A DARING CHARACTER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 210, 5 September 1896, Page 2

A DARING CHARACTER.

ATTEMPT BY A SECOND PRISONER.

THE MAN SHOT BY A WARDER.

Considerable excitement was created in the city early hist evening when it boeamo known that William Anderson, alias Arthur Eloyd, ono of tho most daring convicts in tho Rocks Eoad gang, had escaped, and was still at largo, and that another prisoner, in attempting to got away, had boon shot down. It scorns that the prisoner Anderson — just before tho gang knocked oif close upon 5 p.m. — obtained tho permission of the officer in ohargo of liimsolf and two othor prisoners to go and get some tools and bolts which wore required. Tho men woro at the timo at work at tlio filling on the town side of tho basin. Anderson himself was at tho tiphcad whonco ho wont towards tho sheds at tho basin, but instead of gottiug the tools, ho suddenly stepped heliind tho building whero tho men take their meals, and, running up tho stops leading to tho high ground, got away. Warder Molloy, wlio started after him almost immediately, was unablo to find the prisoner, bufc was told by a son of Mr -danders that a man had gone up tho hill towards the ridge above Toi-Toi Valley. AVhile the search was being continued by a warder tho remainder of tho gang woro being marched back to tho gaol. They had reached the cutting near tho residence of Colonel Pitt when a young prisoner namod Alfred Ellis (serving a term of five yoars for breaking and entoring and for forgery) mado a dash away. Ho was twico called upon to stop, but ho took no uotico, and tho warder consequently firod two shots (buck shot), one of which took effect in tlio upper part of tho left arm, and tho otlier in tlio scalp. The second shot brought tho prisoner down, and he was socured. Ho was able to walk — with support — back to tho prison, where Dr Gibbs attended to the wounds, which ho pronounced to bo trilling, and the man will soon bo all right again.

Anderson's oscapo was reported to tho authorities, and search for him lias boon continued I>y tlio police and gaol officials.

Tho escaped prisonor is abont 5 foot 'J inches in height, fresh complexion, brown hair, bluo oyus, has a lino even set of teeth, and is about 40 years of age.

I'wo young women taw a man near the Trafalgar-street bridge last eveuing whom they took to be a prisoner and wondered at the time— not kuowiug of the escape — how he came to ba abont. The man woro white trousers and a brown jumper. This was reported to the police, and Constables McDonald and Kelly were immediately sent out in the direction iudicated to search. Prom this and further traces it is thought thac the man has made oil' in the diiection of Wakapuaka, Had Mr Poynton known of this last night he would havo sent an oflicer to endeavour to intercept Anderson. As it was all the ollicers he could spare lastnigbtand to-day weredespatched iv various directions to search. Last night Sergt. McArdle nnd Constable O'Brien went out Richmond wey. Constables Kelly and Cullinane, both mounted, ecoured the outlying districts to-day. When he escaped Anderson was without a coat, and it is reported that an old coat has been taken from a scarecrow in Toitoi Valley. Ellis, who attempted to get away, was ouly 19 years of age, and hails from Auckland. Ha would have been released in 1898. Warder Bartelman, who shot him and effected his recapture, is the same officer who came upon the scene when Anderson assaulted Warder Molloy in the prison cell some time ago.