ESCAPED PRISONERS TRAPPED

Evening Star, Issue 19045, 14 September 1925, Page 3

ESCAPED PRISONERS TRAPPED

FOUND ON MOUNTAIN TOP READY TO FLEE BY SEA GOOD POLICE WORK Smart police work has secured the recapture of James Harold O’Brien and Ernest John Brasting who escaped from the Central Police Station, Auckland, on Wednesday last. These men and a third—Gustav Henry Hanson (who was recaptured the night ho got away)—had been sentenced on minor charges, and committed for trial on many charges of burglary, and they i cut their way out of the lock-up with a hack saw. [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, September 12. Since Brasting and O’Brien escaped from the City Police Station colls in company with Hansen, who was iccaptured shortly afterwards, a human net has been gradually closing m upon them. To-day they were tracked to their hiding place on the top ot a lull near j Pakuranga, known jis 1 igeon Mountain, and Constable Kennedy, ol Howick, handcuffed them, with the assistance of three civilians, soon alter 1 p.m. „ ~ When the escape of the three criminals was discovered, the telephone and telegraph wires began to operate. Every police officer for miles around was warned, and a special search plan was instituted. Chiof-dotcctiye Cummings took charge, and within a low hours his men had picked up the scent. Dcvonport, Taka puna, Onohunga, and Howick were the that weic sot down for special investigation, lint the detectives quickly ascertained that Brasting and O’Brien had made off in the direction of the last-named centre. Working with electric torches, a large body of detectives began to comb the beach and the rough, open country near Pakuranga. To keep the escaped men inland was the object ol too police, and, working on a system, they felt confident that they were getting liot. Their surmise proved correct, since Constable Kennedy reported that he was certain the two men wore in the vicinity. tinder Cummings, Detectives Robinson, Sullivan, O’Brien, Meiklcjohn, and Naider worked hard throughout the night. With the dawn there was no sign ot the, wanted men, but the police had found certain signs, unmistakable to the trained eye, that led thorn unerringly on towards Pigeon Mountain. The hill was and the net began to close in. ’1 hree civilians reported that they had scon smoko on the top of the mountain, and this confirmed the by the police. W r ith Constable Kennedy, the three civilians went up the hillside, nmkinpj for the point where the smoke had been seen to rise. At 1 p.m. Constable Kennedy saw the two prisoners, as yet unaware that their pursuer* wore so close. The pair were, quietly reading a newspaper, having taken cover in a depression near the top o! the hill. From this point they had a fine look-out over the surrounding country, but they were apparently lired of watching, and more interested_ in the trend of affairs hade in the _ city. When the constable and the civilians came upon them no resistance was offeiod, and the gyves wore snapped on without ado. , . The two men, who had been sitting together, were dressed in rowing jerseys, and were well supplied with blankets. Other evidence wont to show that they had thought themselves secure for a while on the top ol Pigeon Mountain, and they had evidently intended to camp there till the hue and cry had abated. Hansen was recaptured on the night of hi.s escape somewhere along the watei front. All three men arc now in' Mount Eden prison. PODGE iH TOUGH THROUGHOUT September 13. _ The doings of two men since their sensational escape compose an astonishing story of resourceful daring and frustrated plans. A desperate attempt to flee the country in a small row boat fitted with an auxiliary engine received aid and connivance from more than one friend and abettor, and was only defeated by the astute foresight and vigorous intervention ol detectives. Having made good their escape about 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday the prisoners’ | immediate aim seems to haao been to j lay hands on a boat and put to sea. ' Both men are accustomed to the water, Brasting especially being a good yachtsman ami resourceful in the handling ol any kind of boat. During the first two days of their liberty tho prisoners were known to bo in hiding at North Shore, as cunningly-placed police pickets intercepted messages that passed between them and their accomplices. The knowledge possessed by the detectives of their movements constituted, in fact, a remarkable feature of tho pursuit from the time it commenced until tho liual scene in the drama at Pigeon Mountain.

From the message that came into the possession of the police it became evident that a dasli mould he made from some point on North Shore between Dovonport and Birkenhead, the object being to call in at one of the bays or inlets in the neighborhood of Tama id River for the purpose of obtaining the food and provisions necessary for a sen, voyage. A close watch was sol. on Rangitoto Channel and Waiheke passage lest the fugitives .should elude the trap that was being prepared for them, and gain the safety of the open sea. The precautions proved unnecessary, however, _as the prisoners did not change their minds. Just when dusk approached on Friday evening the two men put off stealthily and slipped down the harbor under cover of the gathering darkness, ft was Itoped by the police that they would fall into the trap set for them, but they chose for a landing place a beach that had not been patrolled, and the pursuers waiting in another inlet were balked of their prey. On landing the first act of the prisoners was to break into a number of Buckland Beach cottages at present vacated for the winter. By this means they secured a leather trunk containing a quantity of clothing and blankets that would bo valuable on a prolonged sea voyage. The trunk was carried to the boat, and was recovered by the police when they took possession of the vessel later in the evening. One of the cottages in the neighborhood, whose „ occupants are in actual residence, is ‘the house of Mrs _ Laird, who is at present living there with her two children. The family was at supper about 9 p.m. when one of the children heard a noise, and called out that there was someone in the house. Mrs Laird jumped up, and was just in time to see the figure of a man dash out of the door. Very much perturbed, she made an investigation of every room, hut found nothing missing but a bag of chocolates. The search for food had failed.

By this time the alarm had been given, and the watchers were in hot pursuit. The fugitives made for Eigcon Mountain, winch is a tree-topped eminence commanding a magnificent view of the harbor and surrounding countryside. Though hotly pressed, they gained their objective, and were completely lost in the thick growth. As the night was far advanced, and it was expected that they would try to make a dash for the more open country, a cordon was placed round the hill, and a watch at Tamaki Bridge to

prevent their _ escape should _ they succeed in getting through the ring or watchers. It proved to be an all-night vigil, in which the rain and a cold wind added to the discomfort of watchers, who were also obliged to dispense with meals. Constable Kennedy, in particular, went without food for a day and a night. The fugitives were evidently ensconced in a hollow or dip at the very summit of the hill, and wore not seen all night. The lighs in the neighboring cottages and occasional glimpses of a pocket torch would acquaint them that they were surrounded, and deter them from making a sortie. Day broke, and the prisoners still lay low. It was expected that they would show themselves when their position seemed hopeless, bnh no sign was given of their intention to surrender. The morning was half gone when a whisp of smoke curled up from the summit, and as this was taken to he an indication of the fugitives’ intention to make themselves comfortable and hold out, the watchers decided to close in on the summit. The signal was given, and the watchers crept stealthily up _ the hillside, the cordon narrowing as it approached the summit. All the men were alert, and prepared to meet violence, but tney_ could have spared themselves any anxiety. Their men were taken completely by surprise. Constable Kennedy was the first to roach tho top, and on looking into the hollow he saw the two prisoners sitting dmvu engaged in reacting a copy ol Friday’s ‘ New Zealand Herald,’ containing an account of their escape from the cells. Both men submitted quietly to arrest. They were hungry and exhausted from exposure and lack ol sleep. The attire of the men when recaptured was different from that in. which they escaped. They -wore white woollen jerseys open at the neck and white yachting caps.