CAPTURE OF POWELKA.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12771, 18 April 1910, Page 2

CAPTURE OF POWELKA.

CAUGHT AT ASHHURST. CLEVER CAPTURE BY THE POLICE. ON SUNDAY MORNING. [United Press Association.] Wellington, April 17. The police received information that Powelka was caught at Ashhurst this morning. No details are at present ! available. Palmerston North, April 17. The long chase after John Joseph Powelka ended this morning in his capture at Ashhurst, the scene of his visit of a week ago, without bloodshed. Constable Gallagher, of Wellington, and Probationer Callery wero watching the house of Hanlon, the brother-in-law of Powelka, and were in hiding under a microcarpa hedge at Ashhurst, when they saw a" man go across a side street at 4 a.m. They called upon him to stop, but he continued on, and dived into tho darkness. Callery fired a shot after him, and the two gave chase. On hearing the ting of a wire fence, they followed into a paddock. It was dark, and they lost the track of him, but they found three bottles that he had evidently dropped in the paddock when they went after him. They procured the assistance of Constables Thompson, of Wanganui, Watts, bf Ashhurst, and Sylvester, of Palmej'ston North. They resumed the search of the paddock, and especially of a cowshed with a hay loft on one side. Constables Thompson and Gallagher climbed up into the loft. Thompson presently struck a match, when he caught a glimpse of the figure of a man lying outstretched between the hay and the wall, about three feet below him, grasping a revolver in one hand, as it lay tense by his side, and a bottle of stout in the other. The man was lying as close as he could in tha hollow against the wall. He had evidently heard the searchers in the shed below. He made no move, and Constable Gallagher with excellent presence of mind called out, "There is nobody here," and after another look round they descended the ladder again. Constable Gallagher then got his mates outside as though they had abandoned the, search, and told them quietly the state of affairs. As it was felt that to tackle Powelka in the dark in such a place of vantage might result in mucli loss of life, they remained in tho shelter of the, shed while one of the party went to Ashhurst for a light. They knew that there was no means of escape but by the ladder, which they commandeered, and that the man would not move while he knew they were below, and as it had been a bitter and wet night there was good reason for keeping sholter without arousing any suspicion. On the messenger .returning with an acetylene bicycle lamp, Constable Thompson, carrying the light, and Constable Gallagher, went up into the loft again on the side where Constable Gallagher had seen the man, while the othors watched the other side of the shed. They saw Powelka still lying, but watching them, with the revolver pointed towards Constable Thompson. They pounced on him simultaneously, Thompson reached, his post, and struck up Powolka's hands, so as to prevent any chance of his using the revolvei if he had been so inclined. Powelka was evidetnly taken by surprise at the suddenness of the onslaught, and though he proved stronger than theo* calculated upon, and resisted the putting on of the handcuffs, the strong men iv whose hands he found himself were too much for him, and the struggle was a short one. It was then just before seven o'clock. His captors took him. in to" Ashhurst police station, where they searched him, and in addition to the, revolver they had taken from his hand they found another in his pocket. Both were practically new weapons, and in excellent order. One revolver was loaded in all six chambers, and the other in five. On searching Powelka about forty rounds of ammunition were found. He had money on him, some small change, mainly threepenny pieces, and coppers, and some postal notes. Ho had also eight detonators, four of which were spent. He had also a razor, a comb, and a looking glass. He was most neat, and clean shaved, and his hair was not long, and was carefully attended to, and parted. He wore a sou-wester hat and a black mackintosh over a grey three-quarter overcoat, a heather mixture coat, aud the now famous green riding pants and yellow leggings. The hay loft and shed in which the capture was made is on Mr Scott's farm, at about 50 to 100 yards from Scott's house It subsequently transpired that the railway station at Ashhurst was entered during the night, and an attempt had been made to blow open the safe, but without success. The till was opened, however, and some small change taken. The goods shed was also broken open, and spm© stout, (evidently taken. The arresters did not learn of this till a youth from Ashhurst brought the news over to them at the' cow shed. It had been thought that Powelka would make back to Ashhurst at some time to try to see his wife, and so eight men wero kept on the watch till Wednesday, when it was practically established that he had left that part of the district. Inspector Wilson then ..withdrew all but three men, giving the suggestion that the place was clear. Meantime Detective - Cassells, with Constable Mclvor for mate, and a Hying gang, wUicn inclded Constables Tanner, Dunn, Gallagher, Cuminings, Sylvester, and Thompson were scouring the country north aUcr the Bunnythorpe incident, right \m lvimbolton and Apiti. They were recalled on Saturday, and' the detective and his mate were sent down .to investigate' a report that someone had entered the Meat Company's shop at Longburn, and taken food and other things, including a sou-wester hat. Others of the fly*ing squadron, including Constables Gallagher and Thompson, were left at Ashhurst ior the purposes above stated. Powelka at the Ashhurst station asked the police to shoot him. He said "This is hell on earth, shoot me, and then they can say that I did it." He also expressed a desire to . see nis wife. He was brought in by motor car from Ashhurst to the police station in Palmerston North. He went into the car quietly, but just after they got clear of Ashhurst, and at a lonely part of the road, he suddenly put his feet against the front seat from where he was seated on the back, with a constable linked w-ith him on each side, with the handcuffs on, and with to .'throw them out of the car. Apparently Sergeant Foster, who was also in the car, seized him round the neck, and practically garrotted him for the rest of his journey. He came in with the two constables holding on, and the sergeant with his arm round his neck. At the police station there was already a crowd, but the car went through them and round the back into the lockup. Powelka was then appearing to show weakness and weariness, which the police thought after their experience, was assumed. He was surprisingly neat and clean and well groomed, and his clothing and underclothing excellent, clean, and new. He was soaking wet, so the police -removed his clothes in the cell, and gave him some hot. coffee, and some blankets. He would not try to sleep, however, but paced the cell restlessly. He asked for his wife, speaking affectionately of her. She,, however, refused to come to see him. Dr O'Brien, who visited him in gaol, he asked to give him a dose of poison to finish him. Powelka is ia a surprisingly good physical condition. He does not show a maik of any mud, but there was evidence on his leggings and clothing that he had

bacn riding through rivers. He will not appear before the Court here but he will be returned to Wellington some time to-morrow to await his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court here on a charge of burglary, upon which he was held in custody at Wellington at the time of his last escape. Constable Gallagher, who found and captured him, was the lockup-keeper at Wellington when Powelka escaped, through a deputy leaving a door unfastened.