ESCAPE FROM A MENTAL HOSPITAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 24

ESCAPE FROM A MENTAL HOSPITAL.

AUCKLAND, May 8. Joseph Thomas Christie, /who escaped through the window of his coll from the Avondalo Mental Hospital on Monday, wa3 recaptured by a constable at Papakura.

Possessed of a cool head and undeniable nerve, Christie has of late earned notoriety as a gaol and mental-hospital breaker. Ho has a record of several convictions. He escaped from Burnham to begin with, and in July, 1913, escaped from gaol in Auckland. On the voyage to Christchurch to answer charges after having been sentenced to two years' hard labour for theft and declared an habitual criminal in Wellington, he jumped overboard from the Maori in Lyttelton Harbour, but waij recaptured. On December 11 Christ io escaped from Avondalc Mental Hospital, whither he had been conveyed from gaol, after being certified mentally defective. His criminal career was characterised by much skill in hoodwinking people. Christie is an expert motor cyclist, and h.'s specialty seems to be the fraudulent obtaining of motor cycles, his plausible manner and effectivo use of a cheque book bring his stock-in-trade in this direction. Whilft'- being escorted to Auckland by train on January 30, Christie managed to elude his captors, and was at large for some days.