PRISON BARS NO CAGE

Evening Star, Issue 18258, 24 April 1923, Page 8

PRISON BARS NO CAGE

WESTLAKE MAKES GOOD HIS BOAST. This story is the sequel to another storyon an earlier page, which fully describes tho criminal's boast to tho magistrate. [Per United Press Association,] AUCKLAND, April 24. To prove that he could escape without the old of a scaling hook and rope, Thomas Alfred Westlake, serving a six years’ sentence, squeezed through two bars Sfin apart in Mount Kd-en Prison this morning before tho magistrate and officials. An improvised hook, rope, and wire were found in the coal bin in the prisoner’s soap-making mom. and led to a charge of attempting to escape, but Westlake declared that ho had no knowledge of them, and said ho could got through tho bars and over the wall, because ho knew livo ways out. Tho magistrate agreed to an exhibition. Stripped of his coat, Westlake was through tho perpendicular bars in sscc. It looked liko an illusion. Westlake is sft 6in high and of medium build. Ho afterwords showed a place on tho wall where he -could get over without a rope. Tho superintendent agreed that it was possible, because tho warder had done it. Tho charge was dismissed. Westlake is Bervinc his sentence for theft of tho auxiliary yacht ° Itaa.ta lust year, when, with two companions, ho sailed to tho Queensland coast from Auckland with tho aid of only a school atlas and ruler.