ESCAPE ALLEGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22983, 10 March 1938, Page 20

ESCAPE ALLEGED

PRISONER ON TRAIN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL [by telegraph—press association] WELLINGTON, "Wednesday Charged with escaping from custody while on a warrant of commitment of a person accused of an indictable offence, William Charles Norman, aged 40, appeared before Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., in the Police Court today. He was committed to the Supreme Court at Palmerston North ifor trial. Evidence was givtin of accused having been committed at Otaki for trial at the Supreme Court, From the time of his committal he remained at the Otaki ?olice station until 9 a.m. on February 5, when ho left under escort for Wellington. He was alleged to have jumped from the train. He was under arrest again by the evening. Describing how he went up to Norman, who was standing at the back of a house' having a cup of tea, Detective G. Hogan said he disclosed his identitv and asked Norman if he had hurt himself when he jumped off the train £or man replied: "Yes, I hurt my head. It has been bleeding. The detective took Norman's hat off and noticed that his head had been cut in two places Norman then said: "I did not jump off the train; I fell off." He declined to make any other comment. When asked how he would plead to the chnrge, accused said ho know nothing abont it, and the magistrate directed this to b<B taken as a plea of not guilty. Papers were placed before accused to sign, hut this he did not do, saying" he could not remember his name. i "If he does not want to sign, he won't sign, but he will be committed all the same," said Mr. Hewitt.