SEARCHING FOR POWELKA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 66, 8 September 1911, Page 5

SEARCHING FOR POWELKA

STRANGE MAN LCRKIXG AROUND IN THE MOKAU DISTRICT, By Telegraph—Preas Association. Auckland, Lust Night. There is now little doubt that the presence of a large number of police in the Mokau country is due to the possi- , bility of Powelka having come that way. A fairly large area of country Is beinir scoured. The reason for the sudden invasion of 1 the district by the police was due to information received from a inan working on Mount Messenger, who, it is said, knew Powelka previously. This man stated that Powelka was going in the direction of Mokau. A man resembling Powelka was interviewed at Awakino without result, but tile police are said to still have every reason to believe in the accuracy of the roadman's report, as a strange man is said to l»e lurking round the bush camps up the Mokau river. Much of the country in the .Mokau district is in a wild state, and once the fugitive got in there some difficulty would be experienced in hunting liiin down. STARTLING ALLEGATIONS. A private letter just received from a reliable -and well-informed source in Wellington (snvs the Manaia Witness) I gives us the information that Powelka, previous to his present successful escape, had made two previous but unsuccessful attempts to get out of the grip of the gaolers, though the public was only permitted to hear of one attempt. On the first occasion he was. seized when halfway through his cell grating, and he was found to be wearing a well-fitting suit of new black tweed clothes. Though an enquiry was held into the circumstances, nothing could be learned' as to how the clothing came into his possession. It is> further stated' in the letjust referred to that 011 the morning of his recent escape the police discovered a bicycle secreted at a convenient f>pot near the gaol, which has since remained unclaimed, and was clearly intended to assist, him in his flight. The Confident Wellington detective theory is that, if only given time, he will go back to his old haunts in the • Palmerston district, where his wife and child still are, after which his capture will certainly follow. That he is at present being assisted by friends or sympathisers is well understood by the authorities, and to that fact is attributed his success so far in defying the whole organised and kecniy alert police force of the country.