ARRESTED ON SUSPICION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7818, 10 June 1909, Page 2

ARRESTED ON SUSPICION.

For'some little time past a man named W. J. Murphy lias Seen wanted by the police, as they had good reason to suspect iliat he was directly implicated m burglaries and thefts <-at Ohristchurch, Halswell, Rakaia and elsewhere. On Monday morning Constable Clarkson, of Jtiakaia, followed a suspicious-looking character, whom he had reason to believe was Murphy. When within a mile of Dromore, on the Chertsey side, Constable Clarkson spoke to the man for the purpose or interrogation, but, no doubt anticipating arrest, the man dropped liis swag and managed to reach, a -fhickly-grown plantation, where he succeeded m eluding the constable,. who chased him for fully a mile. On subsequently searching the swag, Constable Clarkson found that it contained a miscellaneous collection of stolen property^ and he immediately acquainted the police at Ashburton Regarding his suspicions of the man. On Tuesday Constables J. O'Grady, J. .Donovan and Clarkson thoroughly searched the country surrounding Lauriston, Rakaia and 'Dromore, but without success. During Tuesday night a whare belonging to an old age pensioned named McNab was broken into at Ashburton, while on Wednesday a railway surfaceman's hut was also forcibly entered at Windermere, so that the Ashburton police had reason to suspect that the man whom they were m search of was travelling southwards. Yesterday Constable Donovan received instructions to visit Windermere and prosecute enquiries m that locality. • . - . ■ -• '■=■ . ■•■•■■ Tliis morning Constable O'Grady, who is m charge of. the local police station during the temporary absence of Sergeant Fouhy, received . telegraphic advice from Constable B qbot van that he had arrested a jn^n/sjipposed to be Murphy, at Rangitata, today, after a desperate struggle. The man, who was arrested by Constable Donovan at the rear of the Rangitata Hotel, at first denied his, identity, bitf S.ilbsequently admitted that his name was W. J, Murphy, and that he had been wanted. b.y the police since May 3rd., When, arrested Murphy had! on seyera.l articles of clothing. which j were identified by Mr Home, Winder-' mere, aa his property. Murphy n»-''j p several attempts to escape, , ;* effecting Ins arrest Constate Donovan had to requisition the serv^ftSe Jilt? IJ, :, ■ . - . ■ ■ „ ward express this afternoon.