ESCAPEE RECAPTURED

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 December 1945, Page 3

ESCAPEE RECAPTURED

MENTAL, PATIENTS JOURNEY. WELLINGTON, December 8. 'Colin Davis Jarvis, aged 20, the last of the four patients who escaped from the Auckland Mental Hospital recently, was apprehended near Fahiatua, yesterday afternoon. He was taken to Palmerston North Police Station, where he spent the night, and will be sent to Pdrirua Mental Hospital to-day. Jarvis was captured by Constable L. Skinner, of Woodville, acting on the information of a young farmer, Owen Rivers, who recognised the fugitive from a newspaper photograph. Rivers was driving along Masterton road when a young man hailed him for a lift. Because he had only a short distance to go Rivers did not stop, but he recognised the man as Jarvis. As soon as possible he telephoned Constable Skinner, who immediately went down the road in a car. There was not a sign of Jarvis, so the constable, having picked up Rivers, continued along the road to within a mile of Pahiatua. There they sighted Jarvis, who stopped them and asked for a ride, having been taken that far in another car, which had picked him up. The constable and Rivers took the unsuspecting escapee on to Pahiatua Police Station. Questioned at the station, Jarvis denied his identity, saying his name was Gardner, and that ho lived at Palmerston North, being on his way to Pahiatua to get a job. He said he had been sick and was living on social security. Inquiries made disclosed that the Palmerston North address given was non-existent. When told this Jarvis admitted his identity. Jarvis had had a strenuous time. He told the police he had been getting meals at houses on the way down from Auckland and sleeping in the open. He had got car rides practically all the way of his journey. When captured Jarvis was wearing ordinary civilian clothes. He escaped in institution clothing and a blue pullover.