A CLEVER CAPTURE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3668, 17 April 1883, Page 4

A CLEVER CAPTURE.

"We take from the Nelson Colonist tlv: following inter--slnig particulars i-o-.:vir;liujr the pursYlit and c-iptmvf the y ,\uas man Frank llodu-.v.n. who w-i.s charged at the Poliee-ennT .'"at Nelson yesterday v/ifh the laiv-euv of -iii : ) siven -i.-j.-ii.-- : —'-.lt will be remembered that in October Iti.sfc ;m iiifol- ,- mation was laid against Frank Hodgson rlr.inring him v.-Itli stealing £300 from tlio National Ba:d: of New Zealand at Nelson, in .lime, ISSI. On tlw. , wariMTit being issued on the Jilstot October it was found that Hodgson had made himself scarce, and the efforts of tlio police to ascertain his whereabouts were i'<>r a considerable time unsuccessful. About twii months ago, from information revived, three constables were sent away at night-time, and they reached "Wangamoa before daylight on a Sunday morniii'.;-, and surrounded the house 111 ■which the accused wa.s supposed to lie. but they found their quarry had ilown, and from the broken nature of the country it was impossible to explore steep hillsides or timbered gullies with any chance of success. However,'sufficient was learnt to prove they very narrowly missed effecting a capture. Since then several attempts to arrest this unhappy young - man have been made, and we understand thiit Huveloek has on three occasions been made the bast; of operations witli a view to μ-reater secrecy. Last week, however, the fact that the services ,jf a Government, officer whoso knowledge of bush work fitted him most thoroughly for the work in hand weva available, <-nable<l ]Mr Inspector Alehesoii to lava wcll-devis<-d scheme for bringing tin- accused to justice. Having obtained tlio services of Mr Ward, who recently had the charge of TuWliili and Tohn, that gentleman was sworn in as v constable, and authority given him to charter a vessel and proceed b> the Croixclles or Pelorus Sound. A schooner -was accordingly chartered lor the ostensible purposu of prospecting for copper, and some gentlemen who are known to take a keen interest in mineral discoveries were spoken to with a view of li'iving 'colour to the story. Accordingly on Friday evening last the vessel sailed for the (Jroixelles, having on board Mr "Ward, armed with the warrant and supplied with a photograph for indentification, and Constable Ros'-uo for a companion. About J o'clock on Saturday morning- the vessel anchored in the Croixellcs, mid the two officers in disguise weur ashore. After hunting about and searching the bush for .signs, they reached the house of Mr frames. In conversing with Mrs Games Mr "\V;ird intimated that he was searching for copper, but whilst in the neighborhood ■was anxious to discover whether a. nephew of his wa.s in that locality, and that if he was he should like to see him, as they had in.it met for a considerable time. J 1 , . , thereupon showed Mrs Games the photograph, when she at once said that she recognised it us that of it young man who had some time previously called there .-eeking work, and she, added that she believed he was then at Mr Stewart's, in Fitzroy Hay, I'elorus. This was just what Mr "Ward wanted, and he and his companion, with a boatman, at once started for Fitzroy Bay. Some little time- before daybreak on Sunday morning they arrived at Mr Stewart's house, and whilst Constable Roseoe watched that no one left the building, Mr Ward sought admission. On Mrs Stewart, appearing, for her husband was absent from home, she was asked who was in the house, and, in reply, she stated that in addition to her two daughters there was a Mr Brown and a Mr Male staying there. At the revues! of Mr Ward Mr Brown was summoned, but he was not wanted. 3lr Bale was upstairs asleep, so Mrs Stewart said, and 1 hereupon Mr Ward went t<> his room and roused him. Mr Bale, on beinu- addressed as Hodgson, disclaimed all knowledge of tin; name, and said he did not know Nelson, but by the light of a match Mr Ward saw him sniKeienfly to believe that ho was the man, and arrested him as Frank Hodgson, he persis-thiu , that his name was Frederick Bale. ""Constable Roscoe then interviewed the man, and, addressing him in a confident manner as Hodgson, completed the business, for (he accused then admitted his identity. Hodgson -was then quietly taken across by water and overland to where the schooner lay, and the Croixelles was reached by 1 1 o'clock yesterday. The vessel immediately returned to port, and arrived here last evening- about 8 (/clock. The accused "walked up to the police station, and will be brought up at, the I'oliec ('ourl. to answer tin; charge, but, no doubt a remand will lie applied for. The arrest was very cleverly effected by Messrs Ward and Roscoe, who, in addition to bchm , on their legs for about thirty hours at a stretch, had to make their way, with the assistance of a boatman, to Fitzroy Bay in :i boat that leaked so badly that if was with diiliculty they kepi her from sink-ing,' .