DARING ESCAPE FROM TIMARU GAOL.

North Otago Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 6630, 1 May 1888, Page 3

DARING ESCAPE FROM TIMARU GAOL.

A. food deal of excitement wan ocoa•loned in town on So'urdfty by thu rapid circulation of the ncwu that Jonathan Robert*, «»ntono»d on Tueoday lust to fire years' imprisonment for horse-o'ealin!?, bad made hi* e^po from tho Tlmnrn gaol. H« who thtre waiting the Gov/irDor'o warrant for hi* transf^r^nc to Lyttelton gaol, as aluo wob "Paddy S'une." Mr Swan fel f keenly tbo woiehf, of reopon«ibili»y tbit r«»fed up>n him in bating two offtfffder* of their calibre, if ©no may me the terra, thrusb on bin haa'ls, and eflp8oi»lly in tho c»*e of Paddy Sblna wn? he vigilant and oaroful, being disposed to •apeot an attempt at escape on his part. It i* the anezpeo'od thti generally hap ptng, how«ver, and so It wri in thio o»iB0. I>, »ppcß« that Boborti w»« voder look •nd key in tbs morning h« utiuil, md th^ wurdrr wenf, In puriuanoo of his daty, to open the cell door and let him oat for cxerclie In tbe oarridor. He forgot, hovrerer, to <Slo«e «iid «oour« the door fco the «orridor and th»t op»»iing to tho ground* ; tboio Wr,ro open, and tho moment iho warder open«d tbu ceil door Ro orio dar!»d ouf, pa'eoii tbe olnnefc, where the clothes were kopt, and oecurod a cult of |popper and «»lt oiotbes, end rushed ouUn full yiew of Mr Sttao, wbo, of eonrso flow after him soroia the belt, »nd in tho direction of Saltwater O-eek. Sosing, howorer, that Robert^ who U a noted runnf-r and Rthlotp, woo goinio^ ground rapidly, Mr Swan wisely r<-turnod to tbo gaol, and informed tho polioo by toiophono of the ocoarrenc». Almoot at tn^t moan nt Captoln Hume, Innpoofor of Pciflono, who happened to b« in Titnaru, arrived to mr.ke »d impeotion of tho u&o\, and Mr Swan bad to follow up bi« s>tln<a'i<in to tbe officer with the tidings of "on •se*p«." O»pUin Bumo immediately held an enquiry, and his report was forwarded to Gomnment by the expreag on Saturday afternoon. Its contents arc private, but wo Irnrn thit the t? ardor on du»y tendered hi« roiignatioo at onoo, which Captain Hume deolined to then re#»ire. Meanwhile at tho police-isUiion til! vr»» buitlo *t»d attiYity. Mounted Oon»table Bradahaw and Detective Kirby wore fpiedlly in tbo onddle, and Sorgtnnt LivlDCßtona and Co»»ts»bleB O'Dnnohue and K^nny w«nt ofl in pl«ln oloiheß, Rod an boar or two later Serean'.-MojorMauon also mounted and started in pursuit, Roberta' prison olotheis wore found not many harjdr&d yard* from the gaol by a late warder (Mr Durkli>), and ono or two j penrona were enoountorcd who bad r gUmpse of bira, bat no informfttion was avalJttble by which hla dintination oould bo dit»rnolnecl. Word w«» sent to every police itation in tho oolonr, and a full de•eriptloD of the aicape© was furninbed. The arrival aDd departure of nil trainn in this police diotriot wat) also ouefully watched, end during tbe 'Jay the country ail round wai acoared ie every tlirecii^". But no sign of tha eioaped prisoner ooald bofoood, Teaterday also wa» spent in an uaele*» bun*, and when night came on lltil th* police, with tbt exception of Detective 3Sjrby, returned to towo, On enquiry at the police ifation Into on Sunday ni;{ht, the reply again wai " He'a itill Ml lar/ze." Tho March will be reiu^*'l with un*>»ted vlgoc thii morning.