HOW HE ESCAPED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1184, 20 July 1911, Page 5

HOW HE ESCAPED.

AND WAS RECAPTURED. SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE, JOSEPH EHUMAN A_N"D THE POLICE, (By TclcErnpU—Prcra Aeßocintion.l Auckland, July 19. Joseph Elirman, arrested at Wellington in conncclion with chargos of curgo stealing at tho Auckland wharf, and who, un-' dor escort, was being brought up to Auckland by tho Main Trunk express, escaped' from custody at To Kuiti after the train arrived at tho King Country township a few minutes past 2 o'clock this morning. Ho was recaptured to-night at Kawa about 20 miles from To Kuiti. Ekrman is a German Jew by birth, about 50 years of age, and was rather well known in commercial circles in Auckland as a clothier by occupation, but latterly he lias been associated with, an Island trading firm carrying on business in Fort Street. A numbo: of explanations are current as to how Ehrmau got away from custody, and it is variously reported that lie bolted while his captor was indulging in some refreshment at tho local refreshment room, and further that ho got away while: tho police officer was taking a reposeful nap. Neither of thtfe rumours appears' to be based on fact. From information obtained at To Kuiti it appears that quite a different thing happened. It seems to bo tho practice in the case f prisoners : regarded as first-class misdemeanants, or! I thoso who do not display violent tendon-! cies, that they are not handcuffed on a railway journey, and ccrtain liberties are, allowed that arc not extended to criminals of tho disorderly kind. So in this ju-. stance it hnppened that Elirman was not: subjected to the indignity of being held' in restraint by means of the handcuffs in the presenco of a carriagc-full of passengers, and ho was also permitted to in-! dulge in a blood-circnlating walk up and down some, of the platforms on tho jour-i noy. This course was repeated at 'IV Kuiti, where, it may bo mentioned in-; cidcntally, tho prisoner has some, relatives..; Elirman walked out on to tho platform as: ho had done at some of (he other stations, and was closely followed by Constable Smart. The officer, it seems, kept; his eye on his charge, and was right on his heel. In a twinkling, however, tho prisoner was lost to view behind a fait crowd of peoplo who were also patrolling* the platform, and without any disturbance whatever vanished almost completely. Tho constable was in a minute later joined by Delectivo Powell, who had previously'entered tho carriage expecting to, find the officer and his man, and both made an anxious, but . hurried, search, failing absolutely to get' on to the trail' of the escapee. Apparently ho got clear away by some quiet and adroit movement without attracting tho slightest attcu-' t'ion.

Tho Te luiiti officer, Constable Matthews, was at once apprised of tho sensational, bid lor liberty, and appearing on the scene a few minutes later a further' and more extensive search was'made, tho carriages of both trains being carefully examined and various spots in tho neiglu bourhood t'hat were likely to provide a hiding-place were visited. , Information was immediately dispatch, ed to Auckland and to all stations along tho line to koop a sharp look-out in the event that tho escapee had rejoined ono or other of the trains and hoped to gain his freedom by alighting at a station either north or south of To Ivuiti. The fact was then elicited, it is reported from an authentic source, that, Ehrmnn had been daring enough to call at a livery stable in the township, hire ft buggy, and drive away only a few minutes after he had eluded custody at: tho railway station. Securing this important' bit of information, tho police were ablo to get' down to work, and discovered the prisoner had driven in tho direction of Kawa, a small settlement some 23 miles north of Te Ivuiti, which has a' railway siding. Detectivo Powell and" Constable Matthews started out' from To Ivuiti about 1 o'clock this afternoon on horse-back, and getting on to tho trail of their quarry, overtook him somowhero in the sparsely-settled and wild bush: country in the neighbourhood. Ehrmaai will bo brought on to Auckland in the morning.