PRISONERS WHO WALK OUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 190, 12 August 1922, Page 27

PRISONERS WHO WALK OUT.

A prisoner in Home recently who escaped from gaol by assuming the slight disguise of glasses and walking out with dignified steps in the guise of his own lawyer was equalled in audacity by an inmate of Chelmsford Gaol, says a writter in the "Daily Mail. 9 ? A few minutes" before 12, on a day in January, 1914, a well-dressed man walked up to the warder at the gate, and said, "I am going off now. I have finished repairing My name is Griffin." Just then another warder happened to come up, and at once recognised tiie alleged Griffin as a prisoner. „ Disguise of some sort is the first .necessity for an escaping prisoner, and here the man had succeeded, in stealing a suit of wardeYig clothes. One of the cleverest tricks of the kind was that played some years ago in Glasgow by a man who escaped in nothing but a suit of underclothes". In the early hours of a Saturday morning ia the year 1909 a scantily clad figure was seen speeding along Duke Street, Glasgow, and was taken by the drivers of the milk carts, and even by the policemen, for a local marathon atulete out for an early'spin. One little boy, sharper than the rest, rang the bell at Duke Street Prison, and told the warder, ''One of yoiir prisoners is out and is running along to Cumbernauld." He got no thanks for his news and was told to "go awa hame." By the time the boy's story had been proved to' be true the prisoner had got clear, and it took a fortnight to recapture him. It is said that no prisoner has ever made his escape from Portland, but there was one who wag stopped only by the merest accident. This was a man who was serving five years for horse stealing. He was employed as cook in the quarters of the bachelor officers, and this gave him a. certain amount of liberty. One morning he managed to slip unseen fijtto their quarters, and to secure ft complete change of clothes, including a silk hat. He had timed his change against the minute when he knew that one of the tradesmen from Weymouth would be calling at the house of the governor, and as soon as the man went in, out wept the prisoner over the wall, whio?! he climbed by means of a ladder. He then drove straight towards Wey? mouth, and it was only the mere chance that the harbour bridge was under repair that stopped him, and enabled the police, who had been -womed by telephone to catch him. A man known as "The King of Jewel Thieves," went one better than either of the last two when he made his escape from Exeter Gaol. After making a hole in the wall of his cell, he managed tg get on to the roof of the governor's house. Wrenching open a skylight, he got into the house and stole the goverupPg overcoat and cap. Wearing these, he walked calmly away, and got as far as Newton Abbot before a constable recognised him by his boots and recjijitured bin.•.