TWO SHREWD MEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19504, 4 February 1926, Page 6

TWO SHREWD MEN

THE RANGITOTO ESCAPEES ELABORATE PREPARATIONS MADE. [Per Press Association.! AUCKLAND. Feb. 3, So far the police have not. been able tn obtain a clue as to the direction taken by the two prisoners, Wahle and Rattray’ who escaped from Rangitoto Island early yesterday morning in a dinghy fitted with an outboard motor. By the manner in which they escaped. Wahle and Rattray may be described as shrewd men. Indeed, .their plans must have been thoroughly worked out, for they knew where they could obtain an auxiliary motor, also a battery to provide ignition, thus saving them the trouble and worry of having to us.* oars during their voyage in the dinghy. The battery is stated to have been stolen from the bach “Bay View.” Without the battery, of course, tho motor would be utterly useless. Great pains were taken by the two fugitives so as not to awaken tho other two pri< oners who shared the whare with them. An inspection, of the whare after their departure yesterday revealed that 11. hinges of the door had been gn-.w : so that when opened the rusty hiti would not creak and arouse the su>jions of the two warders who are stationed at Rangitoto in charge of twelve good conduct prisoners there. How the two escapees succeeded in opening tho door of their whare, vvhith was locked from the outride, is a mystery. Wahle was sei' ing a sentence of two years’ imprisonment for forgery and uttering, while Rattray was serving twelve months reformative detention for forgery.