SENSATIONAL ESCAPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18456, 20 July 1923, Page 8

SENSATIONAL ESCAPE.

MENTAL HOSPITAL PATIENT

AT LARGE 'FOE" 12.* HOURS,

RECAPTURED IN THE CITY.

The escape" of an inmate of • the Auckland . Mental Hospital'; provoked a certain amount of uneasiness in the city yesterday. The escapee was William Anderson, aged 38, who was committed 'to the institution in January. 1921. \ after - ; acquittal on \&. murder charge. _ All .fears, however, were set at rest with his recapture late yesterday afternoon. . .'■;, . The escape occurred between 2.30 _ and 4.30 a.m. and ;it is surmised . that the heavy mist that enveloped the V district early in the morning materially aided« the man to . elude notice. ■:< A thorough search was conducted throughout the. day, but it soon becam® apparent that the escapee was either in hiding or had effected .a change from the indoor garb m which he had made his escape. , / _• ~ Anderson was captured shortly > after 4' p.m. in the city. Dressed in new ready-made suit of clothes, - and looking spruce and apparently quite normal, he walked almost into the arms of the city watchhouse keeper, Constable Butler. The ■constable is acquainted with Anderson, and when the latter saw him he made a hurried entrance to a butcher's shop. As Anderson emerged from the shop Constable. Butler, who was accompanied by Detective O'Brien, ; arrested him. Anderson made no resistance and was conveyed in "a taxi-cab to the city police station. When searched it was found that he had 5s in money in his pockets, and also some tobacco. • The clothing he wore apparently had just recently been purchased and his collar and tie were clean and new. No particulars are available as to his movements from the time of his escape till his arrest. The crime in connection with which Anderson was committed to the mental hospital ■ was the shooting of a youth named Frank Telfer, on October 14, 1920, at . the. farmhouse of Mr. James Loft, at Tokorima, near Taumaronui. Anderson went to the house in the evening, carrying a gun, and announced his intention of shooting Loft. In the excitement that followed: a shot fired by him killed Telfer. Search was then initiated throughout the district for Anderson, who gave himself up at a farmhouse on October 16. At his trial he was found not guilty on the ground of insanity, and was ordered to be detained during the pleasure of the Minister for Justice; Dr. H. J. Tizard. at that time in charge of-the Auckland Mental Hospital, stated that 'in , his opinion Anderson was insane at the time of .the trial. "