Rudolph Radka.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6421, 14 December 1888, Page 3

Rudolph Radka.

I THE WHOLE STORY OF HIS ESCAPE.

[Spkciai, to the "Stab."J INVEBCASQILL, Dec. 13. At the Police Court to-day, before Mr H. M'Culloch, E.M., Eudolph Kadka was charged with, having wilfully and unlawfully escaped from Her Majesty's prison at Invercargill. Accused was not represented by counsel. The gaoler deposed that the prisoner was received into Invercargill Gaol on Sept. 11, and committed for trial

on a charge of arson. On the sight of Sept. 23, at 10 p.m., it was reported to him that all was correct by the officer on duty. At 5.30 a.m. on Sept, 24, he visited accused's cell, and found that he had escaped and was at liberty till he gave himself up at 11.30 a.m. yesterday. In reply to his Worship, Gaoler Bratby said that at 4.30 p.m. on Sept. 23, the indicator represented the cefl. as being locked, but from an examination made on the following morning he found that the indicator had been tampered with, bo that when it appeared to show the cell locked, it was in reality unlocked. In. his opinion, Badka did not tamper with the lock j someone else did it for him. Sergeant-Major Ramsay deposed that on Dec. 12 the prisoner walked into the Supreme Court-room. Constable Frefcwell, •who was standing at the door, tapped him on the shoulder, and witness afterwards arrested him. Inspector Moore said that the police had been put to a lot of expense in prosecuting the search for accused. His Worship then asked if he had anything to say. Badka, who pleaded " Guilty," said that the cell door was left open. They all told Mm in gaol thafrao bail would be allowed, so he thought he would escape till the trial came on, and then give himself up— which he had done. It was going on for the third week of his confinement when he .escaped, and no bail had been granted. Hia Worship said the case was quite clear, as accused was guilty on his own admission. The penalty provided by the statute waß imprisonment with hard labour for any period not exceeding one year. Accused had certainly given himself up, but that might have been because he had no chance of escape. Inspector Moore said that every boat had been watched, and it was practically impossible for Badka to have left New Zealand. His Worship said he would inflict such punishment as would deter others from following Eadka's example. Accused would be sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour. [Badka was acquitted of the charge of arson, on which he had been originally I committed for trial, amid the applause of the spectators in the Court.]