DASH FOR FREEDOM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 February 1926, Page 5

DASH FOR FREEDOM.

TWO PRISONERS ESCAPE.

(by TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 2. Two prisoners, Charles Wahle and Samuel Rattray, engaged in road-mak-ing on Rangitoto Island, escaped from custody during last night, and no trace has been found of them since. It appears that after midnight the two men crept silently from their hut and made their way to the water’s edge. A bright moon assisted them to find a dinghy, and in this craft they made good their escape. They fitted this boat with an outboard motor taken from another boat. It was until some hours later thatthe warders found that the total,of twelve prisoners had been depleted. After a hurried search had been made no time was lost in acquainting the authorities on the mainland of the prisoners’ escape from captivity. It was not until some hours later this morning when the eagle eye- of the signalman on duty at Mount Victoria observed a signal on Rangitoto. Tliis conveyed the information from the prison warders on Rangitoto that two prisoners had got away. After acknowledging receipt of the message, the signalman telephoned to Sergeant Rowell, of the Devon.port police. At 9 o’clock Deputy-superintendent Legett. of Mount Eden prison, and Constable; iMallabond left in a- launch for Rangitoto to search for Wahle and Ratt-rav. However, this search proved fruitless, so the two officers returned to Auckland.