POWELKA ILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10024, 21 April 1910, Page 5

POWELKA ILL.

after the excitement. It 13 stated that Powelka, who is now in custody at the Wellington Gaol, is in a state of great dejection, and is also in very weak health after tne excitement of his recent escape. He eats and sleeps very little, and a warder remains by him day and night. OUTWITTING HIS PURSUERS. HOW POWELKA CROSSED A GUAKDED BRIDGE. Much curiosity has been expressed as to how Powelka travelled on Saturday between Tokomaru, where he said he was, and Ashhurst, says the "Manawatu Standard." We are now in a position to place the facts of that interesting little walk before our readers. Whilst in a communicative muod before leaving for Wellington Powelka said it was quits right that he was at Tokomaru on Saturday. He wa'ked from there along the main road to the Fitzherbert bridge, which he found in possession of a couple of men. It was dark at the time, consequently he experienced no difficulty in crawling along the water pipes (carried on the stringers outside the deck of the bridge) past the men on guard. Once the bridge was safely negotiated the rest was plain sailing. He walked up Fitzberbert street to College street corner, and then to the little store in Ferguson street, vyhere he purchased his cream crackers and cheese. He walked along the main ruad as far as Stoney Creek, and then forsook it for the paddocks, to which he stuck till his safe arrival at Ashhurst. The subsequent happenings are of, course, well-known. The route selected by Powelka during his long walk is fully characteristic of the daring displayed by him all through the piece and to which a lot of his success must be attributed.