MAN HUNT AT BALCLUTHA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20378, 9 April 1928, Page 8

MAN HUNT AT BALCLUTHA.

RECAPTURE OF MAXFIELD. MANY SHOTS FIRED. DUNEDIN MAN’S EXCITING EXPERIENCE. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.; BALCLUTHA, April 7. Maxfield, the Borstal inmate, who was the object of an exciting man hunt at North Balclutha yesterday afternoon, was attended after his recapture by Dr Radcliffe, of Balclutha, and found to have only two wounds, notwithstanding the many shots that were fired at him during bis desperate efforts to escape. Both were caused by pellets from a shotgun, and presumably were the result of the shot fired at him by Mr S. Riach, through the wind-screen of Mr Riach’s car, which Maxfield was endeavouring to make away with. One wound was in the cheek and the other in a finger, so that the young desperado suffered no serious injury and was safely lodged in the lock-up at Balclutha for the night. This morning he was taken back to Invercargill by the three warders from the Borstal Institute, who had arrived by car on the previous <tay. The actual story of the capture was related to the Otago Daily Times representative to-day by Air John Woods, of South Dunedin, and his two sons, in the presence of poli.ce representatives. Mr Woods, who was proceeding to the Crown Hotel, was accompanied by his wiie and family. Tho car was impeded at too entrance to the Balclutha bridge by a moo of siiecp, and had slovvod down. Ifc nad proceeded about fiOyda on to the bridge when the -occupants of the car d lscovei eu. a man crouched on the running board. William Woods, who was sitting next his brother Jack, who was driving, saw that th o man on the running board held a revolver in his right hand and had it pointed directly at the two occupants of the front seat. William grabbed the revolver arm, and the desperado said, “ All right, you can take it/' adding “You’ll get a.i you want in a minute.’’ The revolver was secured to Maxfieid’s waist by a lengthy cord, and William Woods passed it back to his father, -who handed it to Mrs Woods while Jack stopped tho car, and his fatlier jumped out and held on to Maxfield until tho posse who was pursuing him rushed up, and the warders took the man in cnarge. Mrs Woods said that it was the most exciting experience of her life. Simultaneously with the discovery of the armed man on the running board the car party heard a perfect fusillade of shots from the pursuers, in the rear, who were converging from three directions on the traffic bridge. Mrs Woods was next confronted with a warder armed with an automatic pistol, who demanded the revolver, and at lust Mrs Woods was not inclined to give it up, thinking that possibly he dras a member of a gang of desperadoes. She was quickly reassured on that point when the warder hurriedly explained that Maxfield was a criminal whom they had been pursuing all the afternoon. ■ Constable Pearce and the local residents who took part in the chase were later in the afternoon joined by a party of three pain clothes men from Dunedin headed by Detective Jenvey and three warders from the Borstal Institute, Invercargill. Although a great many shots were fired in the direction of the fugitive, they were for the most part aimed over his head or into the ground, with the object of frightening him into surrender. It is not known whether he deliberately fired at anyone himself, although Mr Riach is positive that a shot came in his direction when he found the man attempting to make off with his car. The revolver whch Maxfield carried was sixchambered, and three chambers were empty, of cartridges when the police took possession of it. Several of the happenings in the course of the chase were decidedly exciting for those concerned. Mr A. Twaddle, for instance, was proceeding to feed a neighbour’s fowls when a man, jumping out of the feed bin, presented a revolver at his head and shouted “Hands up! ” It was like a scene from an American moving picture, but Mr Twaddle did not conform to the screen formula, and in place of obeying the bandit’s demand he promptly turned and got away, lending valuable help to the posse that by this time was on the trail.