AN OLD TIME CRIME

Nelson Evening Mail, 19 February 1917, Page 4

AN OLD TIME CRIME

- INiSPBOTOR GTLLIES'S RUSE.

The announcement of the death of Mr R. J. Gillies, ex-inspector of police, recalls a story of m'ar'der, of the flight of; the criminal to the.-Xiua Country, and of his capture after ir. ore than ""six years of hiding, .vhioh iormed one of the most notable Angio-JVJaoii nic'aents of between 30 and 40 years ago {sa;s tneAuckland Herald). Constable Gillios was' then in charge of the police station at Te Awamutu, and he was one «>f the principals in tne *v ii^in'i'which /td to «jbf> arrest of the fugitive murderer" .

'.Henry Wima'a iv&si Mawi who, on June 27th, 1876* a ybuug *n_an named Edward Pay>.fr, a f«>Jlow-w< jkman with" him st the 'arm' of Mr Ceghorn, Epsom. ■• The criminal at oiice fltd to the lung Country, ••uid .for s:x received) sanctuary the.'e from the Alaori "king," Tawhiao, though a standing ieward -of £SOO for his capture; was olfered by the Government. His ultimate arrest was the result of a stratagem arranged between Sergeant :McGpvern, Constable Gillies, and a half-caste nam-jd'. Robert Barlow, who lived in tlj.e Kinj 'Country, and was a man of herculean stature 'and strength. The plan adopted was for Barlow to go to Te Kuiti, then the stronghold, where Winiata lived, and, buy from him a quantity of pigs, to be delivered by 'Winiata at Barlow's, settlement, some 25 miles nearer to Auckland. Winiata fell, into the trap, brought his pigs down, and on the evening of June 26th,, 1882, when he arid. fliefiye friends who accompanied him were well primed with drink, Barlow seized the murderer before he could draw the revolver w*th which he was armed, Tiurried him oxitside, tied him hand and Pfoot, flashed faim across a horse, and, mounton.? another horse, took him single-handed, m the dead' of night to Te AwA.-nutu, where Winiata was handed; over to QonstapleGillies. IBarlow's"wife and child t en_ hadv also to seek flight at the same time from Te Awamutu to escape the vengeance of Winiata' s\ friends, .woof whom, roused from their, drunken stupor bv Winiata's cries, at the time ot his seizure, went out in pursuit, but ;y mistake .took) the road to Alexandra, now Pirongia. Winiata was brought on to Auckland and duly tried ana -Condemned, and he was Mount Eden gaol on August 4th, 1882.