PLOT TO BREAK GAOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1924, Page 6

PLOT TO BREAK GAOL.

ELABORATE PLANS LAID. ATTEMPT TO BRIBE WARDER. THE SCHEME FRUSTRATED. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 31, 11.5 p.m. Melbourne, Jan. 31. In connection with the alleged attempt to rescue a prisoner from gaol recently, “Squizzy” Taylor, Michael Costello, Albert Anns, Charles Toolin, and Thomas Taylor were before the court on charges of unlawfully conspiring to aid Angus Murray to escape from the Melbourne gaol. Costello is a warder who was dismissed from the gaol shortly before the discovery of the plot, and Toolin is a clerk employed ■by a well-known firm of solicitors. He had frequent access to Murray in a professional capacity. The Crown Prosecutor, outlining the case, said that on January 3 Costello approached another warder named Gleeson, and said if he would arrange to go sick the following Saturday he would give him £lO. Gleeson neither agreed nor declined, but arrived a few minutes late on Saturday. Nothing occurred, but the following Wednesday Costello asked him to go to an hotel, where he would hear something to his advantage He went there and met all the accused. Before the meeting he had informed the chief warder what had occurred.

Later Costello told him there was a plot to release Angus Murray and he (Costello) would go Gleeson halves in what they received. At the hotel plans were arranged for the escape, when two men were to throw a rope ladder over the gaol wall and secure Gleeson and Costello, neither of whom would resist. Costello was to show where the keys were hung and then show the men the position of Murray’s cell, after which he would be locked up. Another temporary warder was prevailed on by Costello to change shifts, but the governor of the gaol refused to have two temporary warders on duty at the same time. This threw the plans into confusion and the plans were again altered. The escape was then timed for early on Sunday morning, Gleeson all the time keeping the gaol authorities apprised of everything going on. “Squizzy” Taylor had also arranged for three prisoners in gaol to help in the escape. One of them was Kelly, who was tried in the Overall case, another was awaiting trial on a charge of murder and the third was an indeterminate prisoner.

When the motor-car arrived outside the gaol as arranged the police arrested the driver and another man, while at the sane time Murray was taken from the exercise yard to his cell.