WAS IT GOMEZ?

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 171, 22 July 1930, Page 8

WAS IT GOMEZ?

MAN HUNT NEAR ZOO,

SEARCH FOR ESCAPEE.

DETECTIVES IN PURSUIT.

BUTCHER'S SHOP RAIDED,

'A man hunt was in progress this morning in the Herne Bay-Grey Lynn district, when a number of . detectives were hotly in. pursuit of a man answering to the description of Francis Gomez, the prisoner from Mount Eden gaol, who escaped from ward 26 of the Auckland* Hospital, where he was a patient, early on Sunday morning.

So far the police have not been able to trace the escapee, although it is believed that he was seen in the district at an early hour this morning.

Since July 4 Gomez has been an inmate of the hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for eye trouble. Taking some clothing belonging to another patient, he walked out of the hospital early on Sunday morning.

Gomez, whose photograph was published in the "Star" last night, is sft sin in height and at the time he left the hospital he had no teeth, having left his artificial set behind. He is thirty years of age and a motor driver by profession. He - was undergoing a sentence in Mount ."Eden prison of five years' imprisonment for breaking, entering and theft. It is thought that he was a visitor to the Zoo yesterday. Shortly after 2 o'clock a man answering his description paid for admission to the Zoological Park at Grey Lynn, where he spent some time. looking at the animals. Attendants at the Zoo said they saw a man who Tesembled Gomez idling about the Zoo for some time. They did not like the look of the man, who wore a blue overcoat, a'pair of grey trousers and no collar or tie. He was not shaved and bore a rather unkempt appearance. / Suspicious Actions. This man, by his peculiar actions aroused the suspicions of the men working it the Zoo, who added that at the time, they were unaware that an escaped prisoner was at large. They observed that the man was not anxious to show his face and tried to avoid them. He loitered about the Zoo untU closing time when they called out to him that it was time he left. After that they saw no more of hiim No> one observed him leave. Either he ciimbed oyer the fence or he stayed in the Zoo during last night. The police were notified and early this morning a posse of detectives left the city to search for the man answering the description of Gomez. Last night thg butchery of Caddy Brothers, not far from the Zoo, was broken into and several pounds of sausages ■ stolen. Entrance was easily effected by forcing the front door, which is made of wood and gauze. The office -was ransacked in search of money, and books and papers were left strewn about. There -was no money in the till. The intruder left by the back door after taking the key out of the lock. Man in Hedge. A further strange occurrence which lends support to the belief that Gomez was in the vicinity was reported to the police this morning. Mr. Trevor Donald, the driver of a milk -wagon, while travelling along West End Road, near Caddy Bros.' shop, at 5 o'clock this morning, came upon a man ■who crouched into a hedge as the lorry passed. The man turned his head away, and appeared as if he was not anxious to be recognised. The last Mr. Donald saw* 1 of the man what that he was making over the property of Mr. McNair. Later, about 9 o'clock this morning, Mr. J. Donald, father of Mr. Trevor Donald saw the same man not far from Mr. Donald's fellmongery, near Cox's Creek. He is positive that the man he saw greatly resembled the published photograph of Gomez. A number of constables and detectives are still searching for the escapee.