THE ESCAPE OF THE GERMANS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11417, 21 December 1917, Page 4

THE ESCAPE OF THE GERMANS.

COURT GF INQUIRY. ISLAND A GERMAN PARADISE

£Fe/ Press Associatios.Y AUCKLAND, Last Night. At tli o Court of Inquiry to-day Colonel Turner said there was a canteen on the island where food could bo obtained on payment. The man selling the food was a German prisoner named Paulsen. The canteen was actually in charge of a sergeant-major and could only be entered through the office. All orders sent to the town for supplies for the canteen were placed before wutness and initialled by him if approved. Very little actual food was purchased from the canteen, the principal sales being tobacco and cigars. The amount of food kept in the canteen was very limited, and if a prisoner desired say, ham, or a tin of fish, it had to be specially ordered from town. TREE AND EASY. Except for special fatigues, the prisoners’ occupations and actions were not under supervision except in so far as they were seen by the sentries. Under the existing conditions it was impossible to place two of the Sec Adler ’s officers in separate confinement without incurring extra expense. Erom November 23, the day on -which normal conditions were renamed the two officers of the Sec Adler were treated in exactly the same manner as the remainder of the first-class prisoners, with the exception that the detachment was reminded that it must particularly keep these men under observation. He placed them under the same conditions as the other, first-class prisoners about the end of October, having obtained from them their words of honour as German officers that every as far as the island was concerned would be complied with. They had not given their parole. TURNER WAS HOODWINKED. On the 29th November he had the sparking plugs brought ashore in consequence of information received. On December 13 he returned to the island at 6 p.m. In addition to himself there were in the launch Bugler Wainwright (escort), the poisoners of war Precund and Paulsen, the latter being the man in charge of the canteen. At the end of the wharf, waiting for them under instructions, were the prisoners of war, Fischer and Schmidt, Fischer carried the mail and Schmidt acted as carter. THAT PECULIAR SMILE. Paulsen was at the wheel as they came alongside, and ho shook his head emphatically at the prisoners on the wharf with a peculiar smile. Witness thought this was intended to convey the fact that there was no mail. Witness and the bugler landed. The two prisoners immediately took the launch to its moorings. As witness walked along the wharf Schmidt and Fischer passed and got into the cart. As was his custom, witness turned and watched the two prisoners in the launch. He saw the launch attached to the moorings and the prisoners unship the dinghy aft. Instead of watching to see them land as he usually did, he went into his quarters. The sergeant-major had not met them at the end of the wharf as usual. THEN SOMETHING WENT WRONG. At 7.10 p.m. the sergeant-major reported that the dinghy had got adrift and that the launch had gone after it. Witness went down to the wharf. ‘‘l then noticed,” he said, "that the trolley was at the outer end of the wharf instead of at the place at which it was when I .landed. Tills aroused my suspicions as it indicated that something had been taken down the wharf since I had gone ashore. HE HAD LOST COUNT. ”1 said to the sergeant-major, /Where is that Count?’ I then proceeded to the barracks as fast as I could. I asked the two soldiers at the guardroom if they had seen Count L-uckner lately and they said, 'Not since dinner,’ which would mean G. 30 p.m.” Witness gave details of the interruption to the telephone line and of the measures taken to find out if any men wore missing. There was an old boit on the island lying on the beach near the old wharf. On the morning after the escape it was found stove in. THE POLITE LETTER WRITER, Near tbo boat were two letters written by Mcllort, one of the escapees, to the farm manager. The date on the letter w T as November 25th. The text of the.first was:— “Mr Melrose, farm manager. "Dear Sir, —My country calls and I have to follow*. For two years 1 have worked on the farm I have always done my duty. With this letter I leave all the necessary notes, like milk supply, mutton supply, and the list of the cows. I hope you will have no difficulties to arrange all under my successor. I kindly ask you to give my wages to Klaihcr as I owe him something, and he shall pay my canteen bills. You might take my saddle and bridle and pay a bill of about 30s to Hoffman, photographer, for me. I like to be square with everybody and I have not got money enough to do all. I hope you will not have too much trouble by my departure, and with best wishes to you.—l remain, yours, J. MELLEKT. The second letter gave detailed information as to tho various matters Mellcrt had had under his care. Colonel MacDonald; What benzine was on the launch? Witness: As far as I can ascertain, she had two cases of benzine and two cases of distillate. That is all that is missing from the island. After the escape a scaled kerosene tin was found full'of water behind the quarters of one of tho escapees. The tank on the launch would hold two gallons of water. I do not know how much it actually contained nor what food was on board, he did not know what food was missing- v The hearing was adjourned.

THE PLOT WAS COMPLETE. ALL HANDS WERE EASY. By Te'egraph—Special to Manawatu T i m 03. AUCKLAND. Last Night. In the course of the examination. Turner said: ‘‘l went to the guard room la ring up District Headquarters. I found 1 could get no answer from

Auckland. Finding the communication, cut, I ordered a bonfire to be built, and lit in the hope that it would draw attention from the mainland. The bonfire was kept going with kerosene for about two hours. One steamer passing up to Auckland was stopped with an ‘' S.O.S. ’ ’ signal from the back of tho barracks by means of a lantern. She appeared to reply with a Morse lamp, but owing to the number of lights we could not read the signals. Another steamer was stopped in the same way from the end of tlie wharf, but after a slight pause she passed ou. In tho meantime wc tried to ring up a farmhouse about half a mile across the island, and not being able to get into communication the sergeant and one man went along the line to the farmhouse. They found nothing on the way, but on the return journey they found an obstruction on a telegraph post which they had missed going out, as it stood in the thick bush. Someone had earthed the wires at the post. It was then close on midnight. We had instructions to always ring up Colonel Patterson at Auckland at midnight. Consequently, I told tho soldier to listen closely at that time to ascertain if Auckland was trying to get us. Before taking the receiver off tho ’phono he gave the handle a turn and the bell rang, the party out having repaired the line but not having bad time to inform us. I then immediately communicated with Captain Kowrish, in charge of Defence vessels at Devonport, asking him to get steamers ready, and to Major Price to report tho escape.” Colonel MacDonald: "When you sent the orderly corporal through the barracks on the evening of the escape what did he report?” Witness: "He reported nine prisoners absent—all those who had escaped except two.” "How did you ascertain about the other two?”

"About midnight the farm manager reported that his man, Mellert, was missing. Some time later I learned that von Egidy was also absent. All but three of the eleven men had been accounted for at the roll-call at 6 p.m. Those throe were first-class prisoners. The eight others were second-class prisoners. : ’ / "Did they answer their names?" "No, they were accounted for. The three men did not need to answer their names, being first-class prisoners," "Count Luekner was seen at 5.30 p.m. by the fanner’s cook wolking past the farm, in what direction?" "He did not say. Private Evans, on patrol duty, saw Lieut. Hcrcheiss about the same time." Witness said the rifles and ammunition were cheeked on the evening of the escape, and wore correct. Witness and his orderly wore the only persons who would know that the sparking plugs had not been brought to his quarters. Colonel MacDonald: "Then if you did not receive the sparking plugs the orderly would not bother his head about them?" Witness: "No, it would not be his business. •' ■’ "And you were not worried in your mind about the plugs until after dim ucr?" "No, at that hour the time had not arrived for me to ask the orderly about them. I considered my room safer than the guard room for keeping the plugs, as if they were sent to the latter all the prisoners would have been aware that they were there." "'Was there anything to prevent the two prisoners who carried the sparking plugs tolling the other prisoners they were kept in your room?" Wtincss: "No."

“It did not strike you to make the patrol responsible for seeing that the sparking plugs wore brought from the launch to your quarters?" “No, my reason was that though there was "no definite order, the practice was for myself and often the escort to watch prisoners till they came ashore. Hearing that the launch was following the dinghy I was not surprise!, thinking that "the latter had got away before the men on the launch could leave. The launch is a very silent one, not to bo heard at any distanvo. As a matter of fact the Germans did not go after the dinghy; they sank it." “How was it that no one on the island saw the launch leave its moorings ; ’ ‘ ‘ Th’ero was no one in view at the time. The patrol must have been going towards the guard-room and have been unable to see the water. After lock-up time they did not patrol down that way very much."

1 < When your suspicions were aroused, did you send anyone along tire island with the object of picking up the launch and possibly getting a shot?” “No, I didn't think of sending anyarmed men out with that object. Apart from that I was busy trying to got into touch with Auckland.'' ‘ 1 Did you have a -watch kept in the direction tho launch was reported to have gone?" “I did not actually detail anyone to watch the launch. Afterwards I inquired in all directions if any men had seen which way the launch wentNone knew, though one declared he had seen it making for Homo Boy. X do not "know whether he -was joking." “Do you know what food was missing from the island which might have been taken by tho prisoners who escaped! ’' “When I handed over my command I had not obtained definite information on that point." “What about water!" “After the escape a sealed kerosene tin « r as found full of water behind the quarters of one of tho escapees. The the launch would hold two gallons of water. Ido not know how much it actually contained nor what food was on board." “How soon after your discovery of the interference with the telegraph line did vou investigate the cause?" “I did not send out a party at once because I thought tho prisoners had cut the cable and not tho land line." “Could you not have rang up Waiheke Island?" “No. they had blocked that -wire, too, and-also the one to the farmhouse."