the prisoners opened the door of the hutment sharply, and in doing so caught the sentry a heavy blow on the head, knocking him senseless. The sentry was afterwards found bound and gagged, and the four prisoners were missing. Walker, throe days later, surrendered himself to the authorities? and the Larkins have now been a nested, but Holleyman is still at large.

The Larkins are both heavilybuilt men, one over Oft., and the other just under 6ft. in height. They are labourers by occupation. The arrest was effected in an out-of-the-way locality by the civil police, assisted by a small military party. There had been talk of trouble and vague statements regarding shooting if the recapture were attempted, but the men gave themselves up without trouble. They were brought to Trentham Camp, and will now bo tried by court-martial, probably on the original charge of alleged desertion, and on a new charge of escaping from detention.