THE WAIKERIA ESCAPEE.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1416, 16 October 1923, Page 4

THE WAIKERIA ESCAPEE.

RE-CAFTURED AT OTOROHANGA. FURTHER THEFTS COMMITTED. (From our Resident Representative.) It is some weeks now since a prisoner named Archibald Scott, alias Douglas, escaped from Waikeria and though the police have been watching this district nothing was heard of the man until last Thursday, when it was reported that a certain "batch" on the Waipa river road had been burgled and property (including two suits of clothes) amounting to about £SO in value, taken. A saddle and bridle was also missing] On Thursday a well dressed young man put up at the principal boarding house here and appeared a well behaved and respectable guest. On Saturday morning he asked to be allowed to use the telephone, which is situated in the private office, and apparently got connected and spoke to someone. A little later on the man paid his board and said he was leaving but would be coming back. It was then discovered that the telephone fee box and petty cash box were missing, containing together some £5. It was afterwards found that the telephone had been disconnected. This, however, was soon rectified. Later in the afternoon a 'phone message was received at the hotel from a man who enquired whether they were looking for Douglas (the name under which the erstwhile boarder had gone). Receiving a negative reply the person speaking said he was a commercial traveller and had heard that Douglas was up the line. The landlady of the hotel told a lady friend of the message and the latter advised her to ascertain where the ring had come from. This was done and the Te Kuiti police were communicated with, the house being watched in the meantime by a detective. About half past five the proprietress of the private boarding house whence the pretended, commercial traveller had rung, phoned the local police station that the person suspected was at home, and Constable Armstrong and a detective went along and arrested the much wanted man, who proved to be the late boarder at the Commercial Hotel. The man was brought before Mr H. Benner, J.P., who remanded him to appear at Otorohanga on Friday next.