A CRIMINAL AT LARGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 39

A CRIMINAL AT LARGE.

JOHN TREMBATH ELUDES PURSUERS. ASHBURTON, June 4. John Trembath, the prisoner who was being brought from Timaru to Lyttelton Gaol by the first express from the south yesterday afternoon, jumped oft' the train between Rakaia and the Rakaia River bridge, and escaped. Owing to the fact that the express did not stop till Bunsand'el (15 miles away) was reached, and that the telegraph office there was closed on account of the King's Birthday, news of the escape took considerable time to Teach the police. Immediately it was reported in Ashburton three constables were despatched by the second express two and a-half hours later; but their search all last night was fruitless. At 3 o'clock this morning a batch of detectives and constables from Christchurch ariived on the scene of the escape, and a more extensive search began, but without result up till noon to-day, the escapee not having been seen or heard of since he jumped from the train. On Tuesday last Trembath was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at the Timaru sessions of the Supreme Court for horse-stealing at Ashburton, and at last criminal sessions in Christchurch received 18 months' imprisonment on a charge of forging and uttering. Prior to his original arrest lie lived at Waimate, and as his wife still resides there is is thought he will make for there by the back country. He is described as a native of •Cornwall, England, a saddler by trade, sft llin in height, dark, weight about 12 stone, shaved except for a dark moustache, and at the time of his escape was wearing a dark suit. June 5. So far the escaped prisoner, John Trembath, has not been recaptured by the police. Nine members of the force have been scouring the district continuously since 6.50 oh Friday night. Trembath was seen on Saturday on the Springfield Estate, about 30 miles by road from the scene of the escape. Last night he stayed at Dellow's boarding-house at Mayfield, having evidently forded both branches of the Ashburton river 20 miles above Ashburton. He left Dellow's before daybreak, taking with him a lady's bicycle, and it is presumed is making for the south. The police are watching the bridges over the Rangitata River, and generally drawing in on him, though the heavy ground and foggy weather make pursuit difficult.

EARLY CAPTURE EXPECTED.

CFkom Our Own Correspondent.! ASHBURTON, June 6. When John Trembath, forger and horse-stealer, leaped from the express train to the south of the Rakaia bridge shortly before 4 o'clock on Friday afternoon he was seen to recover himself and to walk quickly away. Shortly after 9 o'clock on Saturday morning news was received that a man answering Trembath's description had been seen about a mile out of Rakaia on the pr-evious night. It was the signal for action. Patrols were arranged, bicycle tyres were blown up, and the search began. One party scoured the country from the railway to the sea, and the others took tracks of country running from the railway to the hills. Constable Regan . made for Methven, Detectives Eade and Kennedy practically made due south, and the other searchers buckled up their belts, mounted their bicycles, and set off on a most unpleasant ride. It was freely estimated that one of the ■parties covered 50 miles, and it certainly seemed more.

Empty whares were carefully inspected, and not a few incidents served to divert attention from the rigours of the day. In one place a solitary hut was seen amongst some trees. A constable approached it noiselessly, took a quick glance through the window, and instantly stooped and worked cautiously round to the door. A dark figure was standing motionless in the single room of the whare. The constable summoned up his eneTgy, and flung open the door, but the figure inside resolved itself into an overcoat hung on a Peg-

In the meantime news had come_ to hand that Trembath had been seen crossing a ploughed paddock in the Springfield district, and ,it became reasonably certain that he had walked up the Methven railway line all night and then struck across country. He is described as a tall weak-looking man, but is known as a man of wiry athletic frame. Constable Began, who had proceeded to Methven, was following him up, and Detective M'Leod and Constable Kidd had proceeded from Ashburton into the Mount Somers district. Other constables were sent to Mount Somers yesterday morning. Detectives Eade and Kennedy, who made south from Rakaia, boarded the tTain at Ashburton, and went on to Rangitata. They are thus between the prisoner and his probable goal—Waimate. On Saturday evening Rakaia was practically abandoned as the centre of operations, although some constables remained on watch • there in case the fugitive might double back. '.

Presumably Trembath put up a remarkable record by walking in the dark, and the inference is that he crossed the Ashburton River between Methven and ■Mount Somers. On Saturday evening at 8 o'clock a well-groomed man with boots beautifully polished, appeared at the door of Dellow's boarding-house at MayneM, and stated in conversation that he had intended to walk to Temuka, but ae he had struck a boarding-house he would stair there for the night. The stranger no doubt had a good night's rest, but when the household arose in the morning he had gone without paying, and had taken Mrs Dellow's bicycle with him. It was then discovered that the ingratiating stranger was Trembath. He asked the way to the Arundel bridge. On Sunday morning Constables O'Grady and Martin went into the Mayfield district, •»nji Constable Regan was also close up on

the fugitive, having practically followed in his footsteps all the way from Rakaia. Detectives Eade and Kennedy and Constable Murphy (Geraldine) were stationed at the Arundel bridge on Sunday evening, and the lower bridge was being watched by Detectives Pahey and Constables Bingham and Bilsom. It is thought that Trembath could not cress the river without a horse, and consequently it seems probable that he is either lying low near Mayfield or is" proceeding up the gorge. Late this afternoon Trembath was traced to near the traffic bridge over the Rangitata River at Arundel, and it is thought improbable that he has crossed by way of the bridge-, which has been closely* watched. The volume of water in the river is not very great at the present time, and it is possible that he may have forded the streams. To-night the weather is cold, and there is a heavy fog. The police are now certain that Trembath is making for Waimate.