A DASH FOR LIBERTY. ATTEMPTED ESCAPE BY TWO -PRISONERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2330, 27 October 1898, Page 20

A DASH FOR LIBERTY. ATTEMPTED ESCAPE BY TWO - PRISONERS.

On Monday morning a somewhat serious caso of prison-breaking by two convicts, named James Northey and Henry Jeffard, occurred at the Otago Heads. Part of the artillery barracks erected within the fortifications ha.s for some time past been used as a gaol, and affords accommodation to the convicts engaged in road-making and fortifying that part of the Peninsula. The prison gang left the gaol at the usual time, and proceeded to their work at the Harrington Point battery and at the jetty just below, which is being strengthened witli new piles. At 9.30 a.m. the convicts were working in three parties. One, in charge of the senior warder, was pile-driving on the ietty ; a second was making a road into the fort ; and the others were working inside the fort. From the latter party the men escaped. About the time above stated the black flag indicating the escape of the prisoners was hoisted. The Government launch s.s. Gordon, bringing a relieving senior warder, two artillerymen on furlough, and the clerk of the works, was just rounding the Spit. The report rapidly circulated that two " longtimers " had effected an escape. The Gordon was soon at the ietty, and all hands scattered over the hill, along the beach, and through tho buph. in diligent search. 'Meanwhile the other convicts, numbering about a score, had been sharply mustered, and were being marched back to their gaol, under guard. The search party consisted of four warders, nine artillerymen, two of the Torpedo Corps, and asi many of the pilot's crew as could be spared, and four or five others, the whole force numbering about 25 able-bodied men. Corporal Richdale collected the artillerymen from different gun-pits, where they were at work, and started them off within 10 minutes of the alarm — at 9.40 a.m. Most of the pursuers were armed, some with rifles, and some with revolvers, while others were provided with axe-handles from the prisoners' workshop. It was considered necessary to take these precautions, owing to the dange •- ous character of the men they had to capture. The s.s. Gordon kept out in the channel, taking a course which commanded a view of the beach and of the hill above. Very soon King, the engineer, spied two men in gaol clothes

creeping through scrub on the hill above the point, and indicated the direction to Mr Sharp, who commands the launch. He quickly got his glasses on them, and blew the steam whistle. This alarmed the convicts, who instantly dived into the thicker bush. Unfortunately, the sound of the whistle drew away the attention of Warder Murray, who, armed with a loaded rifle, was within a few yards of the spot where the escaped prisoners were seen. On the top of the hill there is a farm owned by Natives, and here the artillerymen concentrated their attention. They were to be seen hurrying here and there searching the Natives' dwellings and outhouses, and scouring tho open country. Mr Riordan, the senior warder, fortunately, had instructed Gunner Lynch to hasten to a particular point, and, in S accordance with his directions, he and Gunner Edward Porteous kept along the western slope, making for a high point on the narrow part of the Peninsula, where the sand drifts have reached the highest point. Here they came upon the convicts crossing the high, weatherbeaten knob which forms a prominent landmark there. They were making for the sea beach or settlers' houses at Pipi Karat. _ Convict Northey assumed a threatening altitude, holding a heavy stone in one hand ; but Gunner Lynch called out, "Now, drop that, drop that, and come along ; we'll stand no humj bug." Thereupon Northey dropped the stone, I and both gave themselves up without resisti ance. I The party was soon reinforced by three I -more artillerymen and' a warder. Under this strong escort they were marched back to gaol, the artillerymen marching two in front and three behind, and the warder, with loaded rifle, at the side. This smart capture having taken only an hour, and having been accomplished without discharge of firearms, reflects much credit on all concerned, and it is felt that Corporal Richdale and his men deserve recognition in the matter. The black flag is always hoisted at the place where prisoners are working when a man is found to be missing. In this case the flag is in view of the signalman at the heads, who is in telephonic communication with the prison authorities in Dunedin. Mr Phillips, the gaoler, was immediately informed of the esI cape, and, communicating with the police, j starch parties were organised for the Peninsula

J and other parts, and had already started off , when news of the capture arrived. The escape was skilfully niade, considering the fact that both men were always kept trade? close watch. At the time they got away ono was engaged boiling tar, and wont a few yards away to get chips for the fire, and the other, i a few minutes before he was missed, had been seen getting grease to lubricate the axle o£ his wheelbarrow. Immediately after dinner, the gang returned from the gaol to their work, and the culprits, handcuffed together,' were brought by the Government launch to Porb Chalmers, and came on to Dunedin by the 4 p.m. train. James Northey, who is quite a young man, was born and brought up in Lyttelton. As a boy he was very much neglected, and from want of parental control soon acquired bad habits. He was sentenced on May 31, 1897, to three years' imprisonment for housebreaking. Only last year Northey' s sentence was lengthened by 12 months for a similar offence. He had been fighting in the gaol, and was committed to the "digger" — i.e., solitary confinement in a dark strong cell. In the dead of night, with a knife that he had successfully secreted about his person, he tried to cut his way through the solid woodwork that holds the iron bars above the door. The night watchman, hearing a faint noise of cutting or chipping of wood, something like that of a rat at work, took off his boots and with noiseless tread crept to the door of the cell, and. opening the trap door, flashed in his lantern, which there revealed evident tokens of the industry of the unwilling occupant. Northey id considered quite a_ desperate character. ' Henry Jeffard, the other prisoner, is under a sentence of five years' imprisonment for the robbery of over £100 from a schoolmaster named Bell, who was residing at the Leviathan Hotel. . '

The entries for the Timaru Show next week total 735, against 557 for last year. Mr H. J. Taperell, late of "Wellington, was immediately upon his return to New Soutli Wales reinstated in his old position on the editorial staff of the Sydney Daily Telegraph. There are now 34 centenarians in Europe, of whom 23 are women. Statistics show that for every two male centenarians living during the last 10 years there have always been three females over 100 years of age.