THE RE-CAPTURED GER- MANS.

Taihape Daily Times, 3 January 1918, Page 4

THE RE-CAPTURED GERMANS.

IN POSSESSION. OF GOLD. r V*.

HOW IT WAS ACQUIRED.

There has been considerable speculation regarding the gold found in the possession of the German prisoners who recently escaped from Motuihi Island and wore subsequently re-cap-tured, It has been persistently rumoured that they received assistance from alien enemies, resident in ’Auck*land or New Zealand. The rumour appears to be incorrect. As far as can be gathered, Count von Luekner, had about £IOOO with him when he left Germany. This money was in German gold, but ho succeeded in changing a portion of it into British gold. When disaster overtook the Secadler, of which he was in command, and the crew of the vessel decided to separate he divided the money among the two parties, each taking £SOO. Thus he had £SOO in his possession when he was first captured. This amount was taken from him by the authorities, and it is still in their possession.

There is still to be explained, hovtf* s ever, the sum of £122 odd found ill the possession of the prisoners when they wore re-captured a few days ago after their recent sensational escape. It is this money that rumour has it has been supplied by alien enemy sympathisers. The rumours appear ttf be as incorrect as most of the rumours that are current regarding the doings ,of the prisoners, and there is little doubt that the money was supplied by Yon Egidy, the Samoan planter. The sum of £122 was in gold, in addition to which there was a sum of about £2O in New Zealand notes and silver and about £I3S German marks. This money was in possession of Yon Egidy when he was arrested in Samoa but he did not carry it on his person. Instead, he had placed it away among his clothes in his trunk, and although the authorities searched him they did not discover this amount, the only cash they discovered on him being a sum of £3 or £4 found in his pockets. When ho was sent to New Zealand the money came with him, in his trunk and remained there, as far as can be gathered, during the seven months that he ■was interned on Somes Island. When he. was transferred to Auckland his trunk, still containing the money was sent with him.

, When the escape tyas planned Yon Egidy handed this money over to thet, • Count, and the latter divided it among! the party, each of the men, including-.’ You Egidy, getting £lO, Lieut. Kir- 1 seheiss £ls, and the Count retaining £l7 10s. Each member ,of the party kept his share of the money till they got away, yvhen they handed it back to Count Yon Luckner, who put it into a bag for safe keeping. When the Count saw that recapture was inevitable, he again distributed the mnoey that had been handed to him. It is interesting to mention also that, of gold £42 was in English gold and the remainder (£SO) in German gold—- “ Star.”