POWELKA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 59, 31 August 1911, Page 3

POWELKA.

IPOWIXKA'S CAREEE. Powelka is quite a young man, being only about 22 years of age, tinil until the miiy part of la*t year lie was unknown to the police. lie had not. long been married, ibut his domestic affairs appear to have been very unpleasant, and early in February he appeared before the Magistrate at Palmereton North on a charge of having attempted to commit suicide. He had tried to drown himself in a very email and very shallow pool of water near the Manawatiu river. In court he acted in a very peculiar manner, and was convicted and discharged. For two months previous, however, complaints had been made from different quarters of the .town of the wholesale stripping of houses whose owners we» away on holiday, and shortly after hi» appearance before the court he had been taken into custody on a complaint by his wife that lie had«• revolver in his possession. While searching his house for cartridges Constable Barry noticed a picture which answered the description of one which had been lost by a Mr Kidd, whose house had been completely stripped. Fur's tlier search revealed the fact that almost every article in the 'house belonged to one or another of the householders who had complained to the police. They included asniall pocket •electric lamp, a chisel and a revolver and cartridges, besides ladies' silver witches, clocks, bedsteads, a hall stand, duchess chests, washstands, linoleums, carpets, pictures, curtains, mirrors, and a number of <new bicycle tyres and 350 cigars. From the residence of Mr Harold Cooper, solicitor, who had appeared for accused when he was previously before the court, there had been taken a dinner suit, dressing case, colla.r J box, portmanteau, and a set of razors. A dress suit was also missing from the house, and :ws this could not be found among the articles discovered in Powelk's house, it was suggested in his evidence that it might have been sold to settle the solicitor's account. Powel'kn. was on 7th March committed for trial on several charges, and remanded on a further charge for a week. Before the week was up—on 12th Marchhowever, he escaped from the Palmerston gaol. He was in the prisoners' yard, and when the gaoler's back was turned he scaled the walls and got clear away. He ' placed a couple of buckets against the ( waJl. and must have jumped from them to the top of the wall, and so into the. i street. Then he stole a bicycle and made | for the country, but was recaptured after three or four days. For safety he was brought down to the Terrace Gaol, whence he was taken to the Lambton-quny police cells on the 23rd March, to be brought before the court audi remanded to PalmeTston "North to answer the cha.rges still to be mad ' against him. While in the cell a man who had b""n arrested in the suburbs was put into the same cell. That prisoner was shortly afterwards token into the watchhouse, and the constable locked the door, as he thought, behind him. When the cell was next visited, very soon after, the door was still shut, but Powelka was missing. Apparently he had tried the door, found that it was not locked, came out — taking the precaution to close the door after him —awl scaled the wall of the police station. A diligent search was instituted, and reports came in from Kaivarra, Mnranui, and other places, that a man answering Powelk's description had been seen, but the police were unable to unearth him. On Saturday. April 2nd, a' man believed to be Powelknjtraided a | house at Awapuni. near ■merston i North. The occupants spent a trying quarter of an revolver's muzzle, the raider jflPjipearing when a cyclist appeared on the scene. The ne.vt part of the country supposed to be I visited iliv Powelka was in the vicinity of ] Pahiatua. On April oth a man was seen by constables, and the latter entered upon a liard chase of the ftijritive. After covering two miles, the man thought to be 'Powelka. left his horse and dashed for the bush. Large detachments of police were sent to Pahiatua, but could not find their quarry. On the following Saturday Teports came from Ashhnrst. that Powelka had visited his mother-in-law's house, but not being well received, made for the bush once more. On the same evening a residence in Palmerston was looted, and a little later another house was burned down. Various reports came in during the day, and at about 7.30 o'clock Mr Hampton, of Ferguson street. Palmerston. notified the police that a man was i» his garden. Sergeant Maguire and Sour others visited the scene at once. They separated, and a few minutes afterwards Sergt. Magnire was heard to call out, and the others, running up, found him grappling with « man. A revolver was discharged, ami Maguire fell seriously injured, while his assailant escaped. Palmerston North was in a ferment by this time, and the police force was strengthened by contingents from the surrounding towns, as well as by volunteers from the citizens.

On Tuesday. April ]'2, another terrible tragedy occurred, Mr. Michael Quirke, of Pahiaiua, meeting his death at the hands of a too zealous marcher. An alarm was given that Powclka \va\.in the vieinity of Fitzroy .and East streets. A laTge crowd assembled, and many mere boys wore seen carrying rifles and revolvers. Mr. Quirke was scouting the surrounding streets, when he was challenged by Surgt, Bowden, of Feilding. and Mr. W. IT. Overton, who were stationed under a niacrocarpa hedge. He paid no attention, lint stooped down. The cry of "Pnwerka!" was then raised, and the fatal shot was fired, the top of the unfortunate, young man's head being blown oil'. Various people were stuck up in Palniprston about this time, but it was generally believed that Powclka was not concerned in these affairs. The next day was quiet, and on Thursday Sergeant Maguirp died from the wound received in the Ferguson street affair. Tn regard to the death of Mr. Michael Quirke a verdict of "Death by misadventure" was returned at the inquest. Powclka w«s not heard of until the following Sunday, April IS, when Constables Thompson and Gallagher, assisted by Constables Sylvester, Watt and CaHcry, captured the fugitive in a bay loft at Ashhurst. The two former eon- ■ stables made the actual capture, and in this there was a certain amount of poetic justice, for Constable 'Gallagher was the one in charge of the lock-up at Wellington from which Powell™, escaped. On the way into Palmerston in a motor. Powrifei made a determined effort to escape, but was unsuccessful. On Wednesday. June 3, Powclka was sentenced to fourteen years for larceny and seven years for arson, tbs sentences to be cumulative. Since that time, Powclka has been planning an escape, and aibout leu days ago had a few hours' liberty near the Terrace. Gaol, WellingI ton.