Escape

Escape
Maxim soon joined them in prison. His previous convictions had been for selling liquor to blacks, and in June 1913 he was again charged with the same offence, and ended up in Pretoria Central. Maxim was due to be released in March 1914, but Foster decided he would be out before him. He made friends with the prison tailors, and had a suit made for himself. On 27 February 1914, nine months after his arrival in prison, Foster escaped after his fellow prisoners arranged a fight. He cut his way through a wire fence during the distraction, put on the suit and disappeared. But the year was to unwind very quickly for Foster. Peggy, in the meantime, had had their baby, a girl. Once Maxim was released from jail in March, he teamed up again with Foster, and a newcomer, Carl Mezar, and a string of robberies across the Rand followed. The first two were at the Roodepoort Post Office on the West Rand, where £1 876 in gold coins and notes were taken, in April. A short time later the Vrededorp Post Office was burgled, and several hundred pounds' worth of revenue stamps were taken. The thieves had left a white cotton glove which happened to fit the hand of the postmaster. It transpired that the postmaster had "borrowed" £72 from the post office, when he had found himself short after buying a new car. He was given a suspended sentence in view of his long service in the post office - 33 years - but his career was ruined, and he committed suicide. He left his pregnant wife and four children. His was the first in the trail of deaths left by the Foster Gang. On 17 July the threesome hit the National Bank in Boksburg North on the East Rand. A man was killed before they got into the bank, another was injured, but they left empty-handed. The reward notice the police issued The police sprung into action: roadblocks were put up, and a £500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the bank robbers was issued. The Gang had been in disguise, making the police's job more difficult. Ten days later the police issued the reward again, this time with a full description, including the names of the three robbers. They took refuge in the cave in Kensington, 10 kilometres east of the city centre. The entrance to the cave was covered with undergrowth, and although the area had several groupings of houses and a tram line several hundred metres from the cave, it made an ideal hideout. The Gang stocked the cave with canned food, water, liquor and a paraffin lamp. They left the cave and moved into a derelict cottage in Regent's Park, near Wemmer Pan, some 10 kilometres south of Kensington. Peggy and the baby came to live with Foster in the cottage. Foster's plan was to amass as much money as possible, and together with Peggy and the baby, and his two accomplices, drive down to Lourenzo Marques (Maputo) in Mozambique, then on to Europe. They lay low for a month, but on 22 August the Gang made an abortive attempt to enter a cycle store in Von Brandis Street in the centre of Johannesburg. A few nights later, a large liquor depot in Jeppestown was robbed - a ton of the most expensive liquor was stolen. Maxim was selling it to blacks, to whom it was prohibited. On 13 September a policeman was struck on the head by a crowbar when he checked on the door of a liquor store in Bertrams, some five kilometres west of Kensington. Shortly after this, in Fairview, four kilometres south of Bertrams, the Imperial Bottle Store was burgled, and two safes dynamited, but they proved to be empty. But this

Maxim soon joined them in prison. His previous convictions had been for selling liquor to blacks, and in June 1913 he was again charged with the same offence, and ended up in Pretoria Central. Maxim was due to be released in March 1914, but Foster decided he would be out before him.

He made friends with the prison tailors, and had a suit made for himself. On 27 February 1914, nine months after his arrival in prison, Foster escaped after his fellow prisoners arranged a fight. He cut his way through a wire fence during the distraction, put on the suit and disappeared. But the year was to unwind very quickly for Foster.

Peggy, in the meantime, had had their baby, a girl.

Once Maxim was released from jail in March, he teamed up again with Foster, and a newcomer, Carl Mezar, and a string of robberies across the Rand followed.

The first two were at the Roodepoort Post Office on the West Rand, where £1 876 in gold coins and notes were taken, in April. A short time later the Vrededorp Post Office was burgled, and several hundred pounds' worth of revenue stamps were taken.

The thieves had left a white cotton glove which happened to fit the hand of the postmaster. It transpired that the postmaster had "borrowed" £72 from the post office, when he had found himself short after buying a new car. He was given a suspended sentence in view of his long service in the post office - 33 years - but his career was ruined, and he committed suicide. He left his pregnant wife and four children. His was the first in the trail of deaths left by the Foster Gang.

On 17 July the threesome hit the National Bank in Boksburg North on the East Rand. A man was killed before they got into the bank, another was injured, but they left empty-handed.

The reward notice the police issued

The police sprung into action: roadblocks were put up, and a £500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the bank robbers was issued. The Gang had been in disguise, making the police's job more difficult. Ten days later the police issued the reward again, this time with a full description, including the names of the three robbers.

They took refuge in the cave in Kensington, 10 kilometres east of the city centre. The entrance to the cave was covered with undergrowth, and although the area had several groupings of houses and a tram line several hundred metres from the cave, it made an ideal hideout. The Gang stocked the cave with canned food, water, liquor and a paraffin lamp.

They left the cave and moved into a derelict cottage in Regent's Park, near Wemmer Pan, some 10 kilometres south of Kensington. Peggy and the baby came to live with Foster in the cottage. Foster's plan was to amass as much money as possible, and together with Peggy and the baby, and his two accomplices, drive down to Lourenzo Marques (Maputo) in Mozambique, then on to Europe.

They lay low for a month, but on 22 August the Gang made an abortive attempt to enter a cycle store in Von Brandis Street in the centre of Johannesburg. A few nights later, a large liquor depot in Jeppestown was robbed - a ton of the most expensive liquor was stolen. Maxim was selling it to blacks, to whom it was prohibited.

On 13 September a policeman was struck on the head by a crowbar when he checked on the door of a liquor store in Bertrams, some five kilometres west of Kensington.

Shortly after this, in Fairview, four kilometres south of Bertrams, the Imperial Bottle Store was burgled, and two safes dynamited, but they proved to be empty. But this