THE CHASE CONTINUED.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVII, Issue LVII, 11 April 1910, Page 5

THE CHASE CONTINUED.

REPORTED SEEN AT VARIOUS

PLACES.

PALMERSTON N., April 10. The chase for Powelka has continued with unabated vigor since Saturday, and has been full of incidents. After he was discovered by his mother-in-law in the house in which his wife has been living at Aslihurst, about 10 o'clock on Saturday morning, he disappeared over the terrace to the riverbed on her screaming out. There is no authority for the report of his having been seen, but there are numerous stories to the effect that he was seen at various places over a range of country extending from Pohangma to Palmerston and covering about 20 miles. „_ A DWELLING ROBBED. A large force -of police under Detective Cassells (who arrived to take charge of the search, yesterday afternoon), and Sergeant Maguire, were strategically disposed for the night, but before 11 o'clock Mr and Mrs Furland, who reside on the eastern outskirts of Palmerston, returned home to discover that someone had entered the house through a window, had walked over a bed, regaled himself on whatever eatables were in the house, taking what he did not consume; had turned over clothing and selected additions to his wardrobe, and searched for money, which, however, he failed to find. This incident raised the suspicions that the fugitive might, when he disappeared over the rim of the river into the scrub below in the morning, had worked along the Pohangina and Manawatu rivers, through various belts of scrub, brush and plantations, back to Palmerston, entering it on the eastern boundary and taken an early opportunity ot securing food and clothing, as he had left his good overcoat and cartridges in its pocket at his mother-in-law s place in the morning, when he made his hur"ed ANOTHER HOUSE BURNT. The night was cold, with a piercing wind, and some little time later the firebell rang out for a fire in the same locality, which proved to be in an empty house by Mrs Woodard, who was absent in Auckland. The house was insured in the Commercial Oince ° A flying squad of the fire brigade, which has been kept in readiness, all through the week, for the outlying emergencies, was on the scene in extremely quick time, and though it was impossible to save the house, the brigade made a wonderfully good ' save of another wooden house right alongside of it The burning of this house has characteristics similar to other burnings of the week, which have already involved the insurance companies m over £8000 of loss, and owners in considera COM°MUNITY MUCH DISTURBED. There are about forty police now engaged in the search, but without dogs it is extremely difficult work, as they may at any time have passed within a few yards of the fugitive. It is believed that they have done so. The community is very much disturbed by continofl failure of tho search, punctuated by i sensational incidents which suggest the possibility of Croat further public loss. Settler's who have been in town were yesterday being sent for by tlioir wives to return homo, on the supposition that 1 Powclka uiis making for the Pohan-

aina and Kimbokon districts, where h© was well kuown and whoce he was liked In the incident of the descent on. Kendall's household, it was s'4i that he had declared his intention, qf shooing his wife and mother-in-law ,, and various other people at AshhuTS^ but he had an opportunity on SaturcVayj and merely told them not to he afraid;. • At Ashhurst there is. great sympathy with his wife, but none with him. In some parts of the district there is obvious sympathy with. Powelka.