GOOD POLICE WORK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 8 October 1940, Page 8

GOOD POLICE WORK

CAPTURE OF FUGITIVES. DISCOVERED BY’FOOTPRINTS. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Oct. 7. Surprised while hiding in a small area of bu6h- not far from the Titirangi Hotel at 6.30 a.m. to-day, and without offering any resistance beyond, an attempt at bluff, three of the four men who escaped from the Auckland Prison last Tuesday night were recaptured by three constables taking part in the search for them. One convict was Randall Reginald David Smith, a oonvicted murderer serving a life sentence, and the others were Bryan James O’Hehir and John Henry Silya, both burglars. They had eaten nothing lor two clays and wore a heterogenous collection of garments stolen from the different places they visited at night. The organised programme of search began over a wide, bush-covered area on Sunday and continued throughput the niglit, and the discovery by Constable A. J. McTavish of iregh footprints in swampy ground led to the apprehension of the bunted men. The circle of search narrowed abruptly at 9 o'clock on Sunday night with the theft of a coat and a pair of trousers from a house nearly opposite the filtering plant on the oid Exhibition Drive. All through the night patrol cars and police sentries kept a close watch, upon the territory between the Titirangi Hotel and Parau, and early this morning Constable McTavish, Constable L>. J. Dwan, and Constable ,W. Saunders were detailed to patrol the area in the neighbourhood of the hotel. They went carefully through the undergrowth and inspected sheds, baches and houses, but found nothing suspicious until they reached a small sliprail, on the other side of which Constable McTavish saw several footprints evidently made by someone in a hurry. HEAD ABOVE LOG. The three officers then separated. Constable McTavish took the top of the ridge and had not gone tar when he saw rimith’s head appear cautiously from the other side or a faden log. The constable approached the. log and he aaw Smith crouched down behind it and near by his two companions, O’Hehir and Silva,' hiding 111 some scrub. From all accounts Smith, who acted as, spokesman for the three, denied their identity, but the constable whistled a prearranged signal to summon Constables Saunders and Dwan. At no time did any of the fugitives show any signs of truculence, even when they were being handcuffed, although they had ample opportunity while Constable McTavish was alone with them. The three convicts had ample tobacco, but from what they said they had had very little to eat since the night of their escape. For the most part they had lived on a packet of oatmeal and some raisins they stole fiom roadside grocery boxes belonging to farmsteads in isolated districts, supplemented with edible roots they found 111 the bush. Dirty and unshaven, and dressed 111 variegated clothing which ranged fiom a football jersey to a suit of naval denim overalls, tlioy presented a curious picture. Nevertheless, they were in good physical shape. While the three constables, with their captives were making toward the road, the patrol ears and about 20 orneers on foot were converging upon the area following an alarm given by a civilian. A short while before that he had aeon throe men. in ,the Phsh a bout 200 yards or so below the litirangl Hotel. Consequently, when the three constables and their prisoners reached the road they were met by a considerable number oi men. The pnsoneis were searched and Silva was found to have about £4 in silver and pennies in his pockets. - Smith, O’Hehir and Silva were placed in separate patrol cars and brought to Auckland. As soon as they arrived at the central police station Superintendent Cummings arranged for them to be given a substantial breakfast. The fourth man, David h raster A\atson, aged 21, apparently parted company with his fellows when they abandoned at - Newmarket the motor-car they took.from outside a house 111 Becconibe’s Road a few minutes after their escape from the Auckland Fmon Watson has not since been seen. It is said he -has a chest complaint winch would have precluded hip risking the rigorous experience of nights the bush and the doubtful diet ol the fugitives from justice, CONDITION OF WARPERS.

All three warders who suffered injuries on the night the tour men escaped are still in the Auckland pjtal. Mr J. G. Crawford, who suffered severe head injuries, has unproved slightly, but- is still n. a serious condition. while Messrs J. W, Scholium and A Burgess, who are being treated for concussion and slight scalp wounds, are making satisfactory progress. Praise for all those who had taken part in the arduous search was. given bv the Superintendent of Dohce at Auckland (Mr J. Cummings), whether in their long watches at police stations or in traversing . rough and difficu t bush territories in bad weather dm innVe early stages. Everyone engaged in the task which confronted them had upheld the traditions of the New Zealand Police Force. He made special mention also of the help given by the warders from the Auckland prisom " d -Tf thc’Xencj' Ste the'pollce in Auckland hail undertaken their work.