Comments on Passing Events.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2028, 9 February 1887, Page 2

Comments on Passing Events.

Wellington, Feb 7. The Escaped Convict. One of the chief subjects of conversation daring the last week has been the escape of Crabtree from gaol. Ido not think that an; prisoner has ever had such sympathetic feeling extended towards him as Crabtree. I heard hundreds of people express the hope that he would escape, and that if they had come across him they would have given him a meal and asked no questions. This feeling arises from two things— one, that he has received a sentence oat of all proportion to his crime ; and the other, that he has displayed a smartness and activity which would have gained lor him rich rewards if only directed in the proper channel. However, it is very few men who could display the same amount of coolness and accomplish so much in a few days. He gets out of gaol, knocks about the town and suburbs, gets two changes of clothes, some cash, and about £2OO worth of jewellery ; goes into a public house and has a glass of beer, goes to a Salvation Army meeting, has a cup of coffee at a refreshment stall while a policeman is standing by, and walks about town like an ordinary citizen, passing the gaol warders on several occasions. This was all done in the face of the whole police force and A.C. force being on his track, or rather trying to be. I was aroused the other night by a hue and cry, and on looking out saw Crabtree, or what I supposed was him, making over fences in the most approved style with a large number of policemen after him, which caused not a little excitement round the neighbourhood. It was a matter of wonderment how he escaped, but I understand that he jumped over the suspension bridge near Featherston Terrace, and vanished from sight like an apparition. This suspension bridge covers a gully about forty or fifty feet deep with any amount of shrub, bery at the bottom. It is no wonder that he was so much shaken that he is at present in the hospital and that be was so easily captured by Detective Campbell. Those who did not see him in the belltopper, white shirt, &c., the property of the ez>underSecretary for Public Works, Mr John Euowles, have inquired as to how much he resembled that gentleman ; it is evident he did not resemble him enough to evade cap* tare. As be had been at the Army meeting, it is quite in keeping with his cool audacity that he was going to occupy a box at the theatre when Detective Campbell put a stop to any further enjoyment. 1 did hear on what was considered good authority that he had an income equal to £6 a week, which is enjoyed by his wife. If there is any truth in this rumor it must be more of a mania than a vice for him to steal. Apart from all sentiment there is a good deal of truth in what Crabtree says himself, that be has been onjustly sentenced. The penalties attached to horse stealing were of coarse in the first place taken from the English Statute Book, and apparently have nevsr been amended since the establishment of law in this conns try. Possibly, in England, the penalty of ten years’ imprisonment may not be considered too much for stealing a thousand guinea horse, but to sentence a man to ten years for borrowing and forgetting to return a thirty shilling “ weed " is not in accordance with justice, and altogether out of proportion to other cases We have a man getting five years’ imprisonment for appropriating to himself the sum of £dO,UOO, ruining several families and generally causing distress, with no possible chance ot it over being returned to the owner, while another gets double the punishment fot one horse which is returnable in nearly every instance. There is no country iu tire world where such a strong feeling exists that the punishments enacted by law are too severe, than iu New Zealand, and it is ouiy a wonder that uu alteration has not been made long since. From the remarks that have been passed in this case mid in others by hundreds of people it would sesm to indicate that .10 per cent, all lound should bo, generally speaking, taken ell sentences imposed ; iu some cases it would possibly be as well to put some on. This leniency exists so strong that jurymen have found a verdict of not guilty sooner than sec a heavy sentence passed on a prisoner, as was witnessed at the Criminal Sessions before hist at Wellington. It is not a popular subject to take up—prisoners not having any votes so tlie subject is allowed to work out its own destiny by the course of events, while our legislators busy themselves with something more practical in the shape of getting money to make roads, Ac., in their districts in exchange (or votes at the next electron. Colonial.