MURPHY MANACLED.

NZ Truth, Issue 217, 21 August 1909, Page 10

MURPHY MANACLED.

A Criminal's Desperate Act. James George Murphy is a young man of 25, whose blaclt hair is thickly streaKt<l with silver, and whose short history has been turbulent and strenuous. He pleaded guilty m Christchurch Suprrme Court to two charges of theft ana escaping from custody, and mentioned to his Honor that he was a youug mat upon ■whom a chance wouldn't be thrown away. "If you deal leniently with me," he Baifl, "I'll endeavor to lead a straight life m future." Murphy is the man who made the sensational leap for life from a train a short while bacK, and led Hie police and the country side a nice dance before he was recaptured. According to the Crown Prosecutor, Murphy was on inmate of Seacliß Asylum, from which institution he escaped, and during his short liberty lie broke into houses lo olitain supplies. When captured he was heing brought by train to Christchurch, and jumped, off the- carriage platform as

the train was going at full speed. It \vas"j expected to find the mangled corpse of the young man on the track, but Murphy "was never so much alive and ELUDED PURSUIT FOR SOME TIMK. In the opinion of tiic Crown, Murphy, who might now be brought under the provisions of the Habitual Criminals Act, was mentally weak. His Honor read over a list of Murphy's previous convictions, including two thefts at Masterton, and all within the past 18 months, and the accused acknowledged that they were cor- ■ rect. "I'm only a young man," he re : liberated, i: and I was never m .eaol unii: • I got into bad company m Wcllin^Ui, lin connection with these two charges last year." His people were willing to send him' to Australia, where he had been working before on a farm. Judge Denniston refrained from declaring, Murphy an habitual criminal, sentencing him to six months' gaol for escaping from custody, and twelve months lor theft — eighteen months m all.