POWELKA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10013, 8 April 1910, Page 5

POWELKA.

AT PAHIATUA.

A DESPERATE CHASE.

HIDES IN THE BUSH.

MASTERTGN POLICE LEAVE FOR cJCENE OF OPERATIONS. (Travelling Reporter). k j The usually quiet township of Scarborough, at the Pahiatua Railway Station, was in a fever of excitement last evening, when it became known that the notorious Powelka had actually been seen, in the neighbourhood. It was generally thought that the fugitive would make same attempt to work his wsy through froni Palmerston over the track and into the Pahjatua district, where"the nature of "the" country presents favourable opportunities for hiding On this account the police had been unusually active, but although they were on the alert all day yesterday, nothing of any consequence happened to arouse their suspicions. At a quarter-to-six, however, just as darkness was beginning to set iir two of the Pahiatua Mounted Police, in riding past one of the cross roads not far distant from the Bal lance Butter — Factory,- noticed a solitary horseman riding quietly some distance away. The oncoming darkness, of course, made it itnpos- | sible for them to recognise who the | rider was, but something strange in | fijif demeanour immediately aroused I the suspicions of the police. The thought was no sooner fathered than one of the constables 1 turned back" to make s personal investigation. No sooner had the stranger become cognisant of the fact thai he was the object of the attention of the ,police than he wheeled his horse round and galloped—away--afr-lightning Bpeed. At the same instant the recognised their man arid immedi- •' r teiy gave chase: Powelka headed sfcationwards in the direction 6f BaP iunce. The noise ot the galloping hprses rnaturally had ' the effect of alarming the residents, and by the tipae the railway line was reached quite a little band of them, armed with a somewhat varied collection of implements of warfare, were hot on the heels of the police. The pursued one continued on his way lip the hill, at the back ot the station, travelling at a remarkable rate considering th£ qature of the incline. Reaching | nearly the top he swung..round one of the numerous curves that, grace tKe incline, and there obscured from his pursuers he touk the opportunity to desert the faithful steed, that he had previously borrowed from a kindly settler without asking permission. This was the state of affairs when :the police came up with the riderless horse, and they at once continued the chase in the direction «the fugitive had taken- across—the hill in the,-direction ; of Matthew's Bush. A little on the party met a sportsmau, a member of the ; staff at the railway station, returning from a rabbit shooting expedition. and on being questioned he stated that shortly .before the party came up he had seen a man entering the bush. Unaware that' it j was the notorious Powelka, and, fur- ; t r, his view being obscured by the darkness, he naturally did not pay much attention to the circumstance. By this time the darkness ' made further search useless, and the i police returned to town 'and immedi- j ately communicated with Falmer- i ston North. It is understood that a J contingent of police from Palmer- | ston arrived in Pahiatua last evening with the object nf surrounding the bush, whiclr is not of a great depth, but' of a rather straggling nature. It is generally considered that capture should be fairly easy,' unless Powelka travels a long distance during the night. Constables Towbsend, Dunn and Anderson, of Mastertun, left by motor car last evening for Pahiatua.

;: { LATER. ' . j Word was received early this morning that large numbers of police were arriving . from all parts, and that the bush :in which Powelka is i hiding is closely surrounded by a large body of police and settlers. j ~4t4s -understood that no attempts made to search the bush till dayjight, when tfie police authorities hope to capture, the fugitive. < THE PALMERSTON FIRES. . A SIGNIFICANT CUE. By Telegraph-Press Association. PALMERSTON N., Last Night. ,»~A*v-interesting[discovery was^a.ce may throw some light on the estrurftiari of the High School bjl rtf, last 'luesday. " A local resident jst a bicycle from a house in thq icinity.of thepJigh School just prioi ip the fire, it being taken from in-f aide a gate of a residence. • Anotfceijj ]|ersori saw the bicycle lying on thej footway opposite the school, and ai man crossing the ground towards the school shortly before the fire was y, ']":'[ .. [ < On Wednesday night a horse was stolen from a Palmerston residence, and a bicycle left. in its place, this bicycle,proving to be the one stolenon the night of the fire. tPowelk'a lssajd. to have been seen ridingjover the Pahiatua Irac'^carly

I thin morning. Thg police motored I rui in strong' force to-night, well j armtd. I VARIOUS TALfiS, ALARMING AMU OTHERWISE.

Almst every ii dividual, says the "Manawatu Evening Standard," of yestarday' ii town has a different tale to tell of some dark deed atttributed to the missing fur-niturc-lrfter an ! midnight marauder, and if ten per cent, of the tales ar« | true Powelka must by this time have I another plant of "furniture and effects" as comprehensive as the one he made in Church street sometime back. Numerous local thefts have been reported, but it is absurd to put them all down to Joseph Poweka. For instance it was averred that u stranger was seen prowling about the property of a well-known Fitzherbert residence at about he same time that larders were explored in Broad street and the U.F.C.A. store broken open in the Square. We are being constantly called upon to confirm rumours that various business premises in Rangitikei street were entered on Tuesday or Wednesday nights. But these rumours are happily all unsupported by facts. It riiay be pointed out here that there is every probability that the meaner class of thief, oi whom Palmerston has always sheltered more than its share, owing to its central position, Will undoubedly take advantage of i thq prevailing tendency to blame j Powelka for everything, and b2come a little more active than ' usual. Some of the thefts on Tuesday night, tor instance, were undoubtedly committed by the sneak thief. However, there is ample evidence of : a more serious offender, who can without difficulty be suspected of identity with tbe missing spoonstealer. Early yesterday morning a cottage on Boundary road, occupied by Mr J. Bruqe, milk vender, was entered and £lE> or £l6 in cash was stolen therefrom. Then to-day comes news of a further characteristic crime, and one which might make the work of tbe police more difficult. Mr C. Turner, employed at Mr Dahl's factory, had a horse and saddle stolen last night, and no trace of either can be found to-day. A bicycle was left at Mr Turner's place when the hor3e was taken. Another rumour has it that Powelka was seen going over the Pahiatua track on a horse early this morning. The police authorities are fully alive to the seriousness of the position. There are how nine extra man here, a fresh contingent having arrived 'this morning from Wefington, so that the fears of residents on the "outskirts of the town should be considerably allayed. It is reported to-day that some : tags belonging to boots stocked by j Messrs Giorgi was found : irf a shed town)on the night of the frfp, but ■ whether this clue will lead to ', any- 1 thing Remains to be seen. * 1 v> % Ad uneasy feeling prevails injhe town, but people- are not alarmda to the extent stated by so/n&irra- | tional newspaper writers, and the police "may be relied upon to do theirutmost to effect a capture." A REWARD FOR INFORMATION. By Telegraph—Press Association. ! • WELLINGTON, April 7. I Minister for Justice states there are as many men from the police force engaged in the search I fpr Powelka as can be spared. Noth- , | ing is being lett undone to effect the I escapee's arrest. j j The Minister is considering the expediency of offering a reward for information that will - lead to ( Powelka's arrest: !