NO. 61, FERGUSON STREET.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9187, Issue XLI, 11 April 1910, Page 5

NO. 61, FERGUSON STREET.

THE SCENE OF THE SHOOTING

At about 7.15 p.m. last evening Mr E. Hampton rushed breathless into the police station and conveyed the information that Powelka had crossed Ferguson street and entered the grounds on which his residence is located. A detachment of six police officers were at once despatched to the scene, guided by Mr Hampton. No. 61, Ferguson street, is a picturesquely situated cottage, near the junction of Ferguson street West with Alexandra street. It has a more than average stretch of lawn in front of it, whilst on its eastern sido there is a small orchard containing some well grown hoes. The cottage has been built for some years, and is, in fact, a portion of the earlier Palmerston. It was for years the residence of Mr R. P. Edwards, of Palmerston. It has a short drive, the private road passing between the house and the orchard, which is divided off from the drive by a wire fence. At the end of the lawn, and abutting almost on to the verandah, there is a gate giving access from tho drive to the front door. On Saturday night, when its occupier, Mr E. Hampton, manager of Banks and Co.'s butchery establishment in tho Square, returned homo he- was greatly concerned to find, by forciblo contact with it, that one of tho wires of the orchard fence had been cut, a. loop mado at the severed end and the wire stretched across the drive, the loop being dropped across the top of one of the pickets of tho fence on the lawn side of tho drive. Mr Hampton at once councctcd the matter yith Powelka, who once worked for him, and was aware that it was Mr Hamilton's custom to take Saturday's "takings" homo with him. Ae soon as Mr Hampton had recovered from his collision with tho wire he went inside and then returned to town to the police station, whore he saw Sub-Inspec-tor O'Donovan. The latter was informe'd of what had been done at No. 61, but was unable to send a, constable down to the house owing to the simple fact, that ouo was not available. Mr Hampton returned home and retired for the night, which passed off uneventfully. Yesterday the orchard was searched, when underneath one of the apple trees, near where the wire was cut, were found itnmistakcablc evidence that someone had camped there. The grass was trampled down, there were the remains of two- eaten apples, -and, most significant of all, a stout waddy, cut, from a limb of the apple tree. There was then no doubt in Mr Hampton's mind that the elusive Powelka had selected his house for at least some of his inconstant attentions and a. strict watch" was kept upon the grounds all day but without result. As evening approached Mr Hampton determined to redouble his precautions, because- ho still expected a return visit from tho fugitive. At first Mr Hampton took up his quarters in tho orchard, standing well within the gloom of the trees. From there he was driven by the rain, and ho then took up his position on the verandah. He vacated that position becaueo he thought that if tho police, whoso aid ho had again invoked, came down they might, mistake him for the hunted man, and, us he puts it, "bore a hole through him." Selecting a grey over- > coat Hampton went through his gates on

to the road and took up a sheltered position under a couple of trees. _ Hβ states he knew that ho was practically invisiolo there in the uncertain light, because of the number of people who passed him without taking any notice whatever. His patience was not greatly strained. He had not been on the watch for more than half an hour before he distinctly heard the dull thud that is made when a man lands after jumping a. fence. The fence, in this inetance, was the one encircling Mr Milverton's paddock, on the opposite side of the road. Hampton, well back within the gloom of the trees, watched every movement of the wary individual who had come over the fence and who was moving with a silent etep across the road. Quietly, but as with a mind fully made up to a course of action, tho intruder crossed the roadway and entered the double gato on to Hampton's property. The latter, as soon as the visitor had been lost in tho gloom of the orchard trees, sped away for the police, running along Ferguson street and then up Princess street to tho station. There ho told his taJe to Sergt. Maguiro and Detective Quartermain, and they, with four constables, accompanied Mr Hampton to his residence. On the way the Sergeant stationed a constable in Church street to look after the back of the cottage, which abuts on to the big disused brickfield, previously worked by Mr Edwards, whilst men were also stationed at other likely places where the fugitive might try to break through the cordon.

Sergeant Maguire, Detectives Quartermain and Siddels, and Constables Dunn and Wilson, and Mr Hampton went on to the house. On arrival there a search of the grounds was made. During the search Constable Dunn remarked to Sergeant Maguire that he (Dunn) would go across the grounds to see if Powelka was on the other' side of the house. The Sergeant remarked: "No, you stay W'hero you are, and I will go." With that the Sergeant went across the grounds, and he apparently came unexpectedly in touch with the fugitive;, they immediately closed, and a brief struggle ensued. The next thing that was heard by the other searchers was a call as for assistance or of surprise and the flash of a firearm, followed by a groan. Detective Quartormain, who was but a very short distance away, fired two shots in the direction of the flash, for no object could bo seen, as the night was very dark, but without result. Tho police officers immediately went to the assistance of their comrade, Sergeant Maguire. Then their worst fears were realised, Sergt. Maguiro being found on tho § round apparently desperately wounded y the shot fired by the escapee whilst the pair were struggling. Of Powelka not a glimpse was seen, I and he, according to Mr Hampton, I must have jumped the fence on to the roadway and returned over Milverton'e fence, whence he came. It was pitch dark at tho time and the street fence is about ten yards from where the struggle took place. Sergeant Maguire was the only member of the police party who w r as unarmed. It was just 12 minutes to eight when the three shots wore hoard by a resident of the locality, who was but a short distance away, so that the search was but brief though it succeeded in unearthing the fugitive and had such a tragic ending. Although nothing definite is known, it is surmised that when Hampton and the officers went round the back of the house, Sergeant Maguire, who was not armed, left the gate where he was stationed and approached the dark and narrow space between t-he cottage and the next door house, and was immediately met by Powelka, of whose identity there is no doubt. The struggle took place quite close to tho space between the two houses. <, When it was seen that the. bird had flown again, attention was directed to tho wounded officer, who was still lying on the lawn. Dr. Wilson was at once sent for, and the sergeant was taken to the hospital in his motor. Following upon the noise of the shots, the whole neighbourhood w-as aroused, and in a very short space of time the street was alive with people. The police were not inactive, and soon had the whole block surrounded, several civilians assisting the police in the blockading movement. Parties were also sent out to keep a watch on the Fitzherbert bridge. The watchers were all armed, and a strict wateh was kept up till daylight, when the police patrol was withdrawn from the neighbourhood. Mr Hampton is of opinion that Powelka got away over Milverton's fence, and in that case he would not be in the patrolled block in Ferguson street, but would j have the raupo swamps in the Hokowhitu lagoons open before him, and from thence I the way to tho river would be clear, ! with splendid cover almost all the way. i