CAPTURE OF CRABTREE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1549, 5 February 1887, Page 3

CAPTURE OF CRABTREE.

WiiLnroTOK, February 2. ■ Orabtree, was arrested at 7 20 p.m.thii evening on- the Wadeitown toad. This morning Mils Xnowlei informed the police that she had seen a man with a tall hat on the lawn of her brother's home in Sydney street, •nd Detective Campbell fancying he might be the eonviot traced him thence to the Wadeitown district, In the evening he returned, and, while speaking to a man on the road over the hill, there came along a man faultlessly got up in a blaok suit, bell-topper, ove*ooat, and gold watoh and chain. Camp* bell recognised him as Orabtree, and called on him to surrender. Soaurpriied was the escapee that he dropped on the road in despair -Without offering the least resistance. While doing so, however, he put hit hand in bis pocket, and hearing a jingle the detective immediately covered him withjusurevolyer. Curious to see whether bell felt in the pocket, and iouWd it filled with jewellery. Further searoh revealed the fact that Orabtree was fairly loaded with bracelets, ringi, studs, earrings, and valuables of all desoriptiens, the list of which makes quite a formidable dooument. This, with the eloth«i, he had obtained at the house of Mr Idowlei,;:a : gentleman, who is away juit now. His sister visits the house in the day* time, but nobody sleeps onthe premises, and there Orabtree passed the night and made hit notable haul. Trusting to the disguise afforded by his more . than .respectable. get-up, he was evidently, about to venture into the town when he fell plump into the arms, of a man who happened to know him personally. The truant was so faint with-his'efforts and with chagrin that he was-unable to accompany his captor back to town until refreshed by a rest and a friendly cup of ; )tea. During hii escapade he has piled up. at leait two oharfcei of; burglary and housebreaking, besides the breaking gaol, for which alone he can get five yean' penal servitude. The reason he gives for his behaviour is that he considered his, sentenoriof;thirteen years; too long for tke crime. ' " j .'.?£.X r&J.*'\r lamb. Orabtree led his pursuers a very good dance. Altogether, what with detectives, policemen, warden and militia, there hive been at leass fifty men on his trail, and he had several narrow esoapee before he was finally caught. It is supposed he. larked in th# bush during the daytime,:and no doubt he has some other clothes i conoealed there how, His, sudden arrest greatly disoonoerted Orabtree, and hie first exclamation to Dotective Campbell ,was, "I will die in gaol after this. 0 So overcome was he by hit fohr days' hide and seek that hahdonffi were'not required, and a cab had to be obtained to convey him to the station, as; he was unable to walk. He had hot had anything to eat for two days, aooording to his own account. He will not say where he got the tools which enabled him to get out of his cell, but he destroyed them afterward* The warder who was on duty when Orabtree escaped has been dismissed. Detective Campbell will reoeive £2O reward as prescribed by the Act, for the capture of aneioaped conviot, ~ On Thursday a large crowd assembled at' the Berident Magistrate's Court, Wellington, to Iget a glimpse of the conviot Orabtree, Thjo latter, who was in rather a weak condition, both legs and feet being swollen and battered about in his attempt to evade the police,'was supported into the dbok by two constables, and provided ; with a seat. The; clothei in which he was arrested were taken from him and he appeared in the ordinary prison garb; 'Orabtree, who is undergoing 18 years, would have been entitled to a release, on the minimum period under the present' 1 warrant on ; December 13th, 1894,, The prisoner reierved his defence and was committed for trial for breaking out of gaol.