CONVICT ESCAPES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 833, 5 August 1933, Page 9

CONVICT ESCAPES.

Man Who Was Sentenced in Christchurch. M'KAY ELUDES WARDERS. Per Fiese Association. AUCKLAND, August 5. William Henry Charles M’Kay, alias Beaumont, Sinclair, Freede and Kessel, escaped from warders at Mercer this morning while being escorted from Wanganui to Auckland. lie escaped just as the train was leaving. M’Kay, who is an habitual criminal, is identical with Joseph Gordon Lamb, who, on July 31 at Christchurch, was i sentenced to six months’ imprisonment I for theft, following the exposure of an attempt to hoax charitable organisations in Christchurch. In Christchurch on Monday last, Henry William Charles McKay, known to some Christchurch people as Joseph Gordon Lamb, was sent to prison on charges of theft, obtaining credit by fraud and breaking the terms of his release on probation. A little more than a week earlier he was posing in the city as a man of altruistic principles, who was ready to befriend the poor and needy. Last Monday the impostor was disclosed as an habitual criminal. The police sheet gave his age as twenty-nine years and his occupation as that of labourer. “You will probably remember the circumstances under which this man was arrested.” said Chief-Detective W. H. Dunlop in addressing the Court. “Your remarks when accused was last before the Court were borne out by the inquiries that were made. lie proved to be no stranger to the courts. It has been found that accused is an habitual criminal.” The chief detective added that accused’s proper name was McKay, and he had several aliases. He was released on probation from the Auckland prison on April 6. and since April 14, when he last reported, the police had lost track of him. While staying at Warner’s Hotel he was interviewed by detectives and his explanation of his presence there was so unsatisfactory that he was arrested and charged with obtaining credit by fraud. Subsequently, he was charged with theft. On the charge of theft McKay was I sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, for obtaining credit by fraud he was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, and for the breach of the terms of his release on probation he was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.