PRISONERS ESCAPE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 11

PRISONERS ESCAPE

TWO HABITUAL CRIMINALS (By Telegraph.) (Special to "Thd Evening Post."-) AUCKLAND, This Day. • An escape from Mount Eden Prison was mado early last night by two habitual criminals—John Buckley and Frank Bailer. It is not known how the prisoners escaped, but it is considered that they must have had outside help. At 5 o'clock the usual routine of locking up the inmates was carried out. After tea at 6.15' about 39 prisoners were paraded for the school, which is ■ held nightly until 8 o'clock. Buckley and Bailer were among the number, and as they were'housed in the same wing they were in a small squad under the guard of a warder. Nothing untoward was noticed until the prisoners were actually at school. ' It was then found that Buckley and Bailer were missing. An alarm was given, but a thorough search failed- to locate the -men within the prison bounds. i To get to the school the prisoners march through one of the wings, and it is thought that they slipped away then. A grilled door leads from the wing out to one of the yards. It is thought that they scaled ono of the walls, probably being aided from without.' Police stations in the Auckland district wore immediately notified of the escape- of the prisoners, and search parties were sent out from the prison. It is known' that both men c;m drive a motor-car. • , Both men are New Zealandcrs with relatives at Auckland, nnd both arc '2(3 j years: of ago. Both men have been convicted oil several charges of breaking : and entering and theft. Buckley was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and declared an habitual criminal in October, 1925, and Bailer was sentenced to five years' imprisonment and declared, an habitual criminal a vcar ago. , .. ' '