A NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL.

Evening Star, Issue 15032, 14 November 1912, Page 6

A NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL.

EXCITING CAPTURE IX MELBOURNE.

DISGUISED AS .A WOMAN

James Henry Townley, who escaped from latala labor prison, Adelaide, 12 months ago, was recaptured in the Big Store, Chapel street, Prahran. Detectives Tcgnini and Da.vey had a hard fight, with him. For half an hour Townley struggled violently to regain Ins liberty. Stock exposed for sale was overturned; the detectives and their capture bumped up against show c-ases. Finally lowmley was handcuffed and taken in a cab to the Russell street police station. Townley escaped from the gaol in Adelaide between the night of September 30 and October 1 last year. The police made a diligent search for hint. Trains leaving the city were boarded, and a. detective stationed himself- on the wharves at Port Adelaide, but - nothing was seen of Townley. He "ot out of Adelaide unobserved. The mystery s of how he- eluded the South Australian police remained unsolved until a, woman with whom it is alleged he had cohabited in this State until two months ago, made a statement to the police. When be was in gaol she wrote to him from Broken Hill, where she was living apart from her husband. He sent a letter to her after his escape, and in consequence she went to Adelaide. Attired in female costume he came across to Melbourne in the sams train with the woman, but not in the same carriage. They separated before Melbourne was reached, but met again in front of a coffee palace in the city. Where they lived subsequently is’not known to the police. The first information to the police concerning them came from Camberwell. A woman worked at an hotel in that suburb as a servant. She left, and a few days later the hotel safe was broken open with explosives, aud valuables and money stolen. Tliat was the first of the series of safebreaking in and around Melbourne. Some time later two fashionably-dressed young people took up- lodging in Hot ham street, East Melbourne. They said they were sisters, and the landlady believed tins was the truth until late one night she noticed one of them dressed in male attire stealing out of the gate. She informed the police, and inquiries were made, but one of the sisters, who was Townley, gave a satisfactory explanation. They left this locality, and on the next occasion word came of the man’s whereabouts. He was in Richmond. Detectives Smyth and Clngston visited his house at 3.30 o’clock one morning, but their “ bird ” was not home. They took possession of his revolver.

Towuley, always dressed as a woman, moved from suburb to suburb with a. rapidity which left the detectives unable to trace him. They were never certain that he was in Melbourne at, all, so well did he disguise himself. But that there was no foundation for their doubts was proved on Thursday. October 24. Detective Mitchell, of Adelaide, who is in Melbourne on holidays, caught sight cf him in Smith street, Cdlingwood. Townley, who was dressed in the latest fashion, had also seen the detective, and bolting round a comer quickly disappeared. Speaking of bis experiences, Townley said: “I ran away from Mitchell. I knew if we met it would be a case of - box on.’ ”

Detectives Tognini and Davey were walking through the “ Big Store ” when they noticed him with tins woman. She had couie to buy a present for her child in Adelaide. Townley, ever on the alert, saw the detectives, and slipped out of the shop into Wattle street. Tognini went after him, and, catching him by the arm, asked him his name. “Jones,” he replied; “what arc you up to r” Tognini said: “You are Townley. Come in here.” drawing him towards the inside of the shop. But Townley showed a determination not to be taken without a fight. He hit, out with his loft and rigid and kicked wildly. Davey, who had cba.scd after the woman and caught her, went to his comrade s assistance. The struggle continued. Customers and shop assistants crowded round. Townley placed his hand on his hip pocket, and, knowing the desperate character that he is, Tognini told him that if he dared to shoot they would settle him. The terrified woman ran back. Eventually the detectives succeeded in retaining a seat on Townley, and with the assistance of the shop employees they handcuffed him. He was put in a cab and taken to the Russell street police station, where he gave his ago as 24. On the way to the watollhouse he remarked that he would scoot again, as a prisoner could get out of (he Yatala labor prison “with a tinopener.”

Townley, who looked to be a quiet, inoffensive young man, was iff. the time of his escape serving a sentence of six years’ imprisonment on two charges of shopbreaking and larceny.

Later Detective Davey visited one of the most fashionable hotels in the city, and questioned Townley’; paramour. She made statements which left the detectives convinced that Townley has been partly responsible for many of the cases of safe-breaking in Melbourne and suburbs. The woman's ■bank oook shows that she made deposits of £25 and under after every big burglary where explosives were used which has been reported since June of this year. In one of her statements reference is made io a case of safe-breaking at Sandringham. She and Townley were occupying a furnished room in an l adjoining suburb when the post office at Sandringham was broken into. ’lwo men. who the police describe as convicted thieves, came to live at the house a few days prior to the night the place was entered. In the woman’s possession was a, quantity of jewellery, One article of jewellery was a brooch which Mr Howard, jeweller, of South Yarra, identified ar. one that he had repaired for a man a few days before his shop was entered by burglars and a large quantity of jewellery stolen from his safe, which nas blown oiron. -‘Argus.’