AN ESCAPED PRISONER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 258, 6 November 1897, Page 2

AN ESCAPED PRISONER.

EXCITING CHASE AND CAPTURE.

SHOTS FIRED.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

LYTTELTON, Friday.

The escaped prisoner, Allandale, was recaptured about five o'clock this morning on the bills at the back of the town. A picket of Permanent Artillery had been stationed round the town all night, and Avas being withdrawn at five a.m. when Actmg-Bombardier Carthy, who Avas in charge, and Acting-Bombardier Moir, saw a man carrying a bag through the Roman Catholic Cemetery towards the top of the hill. They immediately followed. The man took a small axe from the bag, which he left behind, and pressed on. Getting to the bag the pursuers searched it, and found it full of suits of clothes. They then followed the man, calling on him to stop or they would fire. The man said, "Fire away, old man." Moir, at 40 yards, dropped a shot close to his heels, but the man took no notice. Soon after Carthy put a couple of shots near him, but still he took no notice. The man passed over the top of the hill, and was lost sight of for a quarter of an hour. A careful search found him concealed behind a rock. When he found he Avas discovered the man put his back against the rock, and held the axe in a threatening attitude, at the same time telling his pursuers to shoot. They covered him Avith their revolvers, and Gunners Hamilton, McGregor and Meikle, of the Permanent Artillery, came up. Allandale refused to surrender, saying they were either to shoot him or he Avould kill them with the axe. Subsequently two warders, Murray and O'Grady, appeared, when Allandale threw down the axe and surrendered. He admitted he had broken into a house on Wednesday night, and had been scared away. He had also broken into the shop of Mr Palmer, a tailor, on Thursday night, and stole the clothes he had in the bag. The tomahawk was identified as belonging to the prison works. An inquiry into the escape "will be held on Saturday. Allandale comes before the Court on Monday.