WAS IT POWBLKA?

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 99, 23 October 1913, Page 2

WAS IT POWBLKA?

QUEENSLAND SQUATTER'S STRANGE STORY A remarkable story concerning Joseph Powelka, the notorious New Zealand priminal, who. escaped from the Dominion several months ago after Tieing hunted-, by the police, is told by the Australian correspondent (vouched for as a reliable authority) of the Manawatu Daily Times. Tho writer related thut while on a recent visit to the King'u Theatre in Melbourne, lie sat next to' 9 young Queensland squatter, who told him that ho had employed Powolka on his station in Cou*t*al Queensland. '-I found him to be a liard-working, sober young follow, with the hwirt of a lion and the strength of fan elephants. You can believe m« or bclicvu me ?\ot, bjt the fact remains that it was Joo Powelka and none other." Such was the astounding statement made by the informant, who then wont on to give thoj newspaper correspondent further details of his association Avith the outlaw. He said that Powelka, who was known to him as Arthur Hermann, strolled into tho Federal Hotel at Bundaberg one morning in June, 1912, and enquired if thero was any prospect of obtaining employment on a " way-back " station. " I was then returning from Brisbane," continued the narrator, " and as he seemed a likely-looking lad, as wiry ac nails, I engaged him as station hand, and we commenced our four-days' ride to the homestead. Now, Hermann was a good companion, although he often gave way to sulky^ thoughtful fits, which lasted at times for hours. Then he would brighten up and give vent tc a rollicking song and chorus. On the ' i station he was a splendid worker, and toiled from before noon till late at night. His great strength, considering his comparatively slight build, was a subject of much discussion with the other hands, but it cannot be said that he was a favourite— he was too moody and morose, and at times displayed a nasty temper. One day ih his hut I heard him singing peculiar song, and I listened attentively. The language was quite unknown. to me, and I was puzzled. Tho man rarely spoke 'of "himself, and was a mystery to, us all. However, ono morning he sang,', or hummed, tho oong again, and one of tho hands said sneeringly, 'I didn't know you were a Pig Islander, Hermann!' At, this the latter flew into a fearful rage, and but for timely interference a fight would have taken place. Hermann m his rage shouted, 'Go on ! Get the police in and have me arrested. They'll know mo, if you don't ! '" , -The informant then went on to relate how, ho had selected Hermann and a young Queenslander to take a mob of cattle to the western feeding, grounds, and later the, Queenslander returned alone and told him .that Hermann had gone off with a team hound for Darwin, after admitting to him in a moment of confidence that he was Powelka, the New Zealand criminal, and giving him an account of his doings in Palmerston North.* The driver, in addition, said that Hermann had " laughed triumphantly " when relating how he had duped the police, and had expressed his intention of goiilg to Port Darwin and from there to Malay or India. " I could get no information from' my/ companion regarding Powelka 's means of escape from New Zealand," proceeds the correspondent, "but I gathered from him that ho had stowed »way on a tramp bound for Newcastle (N.S.W.), where he went ashore and obtained n berth with a drover bound for Queensland with a mob of sheep. He severed his connection with the drover at Brisbane and wont to Bundaberg, which is tho centre of the sugar cane industry. ..."