MISSING GERMAN PRISONERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1863, 10 August 1918, Page 3

MISSING GERMAN PRISONERS.

POSSIBLY HIDDEN ON SOMES’ ISLAND. At 6 o’clock yesterday morning the unpleasant discovery was made by the guard at Somes Isjand that four interned prisoners were missing (says the Post). The military and civil police ashore were at once notified at all stations in the city and along the harbour front. A thorough search was instituted for any signs of a landing having been made, but nothing untoward was discovered. Further, the night was very tempestuous, and it is thought that nothing short of a staunch row boat could have reached the shore, and had the men embarked on a less substantial craft, or had attempted to swim, from the island, they would have been drowned.- Naturally, no such rowing boat is at the disposal of the prisoners, and investigations made show that none left the shore for the island. It is a fairly general opinion among the authorities that the men may not have escaped from the island, but merely broke from the building in which they slept, some time between 2 a.m., when the officer-in-charge personally went the rounds of the quarters, and 7 o’clock this morning, and have hidden in some out-of-the-way spot on the shore; There are many such spots and hollows iu the cliffs which would shelter the men from view, at any rate until low water allowed a thorough search to he made. The island is being systematically searched, and all beaches have been examined. Here, again, there were no signs to suggest that anyone had left the island. So far there is no trace of the missing prisoners, who are: — Charles Hadler, about 33 years, height sft. (Jin, 1371 b., fair complexion, fair hair, bine eyes, tattooed both arms and chest, design not known, sear between right car and eye, speaks good English. William Otteng, alias Brainier, ahout 29 years, height sft. Biin., 164 lb., ruddy complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, tattoo design (not describe ble) on right forearm, speaks broken English. Paul Wolf, 33 years, sft, 7in., 160 lb., dark complexion, inclined to be swarthy, dark hair, brown eyes, knife scar across face, eye to left

Kant Rubenstein, 21 years, sft. Jin., 1401 b., sallow complexion, brown hair, grey eyes. All arc dressed in blue or brown denim and heavy military boots. The occurrence naturally gave lisc to very considerable discussion on the waterfront and many and varied theories were advanced. One, which found acceptance with many, was that the men might possibly have reached, either with outside and or through their own efforts, a vessel which sailed from Wellington yesterday morning. The theory and its resulting “story on good authority’’ sire apparently equally unfounded. The vessel in question was thoroughly searched, as in the ordinary course of events, by the police under the supervision uf Caplain J, Spence, deputy-harbour-master and pilot, and sailed shortly afterwards with everything in order.