The Escabed Convict

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2076, 8 February 1898, Page 2

The Escabed Convict

* CAPTURED AT LAST

On the Bth December last a convict working in the gang employed at Fort Cautley, on the North Shore, managed to give the warders the slip. A hue and cry was immediately raised, but the man managed to elude pursuit and got away safely to parts unknown. From time to time, paragraphs appeared in the papers stating that the man — Wm. Knox, by name—had been seen: but the police failed to locate their quarry. That he passed a considerable portion of his freedom in the Waikato is now pretty clearly established. His knowledge of the country must have been unusually accurate to enable him to dodge the police for such a length of time. On one occasion he was observed outside a wayside inn at Huntly by Constable White, who attempted to capture him, but Knox was too quick and got away into the bush. At last the police, having received information of his whereabouts, drew a cordon round the suspected district, and gradually narrowing the circle of investigation, cornered (heir man in a disused house, about two miles from Morrinsville. Two constables, White and Cavanagh, armed with revolvers, ultimately effected his arrest. Approaching the building stealthily the door was burst open and one of the constables with his arms pinned the half-awakened man to his bunk. Knox appears to have regarded the whole transaction with perfect good-humor, an<b quietly submitted to being handcuffed. The police quickly conveyed the prisoner to Te Arch i, where he was searched and placed in the lock-up. On Saturday morning he was sent up to town under esoort. The prisoner is described as having been dirty, unkempt, ragged, and not over well-fed.

KNOX’S DIARY. Knox, on being searched at the Auckland > Police (Station was found to have kept a diary of his movements since his escape. He left Auckland on December 9ch, and arrived at Drury on the same day. He left next day for Karaka gum fields, and arrived on the 12th, He went to Hill Bros, at Matahura, on the 14‘h, and worked there till the 21st January. Arrived at Huntly on 22nd, and left on the 23rd for Morrinsvillo, arriving on the 26th. Left Morrinsville the same day for Waiorongomai and arrived there on the 29th. Returned to Morrinsville on the 39th, and stayed there till arrested