THE FRENCH ESCAPEES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8446, 23 July 1888, Page 6

THE FRENCH ESCAPEES.

The French convict Francis, alias Gasparini, was brought before Sir James Prendergast, Acting-Governor, at Government House on Saturday morning, to show cause wby he should "ot be surrendered to the French Consul in accordance with the extradition treaty between England and France.

Mr Gully appeared on behalf of the Crown and Mr Menteath for the French Consul. Mr G. Fisher, Italian Consul, was also present. Mr George Robertson was sworn in as Italian interpreter. Mr Gully said that the evidence would be practically the same as that given in Cary’s case, with the exception that the admissions made by the prisoner were verbal. Viscount do JouTray d’Abbans, French Consol, repeated the principal part of bis evidence of the previous day, and he also produced a record which showed that the prisoner had been sentenced to eight years for larceny and receiving stolen goods.

Detective Walker, of Auckland, stated that he had arrested the accused on the 28th April on a charge of stealing a boat at New Caledonia. When arrested accused made no statement. Witness had seen the prisoner on the 20th in an unoccupied house at Kiugsland, a few miles from Auckland. Witness had some conversation with him then, and ho (prisoner) admitted that he had escaped from New Caledonia. When asked by the witness why he was concealing himself there, ho said be had nowhere else to go. Witness told him that he would keep him fora week until he could find something to do, and he told him to come to the Police Court on the following morning. Witness had no intention of takhjg proceedings at the time, and he had been instructed not to molest the accused. Saw the prisoner at the Court next morning, as ho had been arrested for another offence. Witness executed tho warrant for his arrest on the 28th in gaol, and on the way down to the police station in a cab he had some conversation with him. Ho (witness) asked him how many years did he get in New Caledonia, and he replied 10 years. Witness asked for what offence, and accused said larceny. He also said that he had been there eight years. On the way down from Auckland in the steamer accused told witness that he had got 40 years for escaping, and if he went back he would get 80. Witness remarked that that was more than life; and accused said, “Oh 1 yes, it is two lives.” Accused had been charged with offences in Auckland, but no evidence had been taken. He was now on remand. The prisoner wanted to know how the witness had learned that his name was Gasparini. The witness declined to answer the question, and his Excellency requested the interpreter to inform the .prisoner that she police were not bound to tell how they came by their information, ’ The witness also stated that he had examined the accused, and he had found that he answered the description given by the authorities at New Caledonia, with the exception that his hair was black, and not chestnut, as stated in the description. His Excellency said he was convinced upon the accused’s own admissions that he was the person referred to in the document sent from New Caledonia. But for his own admissions there might have been some difficulty in proving’the case. The accused, in reply to his Excellency, said he had nothing to say. His Excellency said he would have to sign a warrant for the commital of the accused to the Terrace gaol for 15 days, at the expiration of which he would be surrendered over to the French Consul, but in the meantime he could apply to the Supreme Court for a writ of habeas corpus, which meant that his case could be taken before the Court to see whether his Excellenoy had done right in committing him. His Excellency also said the accused would not be surrendered until the charges pending against him by the Auckland authorities had been disposed of. The prisoner wished to know how he could move for a habeas corpus, Mr Fisher said he would attend to that matter. The prisoner was then removed.