CONVICT’S ROMANCE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 10831, 1 April 1932, Page 4

CONVICT’S ROMANCE.

MAX WHO ESCAPED FROM DARTMOOR.

When ex-Convict No. ——, in his absorbing reminiscences of “Dartmoor from Within” in a London paper, makes the assertion that no prisoner has ever escaped from the great penal establishment, and successfully retained his liberty he is umiueslionably correct so far as the last 70 or SO years are concerned.

But one man actually did get away from “the dreaded moor” and never went back. It happened in the middle of last century and the hero of the exploit was a young Londoner named Charles Ross, sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude for robbery with violence —a. crime of which he always protested he was absolutely innocent.

In those days convicts did not enjoy the privileges that are common now, and the conditions at Dartmoor were Siberian in their severity.

Ross was luckier than most. In summer months it was part of his duties to tend the cattle on the farm and milk the cows. He had ' been at Princetown throughout one winter and had no desire to endure again its attendant hardships. ’The sunshine gave him courage, and he made up his mind to attempt to escape. Long and anxiously he waited for the thick haze that often settles* on the moors after a very hot day. ! In due course it came, but not so dense as Ross had hoped. He crosed the road from the prison to the farm and hung about." The haze rvas still fairly thick but rapidly clearing away, and warders stationed on the Avails had no difficulty in seeing everything going on in and around the farm buildings. Presently Ross began stealthily to make his way toAvards the Horrabridge main road, and fortunately for him was not missed for some considerable lime. He Avas believed to be in the linhay Avhere the coavs Averetethered for milking. Eventually Ross jumped on to the road to Horrabridge and travelled Avell Avithiu the cover of the hedgeroAvs.

There was no telephone or wireless to worry about as there would be today. and steps for his recapture were consequently very slow. Ross was far away from Dartmoor before the warders were on his track.. Yet the warning bells reached his ears, and he moved with greater speed. Suddenly he noticed in the road approaching a party of travelling gipsies. Two horses drew a caravan, on which were piled all kinds of household wares —pots, pans, brooms, baskets, mats, and the like. A handsome brown-skinned, black-eyed girl led the horses with her left hand. In her righ't she carried a mopstick. Taking a desperate chance, the fugitive spoke to the young woman, told her his story, and begged her to help him. The gipsy girl seemed to take a liking to Ros right away; perhaps it was love at first sight. In any case, she promised to assist.

Hearing a strange voice in conversation a man popped his head out of the caravan and asked what was the matter.

Then, seeing Ross in convict uniform, he quickly jumped from the vehicle, and for a time was determined to hand the fugitive over to the warders.

The girl, however, begged him to shelter Ross, and this eventually he consented to do. The gipsy invited Ross into the caravan, and there fitted him out in a Romany suit of clothes and gave him a good meal.

Ross Was then told to lead the horse and.,hold a broom in his other hand. Meanwhile the girl sat herself on the shafts of the caravan. In this fashion, and carrying on a cheerful conversation, they entered Princetown. Leisurely the caravan went from door to door and the gipsies, well-known in the locality, chatted and bargained with their customary, animation, Ross, still horse’s head, gossiped occasionally with the young woman and heard and saw all the commotion created by his escape and attempted recapture. He saw the warders rushing hither and thither, and close to some returning home from the countryside lagged out'and weary with the search. Continuing on their way from V.'lncetcwn the gipsies were pulled up several times on the road by warders mounted on hardy moorland ponies and asked if they had seen any suspicious characters. The old gipsy was well-known to the warders, and so they took his word. For two days the caravan moved in the vicinity of Princetown and then made its way to Plymouth. Ross stll led the horse and enjoyed the companionship of the gipsy girl. The couple made ardent love, and when they got to Plymouth became engaged. A few days were spent in the seaport and no one suspected that the swarthy young gipsy fellow was Ross, the escaped convict. The fugitive got a berth on board ship, and the story goes that Ross, after seven years’ absence from England, returned and met his sweet-, heart in Bristol. She had kept her promise to wait for him.

They were married, and Ross eventually settled down on a farm in the Midlands. He lived a very happy married life and brought up a family, all of whom did well.