ESCAPED PRISONER RECAPTURED AFTER 7 MONTHS' LIBERTY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6543, 27 February 1928, Page 7

ESCAPED PRISONER RECAPTURED AFTER 7 MONTHS' LIBERTY

Sensational Coup by Auckland Storekeeper ACCOMPLICE TRIES TRICK TOO OFTEN (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Last Night. The arrest of William Scholes, ths prisoner who escaped from custody seven months ago, was effected under sensational circumstances at Dominion road about mid-day on Friday, the capture being the result of a cleverly laid police trap. * In the afternoon the police arrested Andrew Simpson. Simpson is alleged to be an associate of Scholes and the police had reason to suspect that the two had been uttering cheques to bush ness people in more than one suburb of Auckland. V)_., At this juncture, Mr E. J. Cates, of the Progress Stores, 575, Dominion road, came into the story. To a reporter yesterday morning Cates ufiiqlded the unusual account of Simpson's arrest. . . ■ ' % He stated that Detective Knight called at his shop at 12 o’clock on Friday morning, stating that the two men were suspected of having cashed cheques with business people in other suburbs of the city. It was thought that they might pay a visit to Dominion road during the next few days, as this suburb was one that had not so far been given attention. Cates was told to look for a possible tendering of any cheque on which was printed with a rubber stamp the words “trust account." “The detective had hardly been gone an hour when a man entered my shop, and gave an order for £2 worth oi groceries,” added Mr Cates. "For payment ho tendered a cheque On which was marked ‘trust account.’ It was a cheque for £7. AH my employees were alive to the situation, and I instructed au assistant to take as long as possible in making out the docket. “In the meantime one of my young ladies slipped into my house next door and telephoned the detective ' office, while Constable Belcher, of Mount Eoskill, was also informed of what had happened. “While this was going on Constable Belcher arrived and I explained things to the man. He seemed uneasy and appeared, as if he wanted to leave tlw shop. 1 ‘ A few minutes later he bolted f ron the constable and myself and rar through the storeroom and out of th< back door. He cleared a sft. 6in. fence without difficulty and quickly disappeared with the crowd of us in pursuit. “The man was observed going down William street so we got a motor-ca and followed him. We eventually di» covered him in a gully. “Watts, one of my employees, went down after the fugitive who had become entangled in some wire. Wattp caught hold of the man and brought him back to the street where he was handcuffed and taken charge of by Constable Belcher, who removed him to the Mount Eosldll lock-up. “Later he was taken in the van to the city station. ” Later in the afternoon Detective* Knight, Alsopp, Davis, and Nalder went to a house in Mount Albert and arrested Scholes. The escapee sub mitted to arrest quietly. However the detectives were taking no further chances, and handcuffed him. On July 27 of last year, Scholes was being brought to Auckland on the Wellington Express and was with two other prisoners, the trio being in charge of a single warder. Until Karaka was reached the three prisoners and their escort Verc quite comfortable in a smoking carriage, but when the passengers had to trans-ship at a big slip, which had occurred at Karaka that morning, the prisoners and warder were compelled to continue the rest of the journey in a crowded carriage which contained a number of women and children.

Seholes had previously gone to the lavatory to obtain a drink of water and had returned to the warder. But when the train was travelling slowly through Puhinui he again asked th* warder if he could get another drinki The warder was about to accompany him when Scholcs got in front of a woman and three children, thus placing the warder at a disadvantage. As soon as Seholes was missed a search was made, but ho could not be found. Until his recapture yesterday he had enjoyed his freedom. Both Simpson and Seholes were brought before Mr P. K. Hunt at the Police Court yesterday morning. Simpson was charged with attempting to obtain goods and money of a total of £7 by a valueless cheque, and was remanded until March 1 on bail of £2OO, Seholes was charged with escaping from lawful custody. Bail was asked for but was refused, Chief Detective Hammond stating that Scholcs was an habitual criminal and an escapee therefore he was not eligible to be bailed.