BRIEF FREEDOM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 December 1927, Page 5

BRIEF FREEDOM.

TWO PRISONERS ESCAPE

A WARDER ASSAULTED

(ry telegraph—press association.) AUCKLAND, Doe. 15.

Charges arising out. of the recent escapes of two prisoners, lrotli habitual criminals, were heard in the Police Court to-day. William Henry Grant, aged 33, was charged with escaping from Mount Eden Gaol and with assaulting Warder John Booth. Warder Booth, in evidence, said he was making his usual rounds at 1.45 a.m. on December 7. While he was closing the wicket gate at one entrance. Grant rushed from a recess close to the gate, and witness received a blow on the left side of the head. He saw Grant for a fraction of a second, and he appeared to have a wooden trestle in his hand. The prisoner was employed in the bakehouse at the time.

Another warder gave evidence as to finding Warder Booth in a. dazed condition and bleeding from a wound in the head. It was then they found that Grant had escaped.

Constable Moore described the recapture of the accused after a chase in Grey Lynn. Accused pleaded guilty to the charge of escape, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. He reserved his defence on the assault charge, and was committed for trial. In conne: tion with a charge, of escaping from custody preferred against Rolrert James Bryden, aged 39, the prison superintendent said that as the result of an injury to hits heel the prisoner had to attend the Auckland Hospital as an out-patient. He escaped 'rom the hospital. Warder Roy Smith .said he took Bryden to the hospital on December 2. When returning the prisoner requested leave to go to a lavatory. This was '.'ranted, hut the prisoner did not return. When witness entered the avatory he found the prisoner had escaped through a window. Sergeant Cruickshank gave evidence -is to arresting Bryden. Accused had said: “It was the result of an impulse. I could not say what came over me to io it.” He admitted he had been well treated in the prison. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for entence.