PRISON ESCAPE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 238, 9 October 1933, Page 8

PRISON ESCAPE.

DASH FROM MT. EDEN

O'NEILL AND HAYWARD CASE,

ACCUSED QUESTION WARDERS

Tlic sensational escape from the bakehouse at Mount Eden Prison early on the morning: of September 11 last was recalled in the Police Court this afternoon when Harris O'Xeill, aged 41, • and George Eden Charles Hay ward, aged 25, were each charged with escaping from lawful custody. Both wore further charged with stealing clothing and razors of a total value of £0 17/0 on September 14 and 15.

Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., was on the bench.

Neil MeKimion, warder at Mount Eden Prison, said lie pracecl O'Neill and Hayward, the two prisoners, in the bakehouse at 12.30 a.m. on September 11. He did not see them again afterwards.

Hay ward: What reason had you pot for not visiting the bakehouse between then and the time the alarm was given of our escape?—l cannot answer that question.

Mr. Wilson: Why?—We have rules and regulations, sir, and I had no instructions to visit the bakehouse.

Hayward: Was it your duty to visit the bakehouse?-- r No.

Arthur Cyril Davies, warder, said he was on duty mi the night of September 10 last. As the result of a telephone message received he went to the bakehouse, and found that the two bakers had escaped through a window. One of the bars had been forced aside, also the sheet of expanded metal. Witness returned to the office and informed the police of the escape.

O'Neill: An escape ha<s previously been made through the same window without the bars being forced? —No, never.

"Is it not a fact that a prisoner named Westlake got through the same window without forcing the bars? —Yes, but the expanded metal was not fitted to the window then.

When Charles Edward Spittal, chief warder at the prison, entered the box to give evidence, Hayward objected to the chief warder being called when there was a superintendent, of the prison whom, he said, should be present.

Mr. Wilson: It is for the police to conduct the case. They may call whom they wish.

Chief Warder Spit tal produced the original warrants fur both prisoners. Hay ward, it was stated, was sentenced to seven years' hard labour in 1029 and O'Neill to live years' imprisonment and declared an habitual criminal in June last.

The chief warder described how the escape wns made and produced a lire bar, lengths of rope made of flour sacks taken from the bakehouse, a long lenpth of piping bent at one end, and a long wooden peel handle.

Cross-examined by Hayward, witness said Hayward had been employed in the bakehouse for three years and' nine months. The bakehouse was searched every- day, the last search taking place between 2 and 4 p.m. on September 10. (Proceeding.)