POWELKA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10020, 16 April 1910, Page 5

POWELKA.

KG FRESH REPORTS.

By Telegraph—Press Association. PALMESRTON N.. April 15.

The police have nothing fresh to rtport to-day in connection with the Powelka pursuit, which is still being conducted in the Kimbolton district. Nothing definite regarding the movements of the escapee have been reoeived during the past two days. The country round about where he is supposed to be is being thoroughly searched.

The funeral of the late of Sergeant Maeuh-e will take place this morning. A requiem mass will be celebrated in St. Joseph's Church, Buckle Street, at 9 o'clock.

I WAS IT POWELKA? The "Woodville Examiner" vouches for the accuracy of the following statement:—On Monday evening two constables and two members of the Woodville patrol were guarding the Luwer Gorge bridge. They were on the Ashhurst side, and,were about si::ty yards '.from the bridge. Shortly after seven o'clock a figure of a man was oeea cominj across the bridge from the Woodvill-3 side. Hi was ordered to aland and hold his hards up, hut he took no notice. He v/as auain challenged, and as he scill r-fused to obey two shots wero fired at him, and he was seen to stagger towards the side* of the i.iklge and fall ovfr —at least the cinstabL's and the Woodvilld patrol though* he di.\ The datkness being intense, it was decided lo wait till daylight before they would go on the river bad and pick up the body of Powelka, tley cuming to the conclusion that it was he and had crossed tie Fitzherbert bridge and v/as rraking his way to Ashhurst after he crossed over the Lower Gorge bridge. When daylight arrived no body could be found—not e»en a tracd of one.

. THE SEARCH CONTINUED. tsy Telegraph—Press Association. PALMERSTON N., April 15. Yesterday was another quiet day in cor.nqction with the search -for Powelkp, which, however, is being prosecnterl with unabited vigour by the police throughout the district It was an exeedingly trying day, with n bitterly cold wind and heavy rain storms and thunder end lightning, and the searchers in various directions had an extremely unpleasant time. The rain is iilcely to sand up creeks in some; of the higher country. Last night, though the rain had ceased, the wind continued exceedingly cold, but had abated somewhat from the gale of the day. Such weather as this, while unpleasantfto the searchers, must also be very trying to the fugitive, unless, as seemß improbable, he is being harboured somewhere.

FOXTON TRAIN INCIDENT. The police are still enquiring into Ul2 incident of the shot alleged to have been fired at the Foxton train the nignt before last, but place no credence on it as being in any way connected with Powelka. A LOCAL RESIDENT SUMMONED. In connection with the incident of the sticking up of Mr Lavburne un Monday night, and Mr E. Pratt, a summons has > been issued against a local resident on a charge of assault. The matter will, be ventilated in the Magistrate's Court. In the case of Mr Layburne it'will be remembered that he was stuck up outaide his own house by a man who, according to Mr Layburne's story, claimed to be Powelka, and who, he alleges, presented a revolver at him. In Mr Pratt's story, which has been published, he stated that he was stuck up by an individual with a revolver, and whom he laughingly told to go home.

THE INQUEST ON SERGEANT MAGUIRE. The inquest in connection with the death of the late Sergeant Macuire will open at 11 a.m. to-morrow, before Mr A. D. Thomson, S.M., Acting Coroner, and a jury. After the jury has been sworn in it will be taken to Mr Hampton's, in Ferguson Street, to the scene of the tragedy and the enquiry will resume at 2 p.m. * There will be evidence as to the statements made by the late Sergeant Maguire, but no depositions were taken owing to the very low state in which the Sergeant was in when the taking of depositions would have militated against his splendid chance of recovery.l The direct evidence will be fiom Detective Quartermain and Mr Hampton and there will, also, be the evidence of Detective Siddells and Constables Dunn and King.

THE DOMINION SCOUTS. Five Dominion Scouts, under Captain Dalrymple, regarding whom there has been so much controversy, returned to Wellington to-day. 'J.hey were somewhat disgusted with the coolness with which they had been re«ceived here. The most 'censorious references to the Scouts, however, appeared in the Wellington papers, and it is suggested that the pungency of these might havebeen inspired by the recent incidents at the Kitchener

Camp, in which Captain Dalrymple and Lieutenant Housten figured, and which were the subject of a subseiquent enquiry. ALLEGED LIBEL. The "Manawatu Daily Times" has received a writ for £5Ol damages for alleged libel in connection with the rifie at Millar and Giorgi's recently. I The writ is Issued on behalf of Victor | M. Braund. and the libel is said to be contained in a statement by Supsrinter.dent Warner, of the local Fire Brigade, that someone had interfered with him at the fire, published in the report of the fire. A writ for a similar amount has been issued sgainst Superintendent Warner. THE LATEST RuMOUR. (By Telephone—Special Reporter). PALMLRSTON N., 2 a.m. The complete absence of any news of Powelka for the past three days is causing a good deal of comment here. The opinion is held by several that Powelka, who is known tu be in a very weak state of health, has either succumbed or made away with himself. In support of this contention it is considered that if Powelka were alive he could not possibly have avoided detection by some of the settlers in the districts he is supposed to be hiding in, as throughout it is thickly populated. It is suggested that a thorough search should be made amongst the scrub and logs adjacent to where Powelka was last see". A nic'dical man, interviewed by your leport-r, states considering the weak statn of Powelka's lungs, and the fact of the heavy rain and cold weather, he would very easily contract pieumo:.ia. Hi?;h temperature would be quickly followed by delirium, aid in this state he may either have taken his iife or succumbed from the illness.