Escaped Prisoners.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 194, 14 July 1896, Page 3

Escaped Prisoners.

Respecting tlie three oo micls, Alley, Lnkncliuski, and Aik man, who are btd! at ’arg*’, the Taranaki Herald Bays that at about 4 o’clock on P 'iday afternoon the police received a message that three men had bee ; seen near the Sentry Hill gravel pit by one of the railway bands. Constable Lister was despatched from town, Oon- ' stable Bleasel with a volunteer from Waitara, and Constable Ryan with six men of the Hawera Mounted Rifles from Inglewood. The parties thoroughly patrolled the country, but no sign of the prisoners was met with. Daring the night Constable Bleasel went back to Waitara to patrol the country round there. The police are confident that the prisoners were not seen at Sentry Hill. Constable Simpson, of Eltham, is patrolling the country there, with the help of twelve volunteers. It is thought by some that the men are making for the bush at the back of Hawera, where they might find a secure hiding place. There is nothing new to report in connection with the robbery at Veale and Co’s store at Midhirst, but everything points to the prisoners as the perpetrators of the job. Now they are supplied with food and clothing the three men, who have a skilful general in Alley, who has put up quite a record in prison breaking, will probably now ke-'p away from settlements, and attempt to travel without leaving any trace that would indicate the direction they were taking. The police were notified on Saturday that at least two of the escapees were seen near the Beaconsfield Road near Midhirst. They left some prison clothes and provisions taken from Veale’s store behind them in the bush. Constables Ryan, Redican, and Simp- , son have gone in pursuit. Later. A Cardiff correspondent writes : There is a great deal of excitement here. The escaped prisoners on Saturday night took possession of a house on Monmouth Road, helping themselves to a good feed. An alarm was given and the police and settlers attempted to capture them, and then surrounded them at one time, but they t escaped. They appeared to have parted, one going one way, and the other two travelling together. These latter got breakfast on Thursday morning at a settler’s house on the Climie Road, midway between Cardiff and Ngaire, representing that they had been ont all night looking for the fugitives. Sergeant Slattery received a wire to the effect that the prisoner Aikman has separated from the others. The other two were seen near Stratford early on Saturday morning making their way south, hut in a different direction. They are now dressed in the new clothing stolen by them at Midhurst. The latest information from Stratford received in town says the police received news on Saturday that the prisoners were seen in the vicinity of Stratford somewhere in the direction of Warwick Road. A large party of civilians and police were at once stationed around the district on the lookout. At about 8 o’clock the prisoners crossed over the railway bridge, and were observed just past Warwick road. When they saw they were noticed .they dropped their swags and ran into King’s bush. A strong party was stationed about the bush and about daylight they appeared. They were immediately chased, but owing to a heavy fog they again made good their escape. Lukuchusld and Alley had breakfast at half-past 8 at Blairs on the Climie Road on Sunday morning. They left there shortly before making in the direction of Ngaire, and there up to the present trace of them ends. Johnstone, alias Aikman, was, seen yesterday morning going along the South Road, at Jnaha, the other side of Manaia. He must apparently have got separated from the other two and struck down the Stratford Opunake Road, and then down one of the byroads, eventually reaching the Main South Road.