Dash For Liberty

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 9

Dash For Liberty

CONVICTS CUT BARBED-WIRE

Sensation in Australia

SENTRY HELD AT SHOT-GUN POINT

A SENSATIONAL escape from prison was effected in South Australia by four dangerous criminals who stole a motorcar, and later a motor-lorry, and replied to police overtures with revolver and shot-gun fire. Two were killed and one was wounded, while the fourth escaped and is still at large. A murder ended a prison drama in Prance, where an escapee shot a woman who had betrayed him.

United P..4. —8y Telegraph —Copyright ADELAIDE, Friday. A sensational escape was made today from Yatala Gaol by four dangerous criminals, William Hayes, 32. Joseph Dawson, 27, John Newehurch. 27, and Arthur Harrison, 27. It ended in two of the men being killed and a third wounded. The fourth Is still at liberty. The men were working in the prison quarry, from which they escaped by cutting the barbed wire entanglements at the side. A warder named Berg was first overpowered and disarmed. A sentry named Strawson was then forced to accompany the men, who jumped into an unattended motor-car and drove rapidly away into the hills in the vicinity of Summerton, 10 miles east of Adelaide. Strawson was made to stand on the running board of the car, one of the criminals covering him with a sawnoff gun, which must have been obtained in a clandestine manner. The car sped along for nearly a mile and then Strawson was tossed off. He was not injured. Eventually a tyre blew out and the four men left the car. They ran into a public school, alarming the children and the teachers.

Some traffic constables then arrived on the scene and shots were exchanged, some of the school windows being broken. There was the utmost excitement on the main north road. The criminals managed to commandeer a motorlorry, in which they drove off. The police had notified all the surrounding districts of the escape and asked storekeepers and garage proprietors by telephone not to supply petrol to anybody until further notice. After luncheon today a party of police intercepted the four criminals at the corner of Barker Road, Enfield. They were challenged to surrender, but replied with shots. The police returned the fire and wounded Dawson, the driver of the lorry, in the head and fatally shot Newehurch —a half-

caste aborigine—and Harrison. Hayes escaped. Harrison and Newehurch had previously escaped from prison, but had been recaptured.

BETRAYED BY COOK

MURDERER RETURNS LATER AND SHOOTS HER AND LOVER Reed. 9.5 a.m. PARIS, Friday. An astonishing prison drama culminated in a double murder with Joseph Giraudot as the central figure. He was arrested for murder in 1926, but escaptid and obtained a position as a kitchen man. He then formed a liason with a cook, Louise Dervaux. They quarrelled and she betrayed him. He was rearrested but escaped again. He ascertained where Louise was employed, shot her dead and also critically wounded a Chinese manservant, who was her lover. Giraudot then surrendered to the police. Fie says he intended to commit suicide, but unfair statements in the newspapers made him reconsider his decision and he decided to defend his honour.

A VIOLENT CALLER

WOMAN THROWS IRON BAR AT CHIEF OF POLICE SYDNEY, Friday. The Chief Commissioner of Police, Mr. G. Childs, on two occasions recently has been threatened with violence by interviewers. On the laßt occasion a woman hurled a bar of iron at the commissioner In his office. Another startling incident is being investigated. A man called on Mr. Childs and said he had been bribed to shoot a certain detective. He handed over a loaded revolver and 100 bank notes, which have been retained pending the outcome of the investigation.