ARREST ON THE MAIL STEAMER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 304, 24 December 1898, Page 5

ARREST ON THE MAIL STEAMER.

A day or two ago Police Commissioner Tunbridge received a cable from the Sydney police authorities requesting' him to have the mail steamer Muriposa watched for a man, named Frank .Butler, managing' director of the Carring-ton Coal Co-operative Shipping' Company, Newcastle. A warrant was issued for the arrest of P.utlor on a- eh a rye of fraudulently appropriating- Mi 1.75 on -Jecember 30, and it: was considered that he had left for New Zealand. Acting1 Detectives Kennedy and Boddam, of Dunedin, were sent ont in the pilot boat, and boarded the steamer in the Rangitoto Channel. Inquiries were made, and it was found that a man answering to the description of Butler was travelling steerage to San Francisco under the name of William Hudson, and that a woman with whom he seemed to be on friendly relations was travelling1 under-the name of Mrs Rogers, with three child-

ren. The woman and her children answered to the description of Butler's wife and family. Hudson denied his identity with Frank Butler, and stated thai, he knew nothing- about him. Detective Boddam noticed that his buttons were stamped Lasker, Newcastle, and asked whether lie had lived in Newcastle; but received the reply that he had only been in yewcastle once, and that some time ago. AYhen the mail steamer was berthed at the wharf Chief Detective Grace and Detective llancleni went aboard, and, believing1 that they had got their man, sent, him to the police, station on the charge mentioned, in the warrant. Little money was found on him, but there was a ticket of the Carring'ton Coal Co-operative Shipping Company. The woman known as Mrs Rogers denied having any relationship to the accused. He was a friend, acting as chaperon. Her luggage was examined by Detectives Maddern and Boddam, who found a cash-box containing1 about £90 in gold and a similar amount in silver, together with about 200 American dollars, a total of about £210 The money found in the woman's luggage has been retained by the police, but she proceeds to San Francisco.

The accused was brought up at the Police Court, and on the application of the police was remanded for eight, days, in order that evidence from Sydney might be procured.