BOLTED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 414, 25 January 1909, Page 5

BOLTED.

ESCAPE FROM TERRACE

PRISONER ENTERS PRIVATE HOUSE.

LADY BOARDER'S PREDICAMENT,

Whilst at work under the charge of a frarder at the Terraco Gaol on Saturday morning an habitual criminal named Archibald John M'Neil, who is well known throughout the Dominion, escaped. Owing to the fact that tho prison authorities aro somewhat reticent with respect to the matter, full particulars relating to tho incident aro not available According to one report, M'Neil, who was in a yard, bolted down a hill and concealed himself among the scrub in the gully at -the back of the prison. The police authorities, however, state that it was necessary for M'Neil to go through a gate in tho course of his duties. When tho warder allowed him to pass through, ha made off as fast as he could run. In order to prevent other prisoners from escaping, the , warder had to close the gate before ho could give an alarm. M'Neil, who had obtained a good load, caino down on to Woolcombo Street, and, after proceeding along the ' thoroughfare for about one hundred yards, turned up a cutting to tho left and concealed himself among some scrub.

; ':; ■ ; ,•' Quito jnoapabla of; Rafprmatlon.". V..'?' That was.how , : , McNeil was described by ■'■■ V":•' : .«■ Mr.-,Justice/Cooper when he was'last before : : '■'.. ■■■', :V:^tlw.V\Oourti. :: ;:."' : Aponji..:.eigliteoii-.nibnthß. ago, ■;; ■'].: ;' x.Jl'Neil, 1 . who 'served sentences; in - various - ■,pirtapf-.the Dominion, was bnco more con-; '■yy. v *vict«cT, ; ,:'and, '■.:;. in radtlitidn;. to .receiving '■-:■ >,aj;:.sentence, ;.i was ; .an habit- .:■.'•■■•■■• '■■':':. ual: ,erirninal. i Uponcomplaining bit- , .. •.'■>; terly,- 0f. , : his "■' loneliness and promising to. '. •:' <■ endeavour to lead an honest life, he was :"..> ; : : some months- later released from the New .;■;/ //Plymouth";gael oh probation, the conditions -. ' .' bn6".to the effect:that', he-was. to ! '>■' ; .: :on Bell Bloct farm. Early in Octp- ;.-.- :■:.■-■: :')■ ber, hbw«T«r, he Jefifte farm without per- ' : ■ ; - ; missien;- «md was not -again ■■■'seen,.by the !•■■ y '■...- Kpolice' until about' ,a -month.. later. _He :was- '. . . •■v-appreliendsd with 'a • revolver- in./his _posses- ■: . v -visiona few miles put of Inyercargill. : He was -"• :' ':'■ V ' ehaTsßd.:Cl) /with; having dur-•>■.'-.ing'taß'period he was,at 'liberty, obtained .-.-'■ '-V.. ~';: ; thef sum'of; £5 from .Edmund. Carroll 'at -■';,: /:.' ; iVeJlingtpn.Dy;falEe pretences, and (2) with .: V'■':'■ ... ■haying obtained'clothing valued" at £1. 6s. ';' : : Bd.; fromiWoblf: Schwartz; by: similar means. ./ y ■■: v": During the •..•hearing .of ."■.'. the charges ; :'.'::.' -V, (which' were'-, treated.by'••M'Neil. as a; joke), :"/:•'. evidenco : was-"given./ to*the ■ effect that >. -V. ;;he'"represented to the ..prosecutors that Jib: '■'/'-i.f- •■:- ; was \the.captain, of a large, steamer,.and that, "■-■-■' ; i : 'rho:had; been asked by some'of .their; oversea :; .:';:relatives:,to convey presents-to,themj./TJpon ■■■ .-■..- being-ajrestfrd he had told, the detective that. ' ■•* ■ ■:';'.'- -;he ■ -'would plead' guilty.:to.. anything. : When : -■'■ "■':' './- lie :c'ame before the : Supreme' Court: for sen- ,': -"tcrice'.' Mr.': Justice Cooper informed .him that- -. .-;.it;waS' very dbubtfurwhefher he would ever ■ :.. . : ;.~Vagain\i»ye a ohance of establishing that he ■■": ; - ; ■-. : .wafe'-iv subjwit.capable ef reformation.; His y- -'':■.'■■.-'Hpniur/pa'ssed'a sentence' of two.years _imv ■•■■."prisoaifient,.'--.-'"ahd otdejsd ;that the original V ■ ;;:;.;{;ordtr; ; -a*el»ring.;;him on'- , --habitual '■ criminal. 'i "...■'■:'.': ;B&puJd; remain; ;■;:' wyy-yy ■■ .■.••.-:■■: v. > > ; '■■';■ jvi; The" Fugltttfo Entors a;Dwelling. ■■■ ; . ::- '■ yj..y." -Several;/police , , aided \ by / a.:.couple of war--.V .';■■•■:. ders,' imniediately went .in search' for M'Neil, :" ; ;-■' '■■:/■' '"..but ..nothing 'was learned.of his whereabouts - ..■'/■:.:'.until : ' 10-ip.m.-;".when lMy.■£'.'• Coningham it-. '■ ■"■'.'.';•':' ''■■'•' jprmed'-'ine-'gaol atftliorities that'a lady had \-.y :]i <'■'':■.'■ ; EeeiiVa -mail, in prison garb?under_her bed; ..'■ .'■■ '- y '-at.-Kis .'boarding estaWishmentin Woolcombe. . : ' :: ; Street. : ; Exactly what transpired' Was made '. .-... -knpwp;te,a>poMi^pN..reporter at Mr. Con-;, '""' ;• ; ,'inghkm's": re'sidenco? ye'sterday. '■'"■-It appears- ■ ; ■■'. -;"'.;-"that M'Neil. (forthere.can be. no doubt, as to : ■ '"■ 7-''."thej.id6ntity;'()f ■•tKe'"wtriid^.iiinst'haTe.'- , eiir. !'■:..■ . ~'■ v teriid ;the-bedrppm,--: which is situated ..under. ■;.;■' ;^ -;'■' thps frontj; verandah,Anot earlier; than ..'6.30 - ; : • ;■• p.inv M& gained access ; tb' the:.apartment by ';■■•; : ..;:getting through the window,;and in so doing ■■• : '- ! " ■">*'"." leftj:traces, which could not fail to- prove his ■..'.v* : ■.identity.-.' i ; : The , Box upon : which.he,stepped ! as ; '''iV :i hQ : .TAs,.^eouriig;ent^^^ ■■■.■'"".;' : :''. ; -; , '-hisiSniuddyi boot/ whilst the- white: quut;'on' '':<'.'.y 'i/the; bed;^here"hV placed :his equally /dirty; ■".'• ; ' hihtl, ih. brder".io balan6e:himself, is quite as r '.'.'' .distinctly'marked. 'Had •M'Neil' broken into - .-.■■• .; the'iibem whilst' it wa's :still daylight it is al- ■■■'■'■ '■::''/■■'-■ most .certairi'.'thati ,the becupint, who visited •■'•'■. "... ..it after. the:eveniiig meal,, aswell.as.'a nnm-: .-.., ;-':'.: . ber;bf .times.during : thb.aftefhopn, would n,p,t y/ \have,failed ,to have,seen:-the .marke.. ■ \.y.-.. v.;-.:. : : 'A; r -l: ; .;;.:^ ; A;ftsan:'Untier;ithe;BGd;"'' ;■■'.. : ' '. : . ::'. '"■■ ':-. Upon''"entenng.-her; room, at' a few minutes : '■•'■ ;i 'W.tb--10 pVm.i , the:lady occupant.did not notioe: ■ .-r.-'-iXfanything.to'atfeact:hef:attejationj but, like ■■■'.'•.'.'.' -~.:? some ;0r her^sex,'.she usually- looked under '■'-' ;; '■ ■■: before "retiring.-: 'On this occasion; ■■'- '':;.- :'; " iiowevergVsho neglected r, to;?do, so. : Pre- .-■'-■."'■■■-:'.;. Bcritly,;however, she detected^the odour'.of \■■'•■"•,'t'obilcod'vsmoke; -'As; smoking;is not cub-" -. '■.•■-. . tbrnary/in-: the house, her .suspicions -were ./ ! ,'"■.." . arbii6ed,"and she dpoided'.to make an investi- . . . : g3tion,but she. did not dream that a mail— '■'■'■■-■ '■' .and'an' escaped" criminal at; that—had for ..'■■• \ ' ; som« timejbeen!calmlyv_puffingvaway.'at.his: ....:.- '.;■."■'- ; 'pijia;:ullddr her bed.A When /she peeped un- :.,„;■;';, dorn'eathi' 1 she'saw .what '-"she.'toot to be ; » ■--■ ' '.'■"■ ;;: bundle" - of. clothes;". Leaning ij over ; she pushec .;■;. ~;.:y on tide; a :large;" : brown, .paper: parcel, ; ■' -■". .'■ wheni to i-'Jaev horror, .she e«pied.a man in J ~ :.':;;'■;': prisrtn clbth.es..' : -.Owing'-to thefact that , she •. ".. '■''■. '■. : ■'.. ■■ bad;,to, rembvb. a chair (which; she had ■ ; "':.■■., behiad the door))'. her progress, was "delayed. ".'.-' '■' :, r '."Her'ferrpr was heightened:when the prisoner ■'"* yyy;y)begfin tb;.eraw.l;from' under i;he ;bed. ' ;.[-\y :. ; , V DSd, pi-iiig Down Your Revolver !'■'.'; : .: :'•;.':'; '■'•.; any' of the ..-: ; ;,:.v.:;:male boarders"were at home af the'time. The :.;..;■'; only;other inmates ■ w ; ere\ Mrs.; Coningham ".■- \ ; ' : '. '■■ 'andi'her.daughter,.who..had'npt" ; retiredi and ■... '..:, another;-, lady''.boarder,'•■.■'a'nd.Vsome'. .ohildren ■.-"' • ■;'■'■■:'■■'■; .who WYere.'asleep.. ,BeaHnga ory, ".There's ...:-.. ;.;■:. ;:a man,;tader ■'■the-be<l!M , Mrs.'' Coningham ■'•■'■.••;.■'- '; rushed into ; the." where. she tound ~ .-;..: thejlady. in. question almost fainting with ■;;. v ; fright.' : ::As : .Mrs, Coningham": is '• herself not ■: .;,,.. over,-.strong,--she' was,;"lor• the'-.mpmentr. at . . : herj:wits end Us knbw;: f what v to;'do'. .Then . '.: "Dad, bring'down your re,- ■.-: ■. .■■'.■'■■ yblv,«r. ; There is a man here." That had .•"•• :-: ~its effect;on M'Neil, who lifted tha window '■ - ■-•". .arid rgbt , ' out. •'•.■■• Within a few mrautes, Mr. . . .;■,; Coningham; arrived on the scene,'and, after ■ .; f. ■'..' making a hunt ia.fhe large, garden atbached : .'• -,'; •-■, ■•; to.tho' house, tront up tp;.the prison, whence . : . :. .. a. nicssßge.;was immediately^^prwarded'■ to -:■••->.■■ ■ the.police. Search in tkelooality was main- : ;.: 'tamed by .Detectiye , Caißiells 'and Constable '.-.'..;. , • .Mjjllpely,, and a -.couple: of warders, until 2 ■■;,■'.': :•■ o clock on .Sunday.inorning, but no trace of -;.'"■:]■;■:■ :;. : M'Neil. was found/ :;'"•; ■V. ;:'■;: : .... 7 ; ; :v ; • What'tho;Man might have dbno.

.■.Parther:-. examination., of. .the .bedroom shoTi'ed'that M'Neil must havo been thoroughly' soaked through" when ho ■ entered the house. He used his bobte. together with a Bkirt-,;to make a pillow. Then he. moved the bed' against the .wall; 1 so_. that the occupant of the room might not discover him. Among other"things belonging to the lady which.he itoofc; under the bed/with him was a watch dnd"gold chaip andia box of safety matches. ■When he had made himself comfortable close to rtho wall he concealed himself, behind a dress basket; and- the parcel previously alluded -to. llf Ijo' had so. desired, M'Neil might easily have gone into the rooms of , any.;bf tho abseiit occupants after it. bocome darkj and after having exchanged his prisbn garb for less conspicuous clothes, ransacked ..the .establishment. ...Instead, howeverj he began to- smoke, 'and judging by .the' number of used matches found on the floor,'must'have had great difficulty in getting: his pipe to draw. So hurried was his ' exit that he had no time to securo his hat, bootii, or tobacco, and he also left behind the articles which he. temporarily put to. his own : use.'; :The :lady, who suffered severely' from friglit,. had not quite:.recovered yesterday. ',: All :day : yesterday ; the search- was continuod, but ■no trace could be. found ( of M'Neil, who is attired merely in pants, shirt,' ■ and sox. ■;.. ; His. description is as follows :— "Ago,; 35 years; height, 6ft.. s)in.; medium , build, fair complexion, brown hair and brown e'.v.eS;[,whilst'ho has,a soar on the bridge of .tjho rmsc, and, tho first fiViger of tho right ■hand -is cfookctl.,'qt tho. first joint. ■■'■ '.