ATTEMPT TO BREAK PRISON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2688, 20 September 1905, Page 11

ATTEMPT TO BREAK PRISON.

INVERCARGILL, September 12.

Harry Hart, a prisoner serving a sentence of four years for various offences, tried to break gaol yesterday. While Ihe warder's attention was dnerted he. with ihe aid of the window bars, scrambled up the angle of the court yard, and had got, on top of a 14ft iron fence with serrated edge, when the warders sighted him and brought him down by threats to shoot. Hart" had provided himself with a roller towol to navigate the teeth of the fence. Hart is a married man, has served sentences in the north for forgery and bicycle stealing, and on several occasions has tried to escape from constables. He is a man of athletic build. Those in a position to know state that the man is more fool than criminal. He was charged this afternoon j with attempting to escape from gaol and ; breaking- a window in tho prison. He pieaded " Not guilty," but gave evidence on oath that he did not mean to escape, but to ventilate alleg-ed grievances. He had been put to hard labour, which he was not used to, and had done his best. One cold morning while shovelling he laid down the shovel to restore circulation in his hands. The warder said he would charge him with loitering and disobedience. For thai he got six days on bread and water. He admitted he had done hard labo.ur in Auckland. ,At Lyttelton Gaol he worked at the trade of tailoring. Mr M'Carthy. S.M.. ordered that Hart? forfeit marksj to an extent that would have taken a year off his sentences^