DRAMATIC EPISODE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6975, 8 October 1948, Page 4

DRAMATIC EPISODE

PRISONERS RE-CAPTURED AT PIRONGIA HISTORIC LITTLE VILLAGE IN THE NEWS One of the most intensive “man hunts” in the recent history of New Zealand came to a dramatic end in the usually quiet, staid little village of Pirongia on Wednesday night when the two escaped prisoners from Mount Eden prison quarry were captured in Messrs Bell Bros.’ store by Sergeant A. Bisset, Constables J. G. Williamson and J. Boyd, after the two escapees had been held at the point of a shotgun by Mr C. Schwartfeger, While the police in the Auckland area were concentrating their efforts in North Auckland, the prisoners, James Daniel Pease and Peter Seaton Young who had travelled north, stole a car and succeeded in breaking through the police cordon which had been guarding the roads and made their way south. One of the prisoners when re-captured, said they had been seen in Frankton at an early hour on Wednesday morning. He also stated that they had been in Pirongia for the greater part of the day (Wednesday) hiding in some of the rougher country around Pirongia. It is known according to statements by several residents of Pirongia yesterday, that the car in which the prisoners travelled passed up and down in front of the shop they later entered, several times in the evening, but no one attached anything of a significant nature to that fact. So many of the residents of Pirongia were engaged in proceeding to a circus that was showing in Te Awamutu that an extra car attracted no attention.

At about 8.15 p.m. on Wednesday Miss Jeanne Bromell, who lives with her parents about 30 yards across the road from the store, was outside, and heard the sound of glass being broken, and she at once informed her father, Mr G. Bromell, who cycled to Mr Schwartfeger’s home and informed him of the occurrence.

Taking his shotgun with him and loading it on the way to the store, Mr Schwartfeger entered, accompanied by Mr Bromell. As he was passing the counter he heard a noise. Mr Bromell, seeing the escapees hiding under the counter, called “Look out!” *‘l looked and saw one of them under the counter”, said Mr Schwartfeger yesterday. “Then I spotted the other man a few feet away. Covered With Gun “I immediately picked they ( were the escaped prisoners. I covered both with my gun and told them this was the finish. I said to them, Tf either of you move you will get it.’ I meant business and told them so. “Both seemed surprised and looked at the gun I held in my hands. Up to this time neither had said a word to me, but I could tell by their manner and the fact that they were talking quietly to each other that they were contemplating making a break for it. Then one of the prisoners said to me, ‘You are pretty game With a gun in your hand.’ I said to them, ‘Yes, and I know how to use it, too!’ I then told them to come from behind the counter and stand in front of it. At first they were a little hostile, but eventually obeyed and walked in front of the counter with their hands up: I told the two men they had better realise the game was up and that if they made a single move I would fire on them. They soon realised they could not get away, and after Mr Bromell had gone to telephone the police at Te Awamutu, I allowed the prisoners to sit down”.

After he had summoned the police Mr Bromell returned to the store. On guard outside was a number of residents armed with picks, axes and other implements. After the men had been arrested they were taken to Hamilton, a brief stay being made in Te Awamutu while Sergeant Bisset, with his customary kindness, secured pies for the men, who were ravenously hungry. Mr Schwartfeger said the men did not have time to steal anything from the store. Both looked dishevelled and tired after their exertions in the open, crossing rough country in bad weather after they landed in a launch at the mouth of the Wade River last Saturday night. ( Pease and Young told the police they had decided to give themselves up at Kaukapakapa on Tuesday night but when they found Mr Jordan’s small car in the township they decided to travel further from the area in which they knew the police were searching for them. Pease and Young were both shabbily dressed in old clothes which they had picked up during their flight. The prisoners appeared before Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Hamilton yesterday, charged with breaking and entering Messrs Bell Bros.’ store with intent to commit a crime. The accused were handcuffed together. Young was wearing neither shoes nor socks, but Pease was in stockinged feet.

Senior-Sergeant R. J. Sutherland asked for a remand to Auckland on 14th October. He said further charges were pending. The remand was granted. When arrested the men were without boots, as they discarded them on account of swollen feet. Entry to the shon was made by one man, who broke a pane of glass in the storeroom at the rear of the shop, and he presumably opened the front door to allow his partner in crime to enter.

Constable J. Boyd, one of the arresting party, is a member of the Hamilton Police Force, and is relieving Constable Costello while the latter is away on holiday.