ESCAPE OF A PRISONER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 199, 16 May 1908, Page 6

ESCAPE OF A PRISONER.

JUMPS FROM. A TRAIN. TRAVELLING BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MILES. AN HOUR. [bt telegraph.—ritr.ss association,] Auckland, May 15. A prisoner named Wm. Smith, who was being brought •in from Waiotapu Convict Camp to Mount Eden Gaol by train,- in charge of Warder Richards, this aft-ernoon, jumped off the train about two- miles from Drury, and made good his-escape. The train was travelling at a high rate of speed, and the warder did not follow. Smith was serving a sentence of 10 years for burglary and attempting to ..shoot Constablo Coppell. A strong dctachraent of police has left to scour the country for the escapee'.

(BT TELEGRArir —SPECIAL COnKESroNDEKT.', Auckland, May 15. The man Smith who jumped off the Ilotorua express to-day is still at large. He was | only recently sent to Waiotapu from Now Plymouth Gaol. Smith apparently gave the authorities reason to, fear that lie would strive to_ escape, and was thoreforo sent under Warder R.ichards's escort, the intention being to lodge him in Mount' Eden Gaol. Full particulars of what transpired on the eventful journey aro now to hand. When travelling between Runciman and Drury, which are about a mile apart,' Smith asked Richards to go to the lavatory with him. The warder unsuspectingly concurred, Smith, who -was not handcuffed, going ahead. On reaching the narrow corridor tho prisoner disappeared. Richards thought he had gone into the" apartment, but on looking for. him failed to find'him there. _ He then commenced a search of the train, and whilst lie was. engaged in this Drury was stopped at and passed before the hue and cry could be raised. By tho time tlio warder realised that his man had jumped off- tho train it was. too late to do anything but wait until Otahuhu, 14 miles on, was reached. Here Richards.duly raised tho alarm, and tho police authorities in ; Auckland quickly . got their suburban forces to work searching for Smith. Guard Craig, who was in charge of tho train, states that it was going at between 35 and 40 miles an hour at tho time Smith was seen to jump off! • Ho considered he' could not have gono far, and would be found near the spot whero he made his leap.. This theory,, however, has so far riot been borne out, for at 10 p.m. Warder Richards, who has returned to Drury, rang up Inspector Cullen,\ to say that though a search had been, made for a good distanco along the' lino, no, trace whatever had been' found of tho escapee. It being dark, the man may, of . course, have escaped 1 detection, or have been hiding,, Thero is also the alternative that ho has been killed, and his body may have been passed by in the dark. . No. further particulars aro likely to., be availablo till-the morning.