"STOP. THIEF!"

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1918, Page 2

"STOP. THIEF!"

EXCITING CHASE IN SYDNEY. A sensational escape from custody of a. suspected man and his subsequent recapture occurred in Sydney some days ago. From information received at police headquarters from the manager of the Hotel Arcadia two detectives were detailed to sleep at the hotel one night. About, eight o'clock next morning they decided to question a man, and met him on the third floor outside one of the rooms. On heing asked to conduct the detectives to his ..room, the suspect walked on, but when at the top of the steps ho struct at. one of the detectives. The officer fell, and. before his colleague could cover the ground the man leaped over the banister, and ran' down the stairs to tlie ground floor. He dashed ,-mit of the hotel into the arcade, and was chased by a porter. He ran through the arcade to Castlereagh street, and a civilian, attracted by the cries of "Stop, thief!" caught him by the collar. But he freed himself and bolted across to the King Street corner. There n. constable went close to catching him, hut the man side-stepped, and recrossing the road entered a side-door of Muir's hotel.' .■ ; . In leaving the Hotel by the King Street entrance he was bumped into by another civilian who knocked him over the head with a walking-stick. A constable then arrested him. The suspect sagged groggily to the footpath as hj« was rising.