CAPTURE OF BLOOMEFIELD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 826, 12 February 1867, Page 3

CAPTURE OF BLOOMEFIELD.

ANOTHER ESCAPFD PRISONER.

[From the N. Z. Herald.]

At about" half-past seven or eight o'clock on Tuesday evening, Mr. Scott who lives near All Saints' Church, Ponsonby Road, on returning to his house from which he had been' absent about an hour and a half, had his attention attracted to his dog' who was barking down among some pumpkins growing on his premises. On to the spot he discovered a man hiding in the ti-tree scrub. The man was dressed in a pair of prison trousers, and a ragged flannel shirt. On being warned to go off his premises by Mr. Scott, he refused with a disgusting oath, and putting his hand into his, pocket i threatened with another oath that he would rip his (Mr. Scott's) guts up. , Mr. Scott gave the man a kick into the gully, , and called to- Mr. Bennett a neighbour to come to his assistance with his dog. //Messrs. Scott and Bennett then , searched . about among the flax in the swamp and ,\:-found^ilid^prig(iin'e>-'.6rou.ching down up to £ cj liiM^aist in ihe wafer. '.They asked him to . :' v^ome^ou^anCL he said "J am only a poor u;. •f;^r i e!]fcch|^bj:6jce: out of; thY Stockade, and % '"^B^pt^^m lodging." They told rd'^i^^^^^o^^^^vft^rxpt, the place to i; iiie^K :atnig^hrs|;i[odgißg ou^ people's premises. g^^^l^ilf^ter-cße'fiiit;'.' ' They lo^^^o^oti^^')kimfig the -premises,

when he said, "I would rather be shot than go back to such a place." He then became very violent and caught Mr. Bennett by the waistcoat and shirt sleeve, and had it not been that, the clothes gave way both would have rolled down into the gully in the struggle. Mr. Scott then, with great presence of mind, broke off a piece of titree growing near and struck Bloomfield on the head, causing the blood to flow instantly down his face. After this the runaway became somewhat calmer, and said he would go quietly. Messrs. Scott and Bennett then brought him safely to the Police Station without any assistance from the police, and handed him over to the sergeant who immediately identified him as the escaped prisoner Bloomfield. This morning Messrs. Scott and Bennett made a search among the scrub and ti-tree on the spot where he was first seen, and discovered a gold watch, chain, and keys, which have since been identified by Mr. J. Williamson as being his property, and the same that was stolen from his premises on Monday night last. After further search they also found the prisoner's cap on the spot where the struggle took place. A common tweed cap with flaps. Mr. Bennett was working on his own premises, and adjoining Mr. Scott's property, -when he was called to the assistance of Mr. Bennett. We cannot give too much praise for the energy and determination displayed by both Mr. Scott ,and Mr* Bennett in their capture of this , brimiriar.. "Btitrorthem we should have heard most probably of further rob-; beries by Bloomfield and perhaps even greater crimes before his capture wbuld have been effected. We believe that a reward of £20 is always offered for the capture of an absconder from the stockade, and we trust that the money will in this case be paid to those who have earned not only that but the thanks of the community likewise.