THE ESCAPE OF PRISONERS LYTTLETON.

Poverty Bay Herald, 18 October 1879, Page 2

THE ESCAPE OF PRISONERS LYTTLETON.

Further particulars of the attem^H escape of prisoners at Lyttelton^H Monday are that the three men bo^H just as the gang were approacl^H Exeter street from Soames' r^H Prisoners James and Thompson (^H the Press) made off in the directioi^H Salt's Gully, and were pursued warders Pritchard and Milling^^B Thomson, who succeeded in get^H away about 300 yards was covered Pritohard's rifle, and, when called Uj^H was in Mr. Hough's garden challenge of the warder brought to, and he signified his aoquiescence^M throwing himself upon the grou^H He was conveyed back quietly to gang. James succeeded in getting far as Jackson's road, where he vH encountered unexpectedly Mr. JoH Williams, a fisherman, who at onfl showed fight. James 'endeavoured to put his antagonist out of the contest with a stone about two pounds weight, whiohhe threw, and f just grazed Mr. Williams' head. Williams then closed with the < convict, threw him to the ground, and held him until Mr. .Joseph Graham came to his assistance. James, even then, ■ struggled desperately against the heavy odds. Warder Millington, who was ,in pursuit of the man, then came up, and James was taken to gaol by his two captors and the warder. The third prisoner, Irvin, a smart runner, made in the direction of the English cemetery and the hills, and got a good way, but was out-generalled very oleverly by Warder Adams and brought in. It is reported that the gaol authorities suspected that an attempt would be made, and the moment the break occurred in the gang the muzzles of the Snider rifles were exposed to the view of the remainder oi the prisoners. There were, probably fifty prisoners in the gang and but six or seven overseers. No surprise at the occurrence is expressed by the Lyttelton people, the common view being that it was the highly probable result of an inadequate staff of warders.