DETERMINED TO BE FREE

Otago Witness, Issue 3334, 6 February 1918, Page 25

DETERMINED TO BE FREE

A MENTAL PATIENT ESCAPES FROM CUSTODY. . L AUCKLAND, January 30. Joseph Thomas Christie, who escaped from Avondale Mental Hospital and who was captured at Patea, was taken to Wellington and charged there with theft, etc. He was being conveyed to Auckland by the Main Trunk express this morning, in company with another prisoner, in charge of two constables. As tho'' train was approaching the suburbs Christie asked permission to enter the lavatory. This was granted. Shortly afterwards suspicion was aroused, and investigation showed that Christie had got through tne lavatory window and escaped. The train was going sknvlv at the time, and the prisoner was'proba.blv uninjured. So far there is no trace of him. February 2. Joseph Thomas Christie, who escaped from custody, on the Main Trunk express on Wednesday, was recaptured at noon to day. Two detectives received information that Christie had been seen in qne of the suburbs, and discovered him walking along the road. Ho surrendered without a struggle, and was taken to the Mental Hospital. Ho had been living on poultry and vegetables which ho had obtained from residences. He cooked his food in a Maori oven. A SINGULAR RECORD. Christie, it will bo remembered, was the soldier who, when being brought down from Wellington on tho Maori to the Lyttelton Gaol, jumped overboard opposite Ripa Island and mado a sensational swim for the coast. After his capture the same day, and spending some time at the Lyttelton prison, he was transferred with other prisoners to Auckland, where he developed symptoms of insanity, and subsequently was removed to the Avondale Mental Hospital, from whore he also escaped some three weeks ago, and remained at liberty until ho was recaptured at Patea. During the time he was free ho is alleged to have committed a series of robberies and forgeries, for which ho appeared at the Wellington Cotirt, and was being conducted to Auckland at the time of hi 3 escape. In 1911, whilst being convoyed from Dunedin to Invercargill, to serve two years 1 reformatorv treatment, he escaped from the warder by jumping off the train, and managed to make his way to Hamilton before lieing recaptured. It is stated that he is an extremely clever young man, and has mastered the trick of jumping off trains whilst in motion at paoofcically anv speed. On one occasion ho threw himself headloncr throuph tho window and landed unscratched. He had two sentences of five years each to serve, but was released on a license so as to enable him to enlist. Whilst in samp he studied and passed his

examination for a commission in tb machine gun section.