A WAIRARAPA OUTLAW HUNT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1650, 2 April 1884, Page 2

A WAIRARAPA OUTLAW HUNT.

(By Nocturne,)

Beino within a hundred miles of. the city of Masterton, and knowing that the police were about to make a midnight sortie to attempt to capture a notorious ex-schoolmaster, I, like an

old charger, sniffing .battle afar off, resolved to join in the chase unobserved. The plan of action arranged, was for the dusky damsels concerned to act as decoy duck) allure the victim from his retreat (which was known to be in the neighborhood), and when this was done the police were to pounce upon him, and then the district was to resound with 'another clever cupture. The first part of the programme was carried out to the letter, the outlaw was drawn from seclusion to the bosom of his family, and while he was being entertained, in blissful ignorance of bis' doom, two young .Native gentleman went and apprised the myrmidon of the law of the success of the manoeuvre, while another native sat on a fence and kept continually striking heifers to keep "Taipo" off, but ostensibly, as a given signal.; Now it so happened that in this case, as in many others, woman's tongue proved capable of upsetting even the most carefully arranged plan. It appears that the outlaw had occasion to leave the room for a short time and on' returning heard two persons . (Native ladies) in • conversation. Being acquainted with the lingo,' and 'hearing himself spoken of, curiosity got' the whip band- ot his better nature, and he listened. It,' was then !' that 'the stupendous 'nature of the plot," and his danger dawned upon him; to get out of the house was the work of a few moments. This difficulty he safely accomplished just as' the officers of the law' arrived. Now, anyone with less perception than an ex-schoolmaster would have placed as much distance as possible between himself and the police, but not so with him: he felt that the closer be was to them, the more safely he lay, so he quietly, went into the middle of the paddock and watched ,the searching proceedings. As was expected the officers found nothing about the place but; disappointment, and turned their attention to the peaceful abode of a hard-working settler, and after turning biin out of his warm bed, and upsetting the equilibrium of his family circle by making a thorough "search through his premises, returned into town sadder and colder men, aud au they trudged dismally along, the head of the foorce muttered something about "getting that broth of a boy up from Wellington, to fossick the varmint out."