Attempted Escape of Cyrus Haley from Gaol.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 65, 7 October 1875, Page 5

Attempted Escape of Cyrus Haley from Gaol.

— — — « — _ — THE CONVICT SHOT. The gang of prisoners working at Bell Hill under Overseer Oufcram and Sergeant M'Namara, went to work as usual at about seven o'clock on Monday morning. Amongst the number waa the notorious Gyrus Haley, who is undergoing three life sentenoes, two being for arson and ono for shooting with intent to murder. The sentence wero passed in Auckland in April, 1872, and at tho same time Haley was charged with sending a letter threatening to destroy property, on which charge no sentence was passed, and with sending a letter threatening to murder, wherein a ' nolle prosequi' was ontered. On going to work on Monday ho was teld off with another prisoner to bore a hole for plugging. He was working on the foot of tho slope on Bell Hill, and about twenty minutes after eleven the alarm was raised by Warder Nicholson, who noticed Haley climbing up the slop, that a prisoner had escaped. Warder Miller, who was in charge of three prisoners at the top of the slope and to the east of where prisoner was trying to climb the bank, immediately followed in pursuit, and came up with Haley a few yards from the First Church. He levelled his rifle at him and ordered him to stand, whereupon prisoner jumped over the Manse fence, somo four feet high, ran through the Manse yards, and came out on the opposite side. Miller being dressed in uniform, and carrying a rifle, could not jump the fence, but he ran around and again came up within a few yards of prisoner on the Moray Place side of the Manse. He then fired two alarm shots, hopiug to frighten Haley, but finding these ineffectual, and the man still continuing to run, he fired at him, shooting him as he reached the footpath at the junction of Moray plaoe and Stuart street, and killing him instantly. The body was then removed to the Gaol and placod in a cell. When viewed by our reporter it showed that the bullet had entered the right side and passed through to the breast, where it came out. Inside his shirt prisoner had carried a parcel containing somo family photographs and letters. The bullet had gone right through these taking out of each corner about an inch square. Haley had on one occasion remarked to Heary Watson that ho would cany these to his grave. Deceased was forty-two years of age and a married man. His wife was at ono time regarded as one of the leadingladies of Auckland, and sang at the various charitable concerts there. Latterly, however, she hacj become thoroughly dissipated, and some time atro, on her being sent to gaol her children were ordered to be forwarded to the Industrial School. Overseer Outram, who has been in the gaol force for the last seventeen years, says that lie nover had a worse prisoner to deal with then Haley. A feature of the prisoner's character was his treachery. When asked to do anything, ho was always notorious for his gentlemanly manner and civility, always " sir," yot every one feared him, believing there was not a more cunning prisoner to be met with. That the escape was premeditated there was no doubt. Prisoner's trousers, which wcro found hidden behind a stone, and which were torn asunder by the seams had evidently been previously torn and tacked together so as to bo easily taken to pieces again. — Star.