MAN HUNTS

Evening Star, Issue 21518, 16 September 1933, Page 3

MAN HUNTS

THE MALAITA MURDERERS This is the fourth of a series of sensational true police stories secured by the * Evening Star ’ that have not before reached the public. The series is from the pen of Philip J, Clancy, traveller and journalist, who was formerly connected with the Expropriation Board controlling the mandated territories of New Guinea and Solomon Islands. The two stories succeeding this will be published in the Saturday night issues. They are ' Capture of Coffey, the Motor Bandit,’ and ‘ The Blood Maniac of Shanghai.’ Now and again the cables of the world flash with the story of some sensational man-hnnt. Such are the instincts of us all that we follow through the. daily Press the absorbing details of the chase. It may be some wretched convict fleeing from Devil’s Island or Dartmoor; some desperate American gunman; a dangerous murderer defying the law. We watch and thrill at the thought of the hunt—for the manhunt is the most absorbing sport of all. But there have been man-hunts about which the outside world has never heard. 1 propose to tell of some of these, and to deal first with what I consider to be the greatest chase of modern years. The hunters were naval men, police, and volunteers; the hunted, a ferocious and desperate p ac iU c The island of Malaita, across which the hunt took place, is the largest in the British Solomons, and not much smaller than the great island of New Britain.’ It is a mass of jungle, littered across enormous hills, and the temperature is one generally considered as suitable only to the nether regions. N One morning a big harbour on the "north coast of the island saw the unusual spectacle of a great grey cruiser lying on the placid waters. There were no natives to witness the sight because they had all very wisely disappeared into the interior, following the atrocious murder of District. Officer James Bell and Cadet Lillies, of the Solomons Administrative Service. Within a few minutes every available man aboard was landed on the gleaming beach; a hut wherein was found the remains of the murdered officers was destroyed, and a short service said over the graves. Stores were then brought ashore, and we set off into the jungle. “ Cortes,” remarked a white-clad young officer to me, as we panted up the side of a great hill, “ had a nasty time on his way to Honduras. Personally, I am inclined to think that it ivas a picnic compared to this.” Removing my helmet, to wipe perspiration from my forehead, I agreed, That day we completed four miles, through country such as I had thought could not exist. The thickness of the jungle 1 can hardly describe. It was like a great green wall. Creepers entangled our feet; the Lewis gunners could not force their way through tho mass, and the guns were returned to the beach. That night wo had to clear a site for our camp, and it was almost midnight before the final sentries were posted and we lay down to sleep. Our food camo from tins, and onr sole consolation was to be found in the faet that water was plentiful. Even then,we were advised not to drink too much because of fears that tho absconding natives might have poisoned tiic streams. We had similarly to be careful. of poisoned thorns conveniently placed to catch bare knees. Our first sight of the murderers was vouchsafed a few days later,\ when ono of the police boys in the advance party with which I was marching gave a shout. We stared ahead and made out the form of a native shinning down a cocoanut palm. Somebody let go with a rifle, but the native disappeared before he could sight his weapon properly. Revolvers in hand, tho officer and I rushed forward as hard as the jungle would let us. Two spears sent us ducking for cover, at which we gave the order for the police to fire into the scrub. , , . , Tho rest of the party had arrived, when a low moan from the bush attracted us. Two of the police forced their way in and returned with a Cft warrior, whose eyes were suffused with pain. But although a bullet had shattered his shinbone and he had lost a good deal of blood he refused to part with a shred of his spirit. Weakly he snarled at us, showing his filed teeth. All the efforts of the officers could not get a word of information from him. We established, however, that he was a member of the murderous tribe, and accordingly sent him back with an escort. It was also learned that the majority of the tribe were by this time well inland, and that wc bad little chance of catching up with them. Our only chance was to keep hard on the trail, and eventually force the natives to realise the impossibility of continuing to elude the law. With this end in view we distributed presents lavishly amongst the other chiefs of the lulls and enjoined on them the, necessity of refusing shelter and food to the murclcrcrs. A fortnight’s march had so taxed the strength of the naval party, who were unused to the rough jungle going, that a conference was held at which it was decided that they should withdraw. Their despatch in the first place was severely criticised, and eventually it was proved that the cruiser was sent only because of the fear of a general uprising throughout the islands. Accordingly the naval men, most c. tho volunteers, and a number of porters returned to the beach, and a smaller party in charge of district officials continued the chase. Sporadic captures were made of exhausted natives from various tribes, who held them against our coming. However, there was a definite suspicion that the chiefs were sheltering the murderers and that few of the tribes would willingly hand o-er tho real offenders, who had assumed godlike proportions in their savage eyes. But the offenders were hard-pressed, and we knew that it was only a matter of time before they must surrender. Two months after the start of. the hunt word was received that a large number of the tribesmen, with their women and children, were willing to surrender. These people had nothing to do with the actual crime, as tney had merely looked helplessly on while the chiefs and certain trusted henchmen struck down the officers. This was agreed to, and late one afternoon the survivors were interviewed by the district officer in command. Most of the poor creatures were in an emaciated condition, and the children in particular bad suffered greatly. The weary people flocked- into the village, which was turned into a temporary prison, and statements were taken from most of them. Four days later a runner dashed into the village where the party was encamped with news that the wanted

chiefs were held by a hostile tribe some miles away. That evening the police tramped into the village, where sis tall, handsome warriors were handed over, bound. Their primitive bonds were replaced by steel handcuffs, and, guarded by native police, they were brought in to Tulagi, where in due course they expiated their crimes on the scaffold. The Pacific's greatest man hunt was at an end.