THE DESPERADO.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4972, 11 March 1895, Page 2

THE DESPERADO.

CAPTURED IN AN ORCHARD. THREE YOUNG MEN ARREST HIM. Very great interest has been taken during the past week in the doiuji n of ft man, alleged to be McKenfllf a an escaped convict from Wellington 0 Gaol. The manner in which he has s been hunted has excited considerable J comment, and the story of his chase, j, his wonderful run over tho Matabiwi hills, and his alleged depreda- ' s tions have caused much comment, „ and many are doubtless looking forward to the last chapter of Master, ton's latest sensation, It is as follows: a rather hollow ending—nothing 1 very tragic or dreadful—merely a worn-out broken down man, driven by hanger to again forego sweet f 1 liberty, without a single effort! Still ' the story might have been worse; J' for after the terriblo chase—the '' "man-hunt" of last week—many thought he would not be taken alive. At about half-past seven on Sun- | day evening. (1 TIIIIEE YOUNG MEN , s named William Baker (driver fot • Messrs Williams e antWeller (Assistant at the Mastera ton Hospital), and H, Adams (son of ■t Mr William Adams,of Jl t. Pleasant wore out walking when it was sjf g gested that a hunt be made for tile '• " desperado." No sooner said than done, and it was decided to ' make a search iu the neighbouri, hood of the Masterton Hospital, as 6 tho man had beeu seen in the Park <1 by some children on Saturday even. 0 ing. At Bakers'suggestion a search 'i' was made of Orewo's old sale yards and the offices, and then the party went over to Mr P. G. Mooro's org chard, separating to make a if thorough search, it being agreed " that tho first, one to " spot" anything, should whistle. "Weller and I were armed with sticks," said Mr Adams to our representative, ie this morning, "and Baker had a J brick in each hand; in about five minutes, as we cautiously crept about, we heard Baker's whistle, and running towards the sound, found THE DESPERADO is at bay, with a half-eaten apple in i- his hand. He appeared in a dreadle fully weak condition, thin ajd n haggard, without any hat on,fit mullled up in a big overcoat, ne ie also had on boots and stockings. 1- Baker said, "What is your name," i- the man replied, "Cameron." Baker ir turned to me (Adams), and asked if our prisoner was the man I had i- seen about before the satchol ;e robbery. I said ho was the man. * r, Wo next asked, where he got his d overcoat from, and ho replied," Prom ii tho Hailway Station." Baker said, " You're the man we're after. Wo ii must take you to tlicpolico station." y We then took him by the arms, and e tho poor fellow, who ivas only just 1, able to walk, came along with us, d without offering the slightest resistance. Ho appeared utterly r- broken down and spiritless. As ie we came along, the man became a littlo more cominunicativo, and said "Well, as you've got me. lmay as > well say my namo is m'kenzie, the man who escaped from Wellington Goal." In answer to , s questions ho said he had II food for some days and was tired of it, and thought he might as well bo (I locked up as starving in tho country, At the Waipoita Bridge we were met,by Constables May and Bishop. (1 They soon saw whom we had, and j. Constable May going np to him ( | said," You're a pretty fellow. You have caused a nice lot of trouble," AlcKenzie offering no reply. The two policemen then took bold of the man's arms kindly,using no violence y whatover. It is as well to mention j this, because some silly reports are 1 about that the polico handled tho man roughly. This is quite untrue, n A great crowd assembled at the n station, as when we reached Queen Street the churches were just out, tho I east trouble wnsexperienced 0 and after the unfortunate man had t been searched and attended to,water being supplied for him to wash, ho was put in a coll and we loft." CONSTABLE BIS'HOI', of TVellington, at once recognised tho prisoner as the escaped convict Mi' B Kenzie, and in his opinion the hh is really a rather dangerous charlgP ' j, tor. if he had not been in such a , brokon-down condition, he would ' certainly not havo been lakon in the manner he was, Since his capture, Mckenzie lias admitted to Sergeant McArdle that he was clean dona up aud could'nt hold out any longer. A supply of good food and a quiet < night's rest, lias already made a difference in the man's appearance, and to-day he is not nearly such apitifol looking specimen oftho human race as he was wheu brought to bay last night. The fact • that the man is again in safe ousj tody, will no doubt be welcome news , • to many peoplo, who have been almost afraid io move out after dark, since Mis Reynolds was robbed of f her hand-bag a week ago last Saturday.