CONVICT RUNS AWAY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27584, 15 February 1955, Page 14

CONVICT RUNS AWAY

LIFE SENTENCE FOR MURDER

ESCAPE FROM AUCKLAND PRISON QUARRY (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 14. A murderer serving a life sentence in the Auckland Prison, escaped about 11.30 a.m. today. He is Leo Sylvester Hannan, aged 54, a labourer. Hannan was sentenced in the Supreme Court at Wellington on November 9, 1950, for killing Frederick Andrew Stade, a nightwatchman. » whose body was found at the Wellington railway station at 1.18 a.m. on August 10, 1950. Sentencing Hannan to life imprisonment with hard labour, the then Chief Justice (Sir Humphrey O’Leary), said: “In my opinion this was a particularly cruel, vicious killing.” No one saw Hannan escape. He was missed when prisoners working in the quarry were mustered before entering . the prison for the midday meal. Three armed sentries were on dut’ on high vantage points to watch about 40 men working in various parts u. the quarry. It is believed that Hannan made his • way up the guarry face, crawled under a barbed wire fence surrounding the prison, and reached a narrow track leading to the back of the Auckland Grammar School. Hannan was dressed in prison garbwhite moleskin trousers and grey shirt Police in six patrol cars were rushed to the prison, and together with every available warder began a search of . the bush-clad slopes of Mount Eden and the Auckland Domain. Hannan is regarded by the prisop authorities as a dangerous man. Before his conviction for murder he had a number of convictions, including some for assault. Today’s escape was Hannan’s fourth from a prison. In 1930 and 1938 he escaped from Paparua Prison. Before 1930 he escaped from the Dunedin Prison. When recaptured on that occasion, he was found to have dyed his hair. .. The last murderer to escape from the Auckland Prison was Beginald Randolph Smith, who in 1938 led a revolt of prisoners in which several • warders were seriously injured.