THE ESCAPED PRISONER

Southland Times, Issue 16841, 18 September 1911, Page 5

THE ESCAPED PRISONER

RECAPTURED AT ZAIWEBA Albert Sims, who escaped from th* gang of prisoners working at the Invercargill jetty last Monday, was captured on Saturday morning by Sergeant Bufrowes and Constable Schruffer at Kalwera, 18 miles from Gore. The circumstances in which Sims contrived to make his escape have already been detailed. The police in all parts of Southland have been keeping a sharp look-out for him ever since. It was reported to the Gore police on Tuesday evening that a stranger had offered a bicycle for sale at two of the local bicycle shops. Suspicion was aroused, and Constable. Schruffer traced the man to Mandeville, but thereafter lost track of his movements. A man answering the description was also seen at Mataura and Edendale. It was discovered that he had stayed at a boardinghouse in Edendale. where he was recognised by a former resident of Ashburton. The Gore police were advised on Saturday morning that a stranger answering to the description of the escaped prisoner was working for Mr David Purvis, a, well-known farmer In the Kaiwera district. The description tallied fairly correctly with that given by the two bicycle dealers at Gore. When Sergeant Burrowes and Constable Schruffer, both in plain clothes, went out by motor car to the farm in question, they discovered the prisoner ploughing with a four-horse team and evidently doing good work. Asked as to his name he replied without hesitation “John Brown." The sergeant was naturally suspicious of such a common name. “Well," he said, “if you can. prove that you are John Brown, or anybody else but Albert Sims, we will living you back. In the meantime you. can have a motor ride to Gore.” Sims was engaged by Mr Purvis on Wednesday night at the rale of 25s per week and found and Mr Purvis said lie was working as well as any man he had ever engaged. It is said that his movements showed that he was somewhat at sea with regard to the geography of the country, as on Monday afternoon and evening he found himself three times in the Invercargill suburbs, having apparently followed any road he came to. When he escaped Sims had divested himself of his prison garb and was dressed in an old grey coat, dungaree overalls, and old fawn hat, which he had found in the shed near the wharf, where also he secured the bicycle on which he made Ids escape. When arrested he was wearing a somewhat worn dark tweed suit, but declined to say where or how he obtained it. He 'also wore a grey felt hat. At Gore Sims was taken before Mr A. Martin, J.P., who remanded him to the Invercargill gaol, and during Saturday afternoon a warder conducted him back to Invercargill.