ROXBOROUGH RECAPTURED

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2332, 22 September 1921, Page 3

ROXBOROUGH RECAPTURED

BY CONSTABLE O’DONOGHUE

IN BAINESSE DISTRICT,

WHILE BESTING IN A WAYBACK WIIARE.

Charles Henry Roxborough, who escaped front the lock-up in Palmerston North on Tuesday. September 13th, was arrested at noon yesterday, at Bainesse, by Constable O’Donoghue. Constables Owen and O’Donoghue for several days had been scouring the outdisjricts between Foxton and the Manawatu River at Shannon, for the escapee, but could find no trace of him.

On Tuesday morning they received word that a man answering the description of Roxborough had been seen at Bainesse. They immediately set out for the district, and searched the countryside for miles, until darkness set in, without success. Constable Owen, believing that the man was making towards the Snndon district, decided to set out on a motor cycle, and encircle the Oroua Downs, Taikorea, Mangawhata and Glen Oroua districts, and return through Rangiotu. Constable o’Donoghue to train it to Bainesse and work his way to join Constable Owen.

Constable Owen went from farm to farm, but could not find any trace of the missing man. In the meantime Constable O’Donoghue reached Bainesse, and was informed by a settler that an old coat had been taken from his farm the night previous. Picking up this clue, the Constable made his way into the hinterland, which is thickly covered with lupin. After searching round, he picked up footprints on the sand, and followed the tracks for a considerable distance, and also searched the lupins. Then the tracks vanished. He made for an eminence, from the top of which he espied a whnre, which he had not previously seen, partly hidden in the lupins. Retracing his steps, the constable* stealthily made Ids way to the shelter, and, peeping in through the doorway, saw the wanted man lying down on some sacks. He was immediately arrested and handcuffed. Upon being searched, Roxborough asked the reason, and was informed that he was armed. The prisoner denied this, and said if he had been, he would not have been captured. He informed the constable that he was starving, and had had enough of it. He also said he was making his way to Feilding. He said he had spent a very miserable night in the open on Tuesday, and looked knocked up. Constable O’Donoghuc retraced his steps across country, and with the assistance of a settler’s motor ear, brought his charge to Foxton. Constable Owen completed his circuit, and arrived at Bainesse shortly after Constable O’Donogluie had departed, arriving at Foxton shortly after the arrested man was taken to the station.

After Roxborough had been given a, hearty meal, the first he had had for many days, he was taken by the two constables to Palmerston, and handed over to the police there. A large crowd of people were on the station at Palmerston to get a glimpse of the escapee, as lie was transferred from the train to the

car in waiting,

Roxborough, when he escaped, was charged with stealing at Tokomu ru on June 21st a suit-case and contents to the value of £l7 ss, the property of John Charles Abbott. He is stated to have made his escape from the gaol at Palmerston North by the ruse of asking a constable to get him a drink of water, and when the latter’s back was turned, closing the ward door on him.

Previously lie Intel darted away in Palmerston North while lie was being questioned in the street by Constable McGregor, oi' Shannon. On that occasion a civilian passed between Roxborough and the constable, and like a flash Roxborough seized a bicycle and made off. The constable pursued him to the vicinity of the big lagoon in the Hokowhitu, and he then, it is stated, .■jumped a fence a short distance ahead of the constable. He is said to have got across the lagoon by giving somejmys sixpence to take him over in a boat, and thus he got clear away for the time being. A few days later he narrowly missed re-capture at Dannevirke, A warrant had meantime been issued for his arrest,- and the Dannevirke police finally located their man in a hay loft in the Tipapakuku district. He was subsequently remanded to appear at Palmerston North, and from there escaped as stated above.

This is the third capture of' 1 escaped prisoners which has fallen to the lot of Constable O’Donoghue in this district. In each ease he ha 9 captured his man single-handed and unarmed. The two previous captures were: —George Funnell, in the lupins at Himatangi, on August sth, 1918. This prisoner, charged with theft, escaped from the Wanganui gaol, and Harold Giles, captured,at Oroua Downs on the 7th» August, 1918. This prisoner, also arrested for theft, escaped from the Palmerston prison.

Constable O'Donoghue also saw some stirring times during the strike periods at Huntly and "Wellington, and was also present and took part in the capture of Rua.

We congratulate the local police on the thorough way in which they planned to effect the capture of Roxborough, who is a notoriously slippery customer,