ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3034, 8 May 1912, Page 81

ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.

AUCKLAND, May 1. A youth named Joseph Christie, with a long list of convictions for theft and house-breaking, attempted to escape from the Mount Eden Gaol yesterday in » novel manner. His cell window is barred out<side, and has a pane of glass inside the bars. He made an unsuccessful endeavour to silently get the glass out of the way, but was detected, and investigation showed his unusual ingenuity. The use of a blowpipe to heat the glass and the sudden application of a cold sponge is the method known to cracksmen for the silent removal of glass in any shape or size from windows. Christie evidently was aware of this, and though he had no blowpipe he managed to get hold of a candle-end and the stem of a clay pipe, and with these as an improvised blowpipe he endeavoured to silently cut out the portion of the window protecting the cell bars. He had not, however, tho wherewithal for the cold application to the heated glass, and in experimenting to arrive at an efficient substitute he broke the glass noisily and precipitated his detection. This morning he was brought before Mr Cutten, S.M., and was sentenced to seven days' clcse confinement.