ESCAPE AND RECAPTURE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7822, 15 June 1909, Page 3

ESCAPE AND RECAPTURE.

The prisoner Murphy, who escaped from Constable Donovan and another officer by jumping off the express while it was running at full speed near Rol-| le'ston on Friday night, was captured on Monday evening near Darfleld by Detective Gibson. Murphy's past is., not, so far,', known to'the^policej and he first became identified as a criminal at Christchurch at "the" beginning of May last, when he stole, a. motor coat, the property of, *Htiwar"d-James; and: subsequently _ he ;was identified; as having broken into premises at Halswell about the same date. For these offences he was wanted, and 'he succeeded in evading the vigilance of the entire Christchurch police and detective force for about live weeks.. He next turned up at Rakaia, where 'he stole, an overcoat, the property of E. S. Leversodge, and a duck belonging •'to S. C. Oxley, together with £4 10s, the property of James McCoy. „ Constable Clarkson traced the man to Dromore, and got within speaking distance of him, but Murphy ran into a plantation, and succeeded in escaping. The next day (June Bth) a hut occupied by T. Home and J. Fahey was broken into at "Windermere, and I Constable Donovan was sent out to make investigations. .Although Constable Donovan met several persona on the road leading to Rangitata, only one: of these'had seen Murphy. With but the slightest clue to work upon, Constable Donovan traced his man to the < Rangitata Star- of the South Hotel, where, with assistance, he arrested him. on the morning of June 10th rafter a violent struggle. Murphy was brought to Ashburton, and -was charged before Mr V. G. Day, S..M.',' on June 11th, and remanded to appear at Ashburton on June 18th, and it was while being conveyed to Lyttelton in handcuffs that he escaped off the train. It is not known how Murphy got rid off the handcuffs, and, although he states that he smashed them by means of a large stone, the police suspect that jie filed them off, as a file was stolen from the premises of Mr Trickett, at Halkett,.on the line of Murphy's flight. .On the matter of Murphy's escape being reported to Inspector Gillies, all the, available constables and detectives, as well as Constable Donovan, were told off to search for the prisoner. On Saturday night it was discovered that Murphy had slept in a barn of Dysart Bros., at Kimberley, and that he had broken into the house during the absence of the occupants, and stolen a -quantity of food, together with 6s in cash. Mr Dysart advised the police, and it was he himself .that first discovered Murphy in hiding in a gorse fence. The man made another attempt to. escape, but in doing so he rushed • into the arms of DeiJectiye Gibson, and was"subsequently overpowered.. ' - It has since transpired that Murphy broke into the hut of McNab,- an old age pensioner at Ashburton', presumably on June Bth, and stole ,-therefrom an overcoat and vest. Constable O'Grady discovered these articles torn into pieces in a plantation at Windermere on Monday, and Mctffab, has since identified them. , Murphy, who is twenty-five years of age, about sft Gin in height, and thick set, is a mystery to the police, and he appears to be a very determined man. It is thought that his attempts to escape are due to his dread that the whole history of his previous crimes may be brought to light. Murphy will appear before Justices of the Peace at Ashburton on Friday next.