MENTAL PATIENT RIDES ON COWCATCHER.

Shannon News, 11 March 1924, Page 4

MENTAL PATIENT RIDES ON COWCATCHER.

An escapee from the. Auckland Mental Hospital caused considerable excitement at the Newmarket and Remuera railway, stations-and at;, Green Lane on; Friday morning before ho was finally captured alter a struggle-in Sunnyvale road, Greisn Lane. > . The patient, ,who is reported to have' escaped from the l institution on; Wednesday,'first! attracted attention by-his peculiar behaviour at the Newmarket station shortly after - 8 a.m. After jumping on the cow-catcher of a shunting ! engine * which was standing < in the yard he ran across: the rails and jump-j ed on the cow-catcher of an outward bound Papakura train which, it is stated, was then travelling at about 10 miles an hour. ’ Fortunately, he managed to hold on, otherwise it is probable that ho would have been killed.

1 The railway officials at Remuera station were informed and on - the arrival of the train, the unwanted passenger was taken in charge. The police were communicated, with, but before a constable arrived the jpatient escaped from the room in which he had been placed, and ran down the , railway lino towards Green Lane, followed by Constable Wright, who was joined by a railway employee. The escapee left the line .and went along at the back of houses in Sunnyvale road. When he sighted his pursuers he jumped- a fence, and ran .round a > house; The constable gave chase, bein g assisted by a letter-carrier and a resident. After an exciting pursuit : . among the houses they caught up with the fugitive, who was - captured only after a violent struggle. He was Subsequently returned to tbp institution. ! i