WALKED OUT OF GAOL UNSEEN

NZ Truth, Issue 1233, 18 July 1929, Page 10

WALKED OUT OF GAOL UNSEEN

Left Cell and Coolly Decamped Through Open Boor

AVERY ENJOYED FOUR WEEKS' FREEDOM

(From "N.Z, Truth's'- Special Dunedin Representative).

Early one morning, Wilkin Rainsdon Avery was called from his cell m the Dunedin prison to do some work about the premises. He then saw freedom staring him m the face, and with the laugh on the obliging authorities who had thus provided an. "emergency exit," Avery strolled out through an .open back-gate.

SO it was that he set out on the second episode m a series of criminal escapades for which be must bear the brand of the desperado while yet barely out of his teens. •-.■'-• He has no\y to, appear m the Supreme .Court for sentence on several charges of burglary, and breaking gaol. With bright, piercing dark eyes, thick-set and alert-looking m stature, youngyAvery has not yet attained his ■ twenty-first birthday. .Notwithstand- j ing his youth, he set himself out to defy the law, and launched into .crime with a .succession of offences apparently committed with the careless intrepidity which is reflected ,m. his clear-cut, handsqme features. ; Those who saw young Avery on • horseback, quietly jogging along the road leading into Cave (near Timaru), from Mr. Irving's farm, little dreamt that the lad who sat | m the saddle was about to embark on a desperate and thrilling lapse of law-breaking. Perhaps even the youth himself, as he whisked the r flanks of his mount with the lobse ends of the bridle reins, had no, such intention. Reaching Cave, he tied up his horse, and then entered Mr. Whitta's garage, taking possession ' of a touring car, m which he drove out of. the township.. At noon the; next day he entered Dunedin city and put up at an hotel. Later', he travelled out to Momona, and, evidently with the object of getting the lay of the land, called at a country homestead for petrol. It was evening when Avery made his appearance at the dwelling, and m the course of conversation with the occupants, he learnt that they were just leaving to keep, an appointment. He departed, but afterwards returned to the house, and, by forcing a window, gained an entry. He left the premises ..the richer by a- wristlet watch, camera, wallet and some cash, the whole being worth Over, £10. When ready to leave Dunedin for pastures new, Avery crept stealthily down the. fire-escape at the hotel, stepped into ''his" car, and headed for Carter's -Motors, Ltd; As a result of the youth's nocturnal operations, the police, the following morning, were interested m a rifled office-safe and a section of a car's windscreen, which were found together on the side of the Brighton Road. The next evening Avery was aritested, and, following a remand m the police court, was placed "m custody at the city gaol. ' ; As is the custom m the Dunedin gaol, Avery was allowed to assist m the daily: routine, of cleaning the building. On the day before he was to again appear m the court he was roused early by the gaoler and sent but to his task. j A few minutes later he was hurrying across, the overhead railway bridge, and heading for the waterfront, ..where was berthed the s.s. "Karetu 1 ," awaiting despatch northward: •'■ Gaining the sympathy of members of. the "Karetu's" ,'crew, the fugitive was secreted aboard, and a few day 3 later walked ashore at Lyttelton — apparently, a free man; •■■„• Realising, no doubt, that he must make for the "open spaces," Avery was not slow m making a move.

Walking did not appeal to Wilkin Avery, and with, his eye on the .West Coast, he purloined a cycle. , He must have known that by this time every constable m the Dominion would be posted with his full description, and, with this haunting fear to urge him on, he pedalled a feverish . race across country to Greymouth. There the earthquake disaster held the countryside m turmoil, and officials of the law had other things to think about besides keeping a look-out for) possible escaped prisoners. At Brunnerton, the mines, Ave'ry obtained employment, and for a 'week or two passed, muster with his fellowworkers. But the hand of the law is farr-reaching, and just as the daring young criminal was. beginning to think he had foiled his pursuers, he was interviewed by detectives. .. Just four weeks after his sensational get-away, he was again placed m a cell at the Dunedin gaol. That night, it may be assumed, the prison authorities paid more than ordinary attention to the locking of the back- yard gate! ' ; Called before Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., at the City Police Court, Avery stepped nonchalantly into the dock,' and, with the vestige of a smile disturbing his youthful features, pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him. David Russell Thompson, a motor mechanic, residing at Barbadoes Street,* Christchurch, gave evidence of having left a Morris touring-car at a garage m Cave on May 18. Later, he identified the machine at the Dunedin police station. , He had not since been, able -to use ' the car, which was now ' being repaired at a cost of £60, although the full damage could not be attributed to accused. .'. Donald Ford, of Momona, said' that at about 6 p.m. one evening, Avery called at his place and made a.'purchase of petrol. "I told him I was just going out. He had a motor-car out on the road," said Ford. ■■"•-. ' Later, when he returned home after visiting some friends, Ford, and his family discovered that their house had been burglariously visited. . . .Several witnesses were called m connection with th'e breaking into ; and theft from Carter's Motors, Ltd/ The safe, it was stated, contained' £4/8/in money. Detective Kearton gave evidence to the effect that /he had interviewed Avery oh the, day. following the discovery of the rifled safe m Brighton Road. Accused had then admitted the various. charges alleged against him. In Connection with the gaol-breaking charge, Senior-sergeant Quartermain stated that m ■ th'e'. capacity .of official gaoler at the Dunedin prison, he took charge of Avery on a remand Warrant. Constable Adams, . assistant gaoler, said that early on -the morning of the escape he unlocked accused's cell for the purpose of, allowing him to, 'do work about the prison precinct's. . ' "I saw him at ten past seven, but. on looking for him a' little later I could not find him . .. ■ . The back -gate to the prison yard was open' on' that morning to give access to tradesmen." Avery was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. , '