STILL AT LARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22971, 24 February 1938, Page 14

STILL AT LARGE

ESCAPED PRISONER MAKING FOR ROTORUA DIFFICULTIES OF WARDERS Tho prisoner who escaped from tho Waikeria prison camp near To Awamutu about eight o'clock last Sunday night, Richard Jackson Ruff Moyle, aged 27, is making a bold bid for freedom. Although ho has since been Heen on occasions by settlers, ho has eluded all attempts at recapturo, and was still at largo at a lato hour last night. Tho beliof that ho would set out for Rotorua —his hometown —is strengthened bv reports of his progress through the Parawera and Putaruru districts. Tho latter is near Arapuni, on tho main road to Rotorua. The prisoner's steady progress through the comparatively rough and difficult country indicates that he has had plenty of food and shelter sinco his dash for liberty over three days ago. Although no properties have beon reported to have been broken into, or food supplies stolen, thero are numerous Public Works Camps at which he could obtain assistance. When last soon ho ( was still wearing the prison clothes, consisting of white moleskin trousers, blue striped shirt, grey coat and heavy boots. Searchers Handicapped . Hopes that tho prisoner would be recaptured yesterday gradually diminished throughout tho day. Many reports were received by tho prison authorities, but their consistent inaccuracies proved a big handicap, and tho superintendent at the prison camp, Mr. D. Dunlop, said last night that tho prisoner had not been heard of since 10 o'clock on Tuesday night. The difficulties of tho search parties increase daily. Statements from settlers and travellers pour in from all directions, and while each one has to bo> carefully investigated, the majority prove valueless. In addition the hilly nature of tho country, the denso bush, and the increasingly wide area to be? scoured mak« the searchers' task an arduous one. The prisoner is now estimated to bo from 10 to 15 miles from the prison camp. The warders are working in close co-operation with the police at Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, Otorohanga and Te Kuiti. Strain of the Hunt "If Moyle is still travelling on foot, we hope to capture him to-morrow," said Mr. Dunlop, "but ho may steal a motor-car, or secure a lift on one of tho many night lorries, in which caso. he may remain at liberty for a number of days." "After two or three days, however," added Mr. Dunlop, "escaped prisoners invariably become desperate and stake all on one final plan. They cannot stand the strain of constantly being hunted. That is when they make tho fatal slip and are re-captured." Moyle had been at the prison camp for only a week before his escape. He was serving a sentence of two years for the conversion of a motor-car.