The Lighter Side of Prison Life

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 1, 6 January 1909, Page 44

The Lighter Side of Prison Life

By

LONG SENTENCE.

VIII.—ESCAPES

So far nothing has been said of escapes, or attempted escapes. With warders ordinarily vigilant, it is almost impossible for prisoners to escape from Mount Eden Gaol, unlegs doors are left open for them. Of course, years ago. when there was only the old wooden building, Plummer escaped over and over again. But since the present stone building was occupied few attempts have been made. Some twelve or fourteen years ago a man named Ally escaped by’ placing a long plank, which had been inadvertently left near, against the stone wall. One New Year’s Day. when only half the warders were on duty, he crawled up the plank on hands and knees, and dropped sixteen feet on to the road on the other side without being observed. As he was awaiting trial, he was in his own clothes, ami so did not attract notice. After being at. large three or four weeks, he was captured in the Domain. Alley had previously done a three years’ s ntence for safe-breaking, during which time he had attracted the attention of the late Archdeacon Dudley, and of several of the other regular visitors to the prison.

On release he had been assisted in getting work by some of those kind people. He, hoM-ever, soon went wrong “gain, and Mas arrested. A morning or two later he escaped from the police yard, hid himself during the day. and about 7 p.m. called on bis friend, the Archdeacon. Why he did tliis he could never explain, except on the supposition that he was temporarily insane. The Archdeacon was very humane, very kind, but he Mas what in any but a parson Mould be called “a bit fly.” The police Mere promptly communicated with by telephone, and before Alley had time to unbosom himself they Mere on the scene, and he Mas again in custody. He Mas committed, and it Mas while waiting trial that he escaped over the gaol wall. When captured he was sentenced at the Supreme Court, and transferred to New Plymouth, from which gaol he again escaped M’ith two others, only’ to be again caught. The only other attempts at escape worthy of record were those by Ash and Say. Allusion has already been made in another paper to the object which induced these two men to meditate

ing The patience and ingenuity they displayed *or thy of the cause of freedom. They were not too goad friend*. Sometime* they worked together, sometime* alone. Ash was a small, active, excitable man. plucky and determined, but ghen to “goosing Say was a large man, with a quiet, Impressive manner and alow of speech. Ash'* first attempt involved getting into the punishment cells. To do thia he had to commit himself in such a manner that not only would he lie punished, but would be kept there for *oiue time to enable him to work. Eventually he succeeded in getting there. By *ome extraordinary oversight,

while the doors of the first part of the stone building erected were of iron, the doors of the eastern Ming, including the punishment cells. Mere of wood, the penels running diagonally. Ash had managed to get possession of what is known as an American hack-saw (something like a fret-saw). When ready, he easilyworked a liole through his door, and set to work to saw down the diagonal groove where the wood was thinnest. He could hardly* hope to cut through in one night, as he could only work between the intervals in the night watchman*, rounds. He calculated that by cutting along the groove, and filling in the back cut with bread, as the cell was dark, it would not be noticed. Nor was it. His saw made little noise, but luck Mas against him. The night watchman, prowling round in Mhat are known as “sneaks.” Mas not heard; he threw the bull’s-eye on to Ash’s door, when the glint of the Morking saw shone out. That finished it. and Ash’s desire to get into solitary Mas explained. Mr Severne Mas called, and, the story goes, he and the Matchman sat dow*n noiselessly, and were surprised to sechow rapidly the saw did its work. The first intimation Ash had that he was discovered was a quiet voice saying, “You can finish some other time, Ash.” Had Ash got out of his cell unobserved there is little doubt but he Mould have got over the Mall and away. Say from the time of his arrival was carefully watched, as he had the reputation of previously attempting escape, and he was known to be fretting over his sentence. His first attempt in Mount Eden was by getting a fellow-prisoner. Mho wag painting about his cell, to prepare his lock. Cell locks are fixed on the outside of the door, and can only’ be opened from that side. The painter friend, M-ith a brace and bit, through the key-hole, bored a hole through the back of the lock and through the door, plug ging it immediately with putty the colour of the door. The belief was that Say could then pick the lock from the inside, lot himself out, obtain the keys from the office, let tuo or three others out, and escape. Bludgeons, tools and clothes were found hidden in the corridor. However. it did not come off; the picklock would not work; it made some noise; the night-watchman heard it. and Say was removed to other quarters. A combined and desperate attempt to escape was made later by Ash and Say, some others assisting them. This would certainly’ have succeeded as far as Ash was concerned, but for a piece of bad luck. It Mas while Ash, Say and four or five others were in separate confinement that, the plan was formed, and carried out as far as it went. One midday the whole prison was disturbed by* the smashing of windows, cell furniture, and hammering on doors in the solitary* cells. On the warders attemptting to enter, it w*as found that the doors that open in w’ere barricaded and could not be opened without a deal of force being used. There were four cells in this condition, all facing the Khyber Pass-road. The inmates were making a hideous noise. Mr. Severne. instead of troubling about the doors, quietly settled dow n to a siege determined to starve them out. The besieged had laid in a small quantity of provisions, so the siege went on for several days. Extra warders were put on that part of the prison, and a second watchman at night. At intervals the men made a good deal of noise, but tiie officials appeared to have no idea what their real intention was. On the third or fourth night, in the face of the extra care that was taken, Ash got through window unobserved, and would have been over the outer wall, liafi not the rope, made out of strips of blanket by which he was pulling himself up. broken, and one of the watchmen heard the fall. Say was too heavy or too large, and did not get through his window. The occupants of the other two cells only* joined in the noise, and in breaking up things, evidently’ with the idea of putting the authorities off what was really going on.

The window* of the punishment cell a are protected on the inside bv plate* of perforated sheet iron. Then there is the glass <einented into the stonework, and outride two bar* of lin. iron also Axed with cement into the jambs. The ceil furniture coaaiated of a plat form made of inch timber placed in the centre of th* cell, and intended to sleep on, and aom enamelled tin ware. The one tool the men had, as far a-» could he discovered, was the handle of their water jug. a piece of three eights inch round iron, and with this they worked at their plank beds until 4hey were able to prize off the

board*. hoards were then turned into battering ram* to »ma»h the window gratings and gla*r. Then with the iron handles from the water jug* the crmen ua* gradually picked out of the hole* m which the bar* ware fixed. When ready to go, one bar in each window wa» prised out with a piece of board UM-d a* a lever. Ash deserved hi* freedom fur hi* attempt, and but for too much haste making his rope out of torn-up blankets, he would have got away. To get hl* rope over tae wall a stone waa attached to one end, which was thrown over when glass was cemented into the top of the

vsl|. The £i*»a with the weight of tha •tune, prevented it from slipping. So ended the only attempt* at from Mount Eden wurthv of mention since Hummer’s time. After this last failure A»h and Say settled duwn and gave no further trouble. Probably inducement* of »ome kind were held out to them. There may he some Aii'-k landers whs will remember some-verse* by the inimitable fliatcuer. on Captain Eyre and Plummer, to the tune o f •• \\ h«-u Johnny -T-mea marching home.”