THE LATEST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10017, 13 April 1910, Page 5

THE LATEST.

MATTERS VERY QUIET. MISERABLY WET AND COLD WEATHER. AMATEUIt SEARCHERS DRIVEN HOME. By Telegraph—Press Association. PALMESRTON N. t April 12. Matters are very quiet in town tonight, all the police being out in directions it is considered Powelka may have gone. It has been miserably wet and cold, and three or four days of it would almost certainly send the fugitive from his hiding to seek more food. It is regarded as correct that it was FoweJka who passed through Bunnythorpa about 3 o'clock this morning. He passed the police patrol unsuspected, but after he had passed they became suspicious and calledgupori him to stop. He took

no notice, but on their threatening to fire jumped for the schoolgrounds, and then, dropping the sack he was carrying (by the way in the sack were two pounds of meat, one cooked and the other raw), Powelka disappeared through the schoolgrounds, and was not again seen, despite a search mad« by the two constables, constituting the patrol,

but about half a mile away was Larsen'a farm, and it was, subse-

quently. found that he had made up for his lost meat by raiding their cupboard and had secured grilled chops, buttled fruits arid other provisions, including pickles, for which shown a great fondness in all his raids. The police wiil continue to search throughout this and other districts, but the wet and cold has driven amateur searchers and armed band 3 generally to their homes, so that the streets are singularly quiet in contrast to the stir of the last two nights. There is tremendous relief that the man has even temporarily left town.

STATEMENT BY SERGEANT MAGUIRE. SHOT BY A MAN WEARING A MASK. DETAILS OF THE AFFAIR AT HAMPTON'S. The "Manawatu Daily Times," referring to the suggestions in the Wellington papers, and current rumorus, that Sergeant Maguire was not shot by the suspect, but by one of the searchers in his> own party, states that it has had the opportunity, of fully investigating the facts and is satisfied that the man who shot Sergeant fljlaguire was a man whom the Sergeant found flattened up against the door on the front verandah of Hampton's house, to avoid observation. This man, Sergeant Maguire states, wore a mask. The sergeant closed with him directly, and the pair struggled out across the gravel path on to the lawn, where while still on the ground, the man shot the Sergeant, either deliberately or through his revolver going off in the excitement. Detective Quartermain and Hampton just then came on the scene, and Quartermam fired at the flash. Hampton believes that the man ran behind the house, and then back again, and out over the low hedge at the front and across Ferguson Street into the paddocks opposite, so was not in the block when the cordon was placed round the latter.

A local business man states that on Monday night he was stuck up by a local man with two revolvers, who apparently was not clear what he was doing. He counselled him to go home, but the police do not consider that this affects the statement of Richards, who identified the man who atuck up his cart as Powelka.£ ; THE LATE MR QUIRKE.* i STRUCK BY AN EXPANDING BULLET. The inquest upon Quirke is to take to take place to-morrow morning. It has been proved that he was shot through the forehead, not with -a shot-gun, but with an expanding bullet, which tore off the back of his head. . SERGEANT MAGUIIRE. SOME SLIGHT HOPE. Sergeant Maguire's condition permits or some slight hope being entertained for his recovery. POWELKA MAKING FOR KIMBOLTON. (Special Correspondent—By Telephone). PA&MERSTON N. f 2 a.m. The night is very rough and wild, and searching for the fugitive is practically impossible. So far as informatlon'is available from the police, Powelka is believed to be making for Kimbolton, or rather for the liilly country behind that place. | Should he succeed in what is his evident purpose capture will probably not be effected for a considerable time. The town here is very quiet, and the relief felt at Powelka's absence is unmistakable.