DARING ESCAPE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21576, 22 August 1933, Page 6

DARING ESCAPE

DEPORTED MAN'S LEAP • \ FORTY FEET FROM MARAMA STEPHEN STERIO'S EXPLOIT [fhom oub own correspondent] SYDNEY, Aug. 17 The escapade of Stephen Sterio, the gipsy showman who succeeded in evading the police and the customs, when he reached Sydney by the Marama from Auckland last Monday, is one of the most remarkable in the annals of police history in Australia The man, who had been deported from the Dominion, was to have been welcomed by two police officers, and they were astounded when a quick search of the vessel faded to locate him. For half an hour all the passengers were detained on board. It was reported that he had sat down to lunch before the vessel berthed, and the mystery deepened as the search of the ship became more systematic without producing any results. It was subsequently reported to the police that a small, rowing boat had been seen near the vessel not long before it was berthed, and that it was seen making for the wharf steps with three people on board. It transpired that two boys had been forced by Sterio to assist him in making his daring escape. Sterio could not swim, and he risked his life by jumping 40ft. from the deck of the Mararna and landing almost alongside the small boat. The two boys state: "We were on the look-out for empty bottles when we saw the Marama berthing. We rowed close to the stern, and we asked a man who was leaning over the side if he could get us some empties. He paused for a second, and and then he dashed away. In less than a minute he was back. Ho jumped feet first into the harbour and commenced to flounder about. He could not swim a stroke.

"We pulled over to the man and helped him to get into the boat. 'Get me to the wharf,' he said, and we pulled in the direction of the wharf. Then the man started to strip off his clothes, and we were surprised to see that he had a pair of dungarees, a coat, and an old cap underneath. He threw the wet clothes into the harbour. We said. 'What are you up to?' and he replied that he was a stowaway. " 'You look a bit suspicious to us,' we said, and the man replied, 'You get me to the wharf or I will see that you don't get there either.' He looked like a foreigner and we got the wind up a bit, and although we knew he couldn't swim, and we could, we didn't think of disobeying. We pulled over to a bulkhead and he climbed out of the boat." ... Sterio is known as the man with the "hypnotic eye," and the police say they believe that he did not fear detectives so much as he feared that the customs authorities would not permit him to land in Australia. His escape by such unusual means created consternation in police quarters. It. was a simple but masterly move. So far he has not been discovered. '

A sentence of six months' imprisonment was imposed on Sterio in Auckland on February 16, after accused had admitted four charges of stealing money from four bank officials. Accused was ordered to be deported at the expiration of the sentence.