RECAPTURED.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160796, 2 November 1920, Page 5

RECAPTURED.

ALLEGED DANGEROUS CRIMINAL SENSATIONAL ARREST AT LYTTELTON. (Per. United Press Association.! CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 1. Reginald Matthews, the escaped prisoner, who is known to be at large, armed, was seen in the city this morning, and a very hot chase by the police in the vicinity of George Street • ended-' in _ failure. Matthews slipped away, and is still at large. The Star states that the police are very keen on the search for Matthews, and are investigating the possibility -of his connection with the Timaru tragedy. 1 Matthews was recaptured on the Lyttelton wharf this evening, after a sensational shooting' affray with the police. Matthews 1 was sentenced on August 25th,' 1919, to 9 months’ imprisonment on a charge of indecent exposure, but escaped from Lyttelton Gaol on September 12th 1919. Nothing has been seen or heard of him till a fortnight ago, the general belief in police circles being that he had gone down in the Tamui. However, two weeks ago he was noticed in the public gardens, and a gardener who was a witness in the Court proceedings, went to apprehend him. Matthews, it is alleged, presented a revolver at him and made good his escape. " REVOLVERS IN EVIDENCE. A CONSTABLE WOUNDED. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 1. The arrest of Matthews at Lyttelton was a most sensational affair. At 6.45 p.m. a party of_ police boarded the Maori and were inspecting some luggage in a cabin at the top of the steerage companionway, when Matthews entered. Detective Bickerdick took a step towards him, but Matthews dropped his .hand to his hip pocket and ran out with the police in pursuit. After a lively chase along various alleyways the fugitive raced down the steerage gangway to tho wharf brandishing a revolver. He doubled round some trucks and then set off up between a double row of trucks. Constable Templeton dived at him, and in a scuffle a shot was fired, Templeton reciving a bullet in the knee. He clung to Matthews, and, with the assistance of Constable Hislop, held him till reinforcements arrived, and ho was secured and haridcuffed. Besides the shot fired by Matthews; Detoctiva Bickerdick fired twice, and Matthews once or twice on the deck of the Maori, while Sepior-Sergeant Jackson, who caught a glimpse of the fugitive, also took aim, but his revolver missed fire. Constable Templeton is now in hospital. His wound is not serious, the bullet missing the knee-cap. It is stated that Matthews, since his escape from Lyttelton Gaol, has been following his calling of seaman. He signed off the Waipori on October sth. He had been going under the name of Reginald- Irwin, which is said to be the name under which he secured his passage on the Maori., A man who is almost the double of Matthews was apprehended at Lyttelton yesterday morning, but was able to establish his identity, and was released. .

MATTHEWS CHARGED WITH , THE TIMARU MURDER. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 1. , Matthews, the escaped prisoner, was brought to Christchurch to-night and formally charged that on October 27th, 1920, at Timaru, he did - murder one Clarence EA.vard Wagstaff.