LYTTELTON GAOL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14704, 8 June 1908, Page 4

LYTTELTON GAOL.

ATTEMPTED ESCAPE. Tho young man William Bell, who is undergoing a sentence of three months for the theft of a bicycle in Christchurch, and who attempted to escape from Lyttelton gaol on May 21, made another attempt to get away from that institution yesterday. As on the occasion of liis first attempt, however, his efforts resulted in only a very brief spell of: liberty. He made his second attempt at a quart or' past seven o’clock in the morning. Hie cell door had just been unlocked for him to come out to the yaid. As ho did so, ho threw off his boots and dashed up the steps in the south-east corner of the yard leading to the gallery on the eastern side. From the toj> of the steps he sprang on to the adjoining roof of the southern range of cells, climbed it by the aid of the spiked railing which extends along its slope, and gained tho top of the outer wall. Ho had with him a rone about twentyfour feet in length, which he had prepared by tying together the ropes of his hammock, and with this he lowered himself to the ground, alighting in- tho right-of-way running along the south side of the gaol from Oxford Street to St David Street. From there he made off up the hill in rear of the gaol, directing his course towards the signal station. Mr M’Cleary, governor of the gaol, and Principal Warder Blatchford, wiio were in tho yard, saw the escape, raised an alarm and went out in pursmt. _AH the warders who were off duty joined in the chase. 8011, meanwhile, crossed the shoulder of the hill and turned towards tho Sumner Road, but before he oould reach it he was overtaken by Warder Gorby, on the hillside above the road and between the signal station and the Artillery barracks. On being overhauled he threw a couple of stones at the warder and otherwise showed light, but was quickly overpowered and taken bank to the gaol. Only about a month of his sentence is unexpired.

There appears to bo considerable icason for doubting tho man’s sanity, as his behaviour has been somewhat peculiar of late. After his first attempt Mr Cleary suspected that his mind v as not quite right, and he was brought before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., and examined by two doctors. Ho was not, however, certified to bo insane, and on May 27 lie was brought before Mr Bishop and charged with having attempted to escape. Mr Cleary did not press tho charge against him. Ho promised not to attempt to abscond again, and the Magistrate, with a, few words of counsel, convicted and discharged him. His second effort to escape lias revived tho suspicions as to his sanity, and it is probable that ho will again bo medically examined.