CONVICT’S RUSE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3583, 7 March 1914, Page 3

CONVICT’S RUSE.

DARING ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE. MAN WHO MENDED THE ORGAN. The Essex County Chronicle gives a sensational story of a daring and nearly successful attempt to escape fre— Chelmsford Prison. Shortly bet.oe noon a well-dressed man presented himself at the gates stating that he wished to leave, having finished his work of‘repairing the organ. He was attired as a civilian, with bowler hat, stick, overcoat, and gold watch' and chain. He said he was a Air Griffin. The warder wflo was in charge of the gate 'glanced down the names of the persons admitted during that morning, but failed to find any record of “Air Griffin’s” entrance. Although it so happened that the organ was actually under repair, he was not satisfied, and telegraphed to the offices to ask if a Air Griffin had been admitted that morning. Offices came from the main block of buildings, and “Griffin” was instantly recognised by a warder as one of the prisoners. It appears that the prisoner was one of a party of forty going through the daily walkin exercise under the eyes of warders. He had but a short dash to make to get behind the buttress of an annexe, where he would be out of sight, and he apparently succeeded in doing this unobserved. Evidently his plans had been carefully mapped out from the knowledge he had gained, for he passed quickly through the kitchen garden and a block which is used by probation warders. At this time the rooms would he empty, the officers being 011 duty. The prisoner went upstairs, picked out the best suit of private clothes he could find, and. having divested himself of his arrow-marked khaki prison garments, which he left upon the floor, donned the borrowed civilian 'attire and waited in hiding until a favorable opportunity presented itself to make his way do\vnst,air s to the gate.