HARBOUR CHASE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1935, Page 7

HARBOUR CHASE

WOUNDED MAN IN BOAT

CAUGHT AFTER FOUR HOURS

SYDNEY, May 29

Alter one of the most chases that have ever taken place on Sydney Harbour, a wounded man in a speeitooai was overtaken by the water police the other day. I'or more than lour liours the lugitive had evaded his pursuers, and he was ultimately overhauled after lie had made a sensational uasli lor Uie open sea.

While crossing the harbour near Fort Macquarie bciore 8 a.in., a boatman was startled to see a fast launch zigzagging erratically toward him. A solitary tigure was at the wheel, and his face and head were covered in blood. The boatman notified the police. In the meantime the water police had. received a call from North Sydney stating than a man had shot himself and had then scrambled on board a launch and driven out into the harbour.

A constable was despatched to Fort Macquarie to intercept the man when he landed, but as soon as he saw the policeman the man turned his iaiinch back and sped down the harbour at lull speed. A police launch had been sent to look for the man, but it was soon realised that such a craft could not possibly overhaul him, and accordingly the speedboat Nemesis, which is always maintained in readiness for an emergency, was launched.

The two speedboats roared down the harbour in a swirl ol loam. Ihe faster police launch, which is capable of a , toed of 118 miles an hour, was on full throttle find rapidly tlhe runaway. This was the prelude to a thrilling chas e that continued for more than lour hours.

The fugitive could he seen crouching over his wheel with blood streaming from a wound in his head. He saw the Nemesis overtaking him and took no heed of the policemen’s shouts to stop. He apparently knew that lie could evade capture only by superior tactics, and lx* commenced to turn and twist around the harbour, doubling hack into little-lrequentcd hays and coves, dodging round buoys and jetties, and cross ng shallows in the hope that his tenacious pursuers would become stranded. •

Tlio police allege that wlien tlios"' manoeuvres failed, the man swung his vessel around violently on several occasions, and, turning in a short length with his throttle roaring wide open, attempted—it appeared to the police to ram the Nemesis. Only the skill of the police helmsman averted disaster,

hut the time occupied in avoiding an accident enabled the fugitive to wpeed away anti gain consideiably upon the police. . .Ln the meantime another polios launch had arrived upon the scene. Its crew included detectives, who had been investigating the tattooed arm mystery, and who had been sent to assist in the chase. Petrol supplies on the Nemesis were running low, and the boat returned for additional luol, while the larger craft followed the wounded man. Tht police feared that the mau might attempt to beach his boat and hind near Watson’s Bay. Accordingly, they manoeuvred him out into the harbour again, where the Nemesis resumed the chase. It was decided to follow him until his fuel supplies ran low. (Suddenly 'the fugitive decided to make a dash for the open sea, and his speedboat shot out through the heads with the police in close pursuit. For

about a mile tl .se continued before he slowed dow. . When the Nemesis came within hailing distance he shouted out that he wanted some, bandages. A broth';'!' of the man had meanwhile arrived by launch, and while the fugitive was calling to the police, brought his boat alonside the speedboat’ and leaped on board. He managed to stop the engine. The police craft th’n raced over #o the disabled runaway. Thp wounded man was transferred to the Nemesis, and later to tire other police boat, on width he was brought back lo Sydney. The chase lasted over four hours.

“Ho knows the harbour well and outmanoeuvred the police from the beginning of th(> chase,” said the brother of the wounded man. “Whenever the police launch came anywhere near him, my brother would shoot away from them. He must have bron mentally upset, but he was all right when 1 approached him. lie let me draw in alongside and 1 jumped into his bout and asked him what the matter was His hair was matted with blood, and he looked ghastly. He police searched the boat lor arms but did not find anything.