THE HUNT CONTINUED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10016, 12 April 1910, Page 5

THE HUNT CONTINUED.

Rumours were circulated that Powelka had been seen in town, writes the special correspondent of ! the "Post," but these were uncon- | firmed for the time being. However, their truth was destined to be demonstrated in a tragic fashion. Within an hour of midnight, Sergeant Maguire, who but a day or two ago had arrived from Wellington, to take up the position of sergeant-in-charge of the local station, had been' shot down by the no* desperate fugitive.

The, scene of this tragedy was within two blocks of the Square—at No. 1, Ferguson street, the residence of Mr Hampton, local manager of the Banks Butchery Company. Powelka, it seems, once worked ln> Banks' shop, and wa3 aware that it was. the manager's custom to take Saturday's cash receipts home with fiim. At any rate, when going home late on Saturday night, Hampton tound a cord stretched across the path leading from his gate to the house, which is surrounded by trees. The cord was evidently intended to | trip him. Suspecting some' ulterior design, he informed the police, and was un usually vigilant during the night. This may or may not have had any connection with the incidents of .Sunday night. h . At any rate, Hampton remained watchful throughout Sunday, and soon as it was dark went out into.the garden to the house. Before long he saw a man who ia tn be Powelka, dressed jn an overcoat and wearing a cap, come into the grounds. Hampton • immediately went away to inform the authorities, leaving by way of the fence.

SERGEANT MAGUIRE ENTERS UNARMED.A small party of police, including Sergeant Maguire, Detective Sid* dells, W. Quartermain (finger-print expert), and Constable Duon, of Masterton, was speedily on the scene. Maguire posted some of the party round the grounds, and with Quartermain and Hampton entered the garden. The sergeant was unarmed, and Constable Dunn offered to take his place. Maguire, however, ordered Dunn to stand outside and remain at his post.

A SCUFFLE AND SHOTS; Maguire went round one side of the house, Hampton and Quartermain the other. The former had not gone far before the others heard a scuffle and two shots rang out. The other men rushed t> the spot where Maguire lay groaning. Quartermain fired twice «t the retreating figure of a man, out before the constables could seizi him he had vanished into the darkness—no one knew whither. This occurred at 8 o'clock. The sergeant was conveyed to the hospi • tal after a doctor had been summ ;necl.

THE SEARCH CONTINUED. Reinforcements hurried to the scene, and a cordon was thrown round the whole block, it being believed that Powelka was in hiding somewhere amongst the house?, most ot which are surrounded by gardens and trees. Heav? rain fell subsequently, but all through the night the police and citizens kept a ceaseless vigil, challenging passers-by, and investigating every suspicious movement. At daybreak a ch e6jl search was made of the whold bbek. As soon as it was light enough to see, tht Ferguson street Block was searched, but the quarry had flown. Evidently In Mad left the scsne immediately after Sergeant Maguire had been shot. Some time probably three-quarters of an hour--lapsed | between the tragedy and the posting |of sentinels, so that the perpetrator j had an ample interval in which to [escape.

TWO FIRES CONNECTED. A connecting link between the High School fire of Tuesday night and the outbreak at Millar and Giorgi's premises was discovered yesterday, when the latter found in the shop a belt of peculiar pattern, similar to those worn by the High School Cadets, but which the firm do not stock. Naturally, last night's hapoenings have caused a great sensation, in the town, ard are the sole topic of conversation. Some women on the outskirts of the town have come into town to live, and numbers of citizens have purchased arms. STATEMENT FY HAMPTON. Hampton states that on Sunday he found traces in his orchard uf a man having alep': under a tree on Saturday night. There were marks on the

A PAHIATITA RESIDENT SHOT DEAD SERGEANT MAGUIRE IN A MOST CRITICAL CONDITION.

crass, of half-eaten apples, and a club newly cut from a tree. He determined to await the man's return, and accordingly went into the garden after nightfall. He saw an intruder climb a fence on the opposite side of the road, and enter by the gate. Immediately Hampton went post-haste for the police. On his return Sergeant Maguire went round the first corner of the house, encountered a man standing at the doorway, and at once closed with him. Hampton and Quartermain carne running over, and the shooting Tollowed. ' |

SERGEANT MAGUIRE'S CONDITION.

Sergeant Maguire is desperately wounded. He was operated on at the hospital last night. The ballet had penetrated the stomach and bowels, and his conditi m is critical. ?A NOTE FROM POWELKA. ■ "TO THE MANHUNTERS OF ASHHURST." On Sunday morning a resident of Ashhurst found a note from Powelka in a milk can that had been left at his gate. The note had been written on a scrap of paper with a blunt pencil or a piece of lead. It was addressed:—"To the Manhtinters of Ashhurst." He complained of being accused of many things he did not do, and denied having set fire to a two-storey house in Palmerston. He said he was in hiding within two feet of his brother-in-law, P. Hanion, when the latter remarked to a constable that had'shot at his wife twice., Powelka denied having done this.

The Gvernment decided yesterday to increase the reward from £SO to £IOO to anyone who will give the police information that will lwad to the arrest of Powelka. SEEN AGAIN AT HOKOWHITU. By Telegraph—Press Association. PALMERSTON N. April 11. Tte polica assisted by several civilians are continuing the search for Powelka to-day, but so far without success. The whole of the outskirts of the town have been patrolled and paddocks and lagoons beaten, but the fugitive has disappeared most completely.

Inspector Wilson took charge of operations to-day, and Inspector Ellison arrives this afternoon to assist. This atternoon the party at present out searching will be augmented hy a force of territorials under the local officers, and it 13 also quite probable the residents will form a vigilance committee.

Several public institutions are being watched at niiihr, including the grandstand at Awapuni. The latest bulletin regarding Sergeant Maguire is that he is in a most critical condition.

The latest report is that Powelka has just been seen in the grounds attached to the Governor's late residence at Hokowbitu, and a posse of police, together with armed civilians, had left for the scene.

POWELKA STILL UNCAPTURED. ANOTHER TRAGEDY. MAN SHOT DEAD IN MISTAKE FOR POWELKA. TWO ME REPORTED TO HAVE PKSN ''STUCK OP." DEFINITE INFORMATION DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN. By Telegraph—Press Association. PALMERSTON N., April li. Powelka is still uncaptured, though he is said to have been seen in various places, to which motor cars with detachments of police and civilians on motor bikes and bicycles and horsemen have rushed, but each search failed. Two men are said to have been stuck up, but it is almost impossible to get definite information from the police. To night Michael Quirke, brother of Detective Quirke, was shot dead by a fellow searcher in Ruahine street. The shooter is understood to be a man named Overton, a hotelkeeper, who took Quirke for Powelka. THE FUGITIVE IN PALMERSTON LAST NiGHT. STICKS UP VARIOUS PEOPLE. tiy Telegraph—Press Association. PALMERSTON N., April 11. The town continues in an exhausting condition of unredt. The public volunteer in all directions to assist in the searches, and motors convey the country police from point to pcint. About 6 50 p.m., Alfred Richards, of Stoney Creek, a farmer, was driving along East street, at the eastern side of the Borough, towards Fergu-

son street, the scene of last night's searches, when a roan with a revolvervin each hand sprang into his cart and demanded food. He rum rh aged about among the goods in the cart, and finally seized the driver by the throat, while with one revolver of the two he had, be impressed upon Richards that he must not reveal the ; incident. The man failed to find food. Richards, who had frequently had dealings with Powelka at the abattoirs, and butchers' shops, is positive that his assailant was Powelka. who appeared terrified and as if his mind was unhinged. He presently jumped down from the cart ai a dark part of the road and Richards drove on till he gu out of sight, and among lights, when he gave the alarm.