GERMANS ESCAPE.
FROM SOMES ISLAND. ONE DIES OP EXPOSURE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, July 31'. Some time during the night four irii terned Germans escaped from Somes Island on a rnddy-wnstruefced. raft. K was evident that their intention wa£ to go to the city side of the hasbor, feuij the raft drifted adhore towards Petione and swamped. One of the men died from exposure, and the others landed and vera araested by the civil police. They; are now ia a weak condition.
(Later a rudely-fashioned sexiani wad found floating in the;vsesnity; of the l*inl-ing-ptece.
| PDITHER DERAILS. Wellington, Certain prisoners of -war on Sojgied Island managed to make a raft, on which four of them put to sea after nightfall yesterday. The men were not missed till, the roll was called at 9.30 p.m, and then arrangements were made for a searchi The forts were warned, and contact was' also effected with the police., The raft drifted towards Petone and was swamped near the coast. The men worked their way inland, but did not long enjoy a sense of freedom, as they were found oa the Hutt Road about 1 o'clock this morni ing, and were lodged at the police- sta-i tion.
The immersion in the very cold water, during a frosty night, gave a shock to the escapees. One, who is said to haw been not of strong constitution, died from exposure, an* the others, though much more robust, are stated to be snffering from thair 'chilling experience. One of the survivors, in 1915, performed the feat of swimming with a companion from Somes Island to Fetone. This was done during a cold night, and, after this achievement, the adventurers found an unromantic constable awaiting them. Some time after the men were «ftp' tured a small wooden case was «en floating near the spot' where they nad landed. It was secured by the police, and was found to contain a somevjhat crude mariner's quadrant and fittalgß, ! pointing to the iamb that the men;did not intend to content themselves with remaining hidden ashore. The Case itself was roughly built from the time wood of a kerosene case, and showed signs of hurried and rough and resdy construction. The instrument is by" no} means as finished and complete as watj that manufactured by the Germans interned at Moutihi, and brought to light) by the capture of von Luckner on the scow Moa, but, considering the maker had no more materials than slips of w*od and a few brass brads and screws for the framework, and nothing but Uwriwagh-i est materials for the finer fltttnigs, the quadrant is a clever piece of work,'
EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. Wellington, LasfcNigW. An inquest on the body of Karl A% ust Hugo Kosel, whose death occurred during an attempt to escape from Somes [lsland, was held by Mr. Riddsll, SJI [Kosel was interned in May, 1916, and was believed to have been a fireman; The other escapees were William Knab, a painter in Christchurch, interned in August, 1914; Karl W. Mertin and Al< fred Kraut, sailors. The former wasf I removed from Te Awamutu. in March, 1916, and the latter from Dunedin in December, 1914.
Wm. Knab gave evidence that they 1 left Somes Island at 10 p.m. on a raft made of three boxes and five oil'drums. The night was fairly fine, but there was a slight southerly breeze. There wer» three tins of stores on the raft, which was propelled by two paddles and ,two spades. When they had gone about a thousand yards the raft began to (ink, The leader (Hertin) said keep on, and they made for a point between Petone and Ngahauranga. Deceased did not complain of exhaustion, but was deter* mined to carry it through. Deceased was a bit thin, and had lost about 401bs in weight. Kraut left off paddling about 30 yards from the shore, and Kosel was just paddling, but was so exhausted that he put no weight into it. He was pretty short of breath on reaching the shore. Kraut had to be dragged from the raft. Kosel managed to get out, but was staggering. Kraut was lying across the railway line, and witness managed to remove him. He then went to Kosel, who said: "I am going to the first house I can get to, and no further." Witness intended looking for a house, and seeking assistance. About 2 a.m. witness saw two motor-cars in the distance, and hailed one and asked the driver to take them to town to stay at some place for tha night. He took them in tlie- car, and they were met by a police sergeant, who told the driver to. Jake them to the police station. J}pi the police sta;tion, that they had esbad! left Kosel on the beach. Dr. TOnry give, evidence that death was tjm result of shock, exposure and exhaustion.' ,: " ■
Serg'eaiit-Major Moston produced deceased's file, which showed tliat he was a 6 last the commandant at Somes Island had '• reported that Kosel was suffering from asthma;. and was receiving the necessany attention- oi) i
The, evidence ;of the police showed that Cpnstabje brought the id,«B6»s4-toT.the, poliee -station, and that ■ abojtu; 4 a.m. ■ tAjverdiiit that death-Was about while tryjng to escape on 4 r raft from Somes Islanj,;
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Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1918, Page 4
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880GERMANS ESCAPE. Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1918, Page 4
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