A HAWKE'S BAY OUTLAW.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4285, 24 April 1879, Page 2

A HAWKE'S BAY OUTLAW.

[Press Special Wire.l Napieb, April 23. A clever capture was made by the police laet Monday night in the Pakurangata ranges. For come tune past there has been a ohaae after a man named Roderick Hugh McLennan, who passed himself off in Napier as a men of wealth from Canterbury, about to purchase Lawrence's Home wood station. He got into debt in all directions, paying with valueless cheques, upon which, nowevar, no criminal proceeding could be taken, because he intimated at the time of giving them that funds were yet to be provided for them by money that was coming from Canterbury. He put up at the Masonic Hotel, and there hie wife died, and a considerable portion of his debts was in connection with her funeral, which was on expensive affair, the tombstone costing ninety pounds. At last MoLennan got himself within the criminal Jurisdiction. He gave a valueless cheque without reservation in payment for a bottle of whisky. The cheque was for 30s, and he got the change. The matter was put into the bunds of the police, a warrant issued, and his arrest was considered certain. But he continued to elude the constable by moving from the place. The use of the telegraph, however, fixed a cordon round htm, and the police were enabled to conjecture his whereabouts, For some days past Inspector Scully and Constable Baympnd were searching the Palrarangata ranges apparently assisted by a man named McDonald, who lived in the vicinity. It was however ascertained in Napier that McDonald was only pretending to assist the police, and that he was really aiding McLennan to keep in biding. Tins was telegraphed to Inspector Scully, who thereupon took measures, for watching McDonald. On Monday night McDonald's boy went to MftLennao with & supply of food, and at the place of meeting Inspector Sonlly and the constable were crouched down under a bank. As very little more than their heads were visible, McLennan mistook them for two more little boys, and making some remark to that effect, he went up to them and they pounced upon him. Hβ,, had a revolver concealed in hi» : coat sleeve, and , he quickly took it down and presented it at the police, but it mJe.ed ore. Inspector Scully throw MoLennan's

«rm ttp : revolver round to hinwdf. : Wewr, seued by Cobble W"5 *{ handcuffed, and conveyed to Constable Mayne. hadllTo w£ l » former to endeavour to «pK 1I»nS ' and caote on the scene imfc M f L ■ effected. Maynes had pawed W*s*»J i McDonald'! van eld iaKt ««5 5 and, as he said he had a letter fo» v r , *"'*' he was directed to find him It •, "**«& • that had he been a little ewC ihave been «hot by MoLennsn, who.* 9 N ■ without casualty wm, no doubt, i£fo being taken by surprise. This mow^ 1 * was brought, up at the Police ftlS* *» - remanded till next Wedne»day *>t that a warrant is out egaimt him in burr for forgery, besides which it probable tha* a more eerioui tW ..* brought against him in connection wife's death. The police eonteajpln* jT )> the body examined and an inoud* McLennan is a quiet, mild he states that he wa» fully deteranW be taken alive. . *«W»*B^,, A letter was intercepted, frota U,t nan to a person in Napier, whiehthow enough the desperate nature of hii ■ In the letter he gives instruction! astoft* , S posal of hii fffeots and tboia belonei ß (t Tf '■ deoeaeed wife, and then he lays— '<£ j **{■-" hunted by the police innocently, I j f ** b mined to escape or die. I have been f*Zr"' and will remain to until I die. k* trie* to catch mc will have a hari (?*• Should I be killed, pleate get mc * the dust of my beloved wife, who i/vj* : • now and eecapod all these difficulties > -■ i experiencing them, And the sooner T fl* 3 "'-''' her the better. It I km ono of lh t 3*£ they will have some reason to hunt aw „•' ! than a few pounds of money. If I t \Js** ]L killed you need not say to the people uTr ' but what I died a natural death." ;