POLICE v. POWELKA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 82, 8 April 1910, Page 7

POLICE v. POWELKA.

THE ESCAPEE SEEN. REVOLVER SHOTS EXCHANGED. HUNTED MAN DASHES INTO THE ' BUSH. l»T TEtECfcAPH— SPECIAL TO TUE POST.] PALMERSTON >*„ Thi. Day. Yesterday for the first time since Powelka broke gaol the police received definite information ot the escapee* movements. It was reported to them that » man answering his description had been *een going oxer the track to Pahiatua acio.^s the ranges. He was riding a hore« that was recognised w, having being stolen from a local resident , together with a raddle and bridle, and at thi* resident's house ho had left » bicycle which in turn had been Etolen from a house in the vicinity of the High School. ihe police therefore searched in tl.c direction ot the track, and Mounted Constables M'ltcod and Kiug wtie despatched in pursuit. They caught sight of the fugitive near Matthew » bush, oadjacent to the l'ahiuiuu Kailway Station, and at once gave chafe, but after iaeffrctivo Revolver ehots had been exchanged between the hunted man and bit hunters, Powelka dafhed headlong >nto the bush. This was early in the evening, and the two constables after a brief consultation decided to wntcb th« buoh into which Powelka had disappeared, aiid meanwhile sent a messenger to Pahiatua Railway Station and rang up the police in Palmerbton. At nine o'clock last night a police poffc- including Detectives Quirke and Siddels left by motor for the ?cene, und a strong force was aho drawn from Wnirarapa centres with directions to convcrgo on the bush which it was pioposed to search at daylight. [BT TELCOB&PB — SPECIAL TO TUB POST.] PAHIATUA, This Day. The town wa* in ft state of fever when it was knowu that Powelka was seen in the district yesterday afternoon, silc was followed post liable, but hu horse being too fact he nianagt-d to c^-cape after about a mile of I'.srd go* ing, where he left \m liorne, which had lost a tboe, and took to the buah. A few shot* wero fired, without any result, and his horse wae brought into town. Immediately afterwards the local police, anisted wHh civilians, took up the running, armed to the teeth, and assisted by the police from Maeterton and Palmerston, who came by motor cars, ttu-y are now skirmishing the disi irict in the vicinity of Mangahao. Some 28 to 30 men are posted at j different parts of the district. bush searched in vain, farmers Anxious. [Or TELTOEAPH— PBEM ASSOCIATION.] PAHIATUA, This Day. A strong patrol of police watched all the % roads last night in search of Powelka, and concentrated at Makomako this morning. The burh iv \vliicli Powelka souuht hiding was searched at daybreak, but without the desired result. It was reported that the escapee was seen crossing the Mangahao River. Every road and bridge is bebig watched, and the force has been augmented. Farmers in the vicinity are extremely anxious. BICYCLE AND HORSE. PALMERSTON N., 7th April. An interesting discovery has been made, which may throw some light on the destruction of the High School in the big fire last Tuesday. A local resident lost his bicycle from his house in the Tidntty of the High School iu*t prior to the fire, it being taken from inside the gate of a resident. Another person saw a bicycle- lying on the footway opposite the school, and a m»n crossing the ground towards the school. Shortly before the fire was discovered on Wednesday night a horse was stolen from a Paltnerston resident, and a bicycle left in its place, this "bicycle provJ"K *° *>»_ the oue stolen on the night of tne tire. THE HORSE IDENTIFIED. PALMERSTON N.. This Day. The police are ttill away from town on the track of Powelka, and the only additional information this morning is a telephone message tliat the fugitive had got clear of the bash where he took shelter last night. The hor«e ridden by Powelka, which was recovered when he took to the scrub has been identified as one stolen from Palmerstop North on Tuesday night.