AN ARREST AT SUVA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13305, 11 October 1906, Page 6

AN ARREST AT SUVA.

A MELBOURNE ABSCONDER. A passenger on the steamer Atuawas ar- ' rested by the police at Suva on September ... 26, charged with embezzlement in Mel- ■•. bourne. ■ ■ Previous to the arrival of the steamer a cable * was received from the ; Chief Commissioner of Police in Melbourne, ' . stating that a. man, named Walter Freeme was charged on warrant there for embezzling as a clerk, on August 11 last, from T his employer, James Moore, of Melbourne, . ' the sum of £50, "and that he had left that . ;: State, and' possibly might be a passenger on . . the > steamer Atua, A r description was given in the cable of the "wanted" man, but the particulars were by no means as clear as might have been expected, and thereby caused a certain amount of subse- '.'..•- quent doubt, and consequently more elabo- .-- rate investigation. . -- - The steamer Atua arrived on September , 25, and on- her arrival Colonel Francis, Inspector-General of Constabulary, went on board, and interviewed the captain and some of the officers to endeavour to discover the man. He eventually traced a man who was travelling under the name of A. D. Henton, who had come on board • as a passenger, and had gone ashore and taken lodgings in a house up Tamavua Road. He came on board at daybreak, and was arrested by Sub-Inspector Barnett, and brought to the station. Twenty ... sovereigns' were found in a bag in his possession, and subsequently another £50 in gold was found in a belt around his waist. A pocket-book was found, and what had s evidently been a name. on the inside cover had been erased. It had not been carefully done, however, for with the aid of a ■ magnifying glass, Colonel Francis discerned the letters "me,' the last letters of *' Freeme," the name ot the absconder. An umbrella was also closely inspected, and on the silver band on the handle were seen the initials "W.F.," scratched thereon. The prisoner said he was going, to Vancouver ; out it was strange he had not a paper of any kind on him, not even a card or an envelope. He persisted in saying lie was not the man wanted. The Commissioner of Police in Melbourne was notified by cable of the arrest, and evidently the news was published in the newspapers, for on September 26 the following cable was re- , ceived -from Melbourne by the prisoner, . evidently from a lady relation or friend : — "Henton, care of Police, Suva. Press .-.' ,> published arrest. Admit your identity. , r Save - trouble, expense secure leniency. Still love as ever.—Mertha, Gaiety Theatre." Although the prisoner would not *." admit that ho is Freeme. he wired a reply to this message to this effect:— v Moore (his employer) withdraw charge. will send money back. See mother."