A DASH FOR LIBERTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1185, 21 July 1911, Page 4

A DASH FOR LIBERTY.

how Joseph ehrman was RECAPTURED. ißy Tclccmpta.-boccinl Corresocndent.l Auckland, July 20. The concluding chapter in the stury ol tlic. (lasli for liberty made by Joseph Ehrman, whilst being conveyed to Auckland from Wellington by Constable Kniart, is related by Detective Powell, who cll'cctod lhi> man's rc-arresf. It appears that the dotcelive was about foul minutes laic in arriving at 'IV Kuiti, anc as the I rain pulled up <ome distance I'roit the platform he had to race back to gel on the Auckland-bound express, lie thex went through Ihe carriages to find th« constable and prisoner, and ilie train was a mile or so out. of the station when he found the former, and learned that Elirmau had disappeared, The next stop was IV Awamutu, 26 miles distant, and. when that station was readied Iho detective at once borrowed a. jigger and (ho services of a railway man, and the pair got back to To Kuiti, Constable Smart returning by train later in .the morning. Immediate inquiries were sot on foot, but without result till mid-day, when tho matter of the hiring of the buggy was unearthed. Tho only information given was to the effect that a man of about 30 years of ago had been driven to Knwa, and his description did not tallv with that, ol Ehrman, because he had changed a felt hat for a large-sized green hat that gave him the appearance of a horso trainer. But the main consideration was to tollow up the trail before (ho darkness set in. The road to Kawa was covered by the detective and Constable. iMathcwson on horseback in about, threo hours, and from that settlement tho wheels ol the buggy were tracked to Mr. Budges house, which is situated in a secluded spot, about; half a mile from the main, read, and some six miles Iron) the railway line, access to the local, lty being rendered all the more difficult by a maze of side tracks. The police officers descended on the house, and !)ur*t into the kitchen, where the Budge family and Ehrman were having afternoon tea. Iho fugitive was not given any chances, and the detective promptly seized him, no resistance being offered. Ehrman was fairly dazed by the suddenness of the recapture, and appeared to turn pale, and when he spoke for tho first time, some ten minutes later, explained that he did not expect them. The Budge family were also completely surprised. It appeared that they were'neigh--hours of Ehrman at Takapui'ln some years ago, and in the courso of conversation nt lunch Jlr. Budge mentioned the circumstance of tho arrest of a Joseph Ehrman at Wellington, commenting on the similarity of names. "Well, it's not lno!" laughingly explained tho escapee. "Ho is a Wellington man, and vou must know him." The reply disarmed anv suspicion, and tho family were quite ignorant of the fact that they were sheltering a fugitivo from justice until the arrival ol the police officers, BEFORE THE COURT. lUy Tclograpb.-Prcsa Association.! Auckland, July 20, Joheph Ehrman was charged a't the) Police Court to-day with tho theft of goods valued at i!2O, and was remanded for a week. Speaking on the application for bail, Detective Mnrsack said (hero were other charges against the prisoner, who had also escaped from custody and was at liberty for a lime. He asked for substantial securities. The magistrate allowed bail in two securities of .£IOO each, accused to report daily to the police,