ESCAPE FROM PRISON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1710, 29 December 1919, Page 6

ESCAPE FROM PRISON.

WARDEN BEFORE THE COURT

The prisoner who escaped from Mount Eden gaol, Auckland, on September 29. and was recaptured in Christchurcli about a month latent came before the Auckland Police Court last week to answer for the offence of escaping from legal custody. The accused, 'Robert Dickson Warden (26)- admitted the-offence,,and'- Chief Cooler .'lronside explained,the/circumstances; • lie/stated' that;the cell-in .wlncli : .Warden.-\vas ; :coiifi.n(;d Jiadjaii/Oiitside'v>''uil'()>v:-wh.rchvs'wiuyg.''do>vnr and war fastened h\ \ > bk| : B> some 'saw.the iron" bar ;■ through, :jget •out; of' the , and .'swing'the casement; back.to ;position;so," that .Uie '.interferifriccV^va-Synpt.noticed by.;..the-'guii-d. yiift-h'-soinc/dioui's-. after}"' the. i attud -'escape.' ■ Warden ''made his'way to Christchurch, where ho way recognised by a tram conductor, who had previously known him, and Constable Williams arrested him. War. den made a show of resistance with a revolver, but the constable was not; daunted by the Hashing of t|pc firearm, which was sub-' sequently found tc be unloaded. Warden had come before the Court in tiie South for a breaking and entering offence committed while lie was at large, and had been sentenced to an extra live years' reformatory treatment. This was the second time the prisoner had escaped from custody, as ho had gSt awav from Paparoa prison in 1918. ~'i '

The prisoner mado a pica for leniency, lie stated that he was' subject, to his of mental, aberration, and that it was during one of the*) that.he had effected his escape, lie pointed'out. that-he had""already received prison-punishment sfor' the' breach of discipline* by'' having -had'.2B tlays on broadband water,,in addition to a period; of solitary confinement, lie, hoped to meiuhhis : ways a SJSgf<?ls|]d when. he" 1 liad'tiriislfed fills present' "sentence.'• '■ ' Mr E. Jones, J.P., hoped so, too, but ineantinie formally sentenced Warden to twelve months' imprisoninent, to run .concurrent with his present sentence.