JONATHAN ROBERTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1867, 14 June 1888, Page 2

JONATHAN ROBERTS.

[CONTEIBCTTED,] This notorious gaol -breaker, who up to the present time has baffled the whole- of the polloe m their endeavours to rooaptuce him, and for whom great sympathy 1b manifested by many settlers, was encountered yesterday by one of those üb'qaltoua Individuals yclept Life Insuranoa agents, In the neighbourhood of Hororata. Roberts, who appeared quite done up, asked for something to eat, saying "I am Roberts, and am starving." A few sandwiches were readify given to him, which speedily disappeared. -Roberta appeared quite at ease, and related hit experiences after leaving the Rlpa "hotel," as he facetiously termed it. ; lie stated that he got Into a goods truck at the Addington atatlon, after untying the corner of the tarpaulin with which Iha truck was covered, the trnok being tioketedfor Bankside station, and travelled by the night goods train, Whilst waiting for the engine to piok him op he received a severe shock, The night porter m going his rounds to ace everything seodre espied the untied rope, and jumped op on the track to .make it seoarey nearly treading on the unfortunate tonaway, little thinking how near he was to the fugitive and the reward of twenty pounds, which Is a standing offer for the reoaptura of esoaped criminals. He had only time to aeoore the cover whea the engine came along and picked up the truck, and Roborts says he was quite entertained listening to the acooant of his escapade from the driver whilst that worthy leaned aga'nat the truck to light .his pipe. The prisoner, for prisoner he now was, was at a loss how to get out of the truok, having no knife to out his way out. Fortunttaly for him he found a plooghshlre beside him with which he labored with euoh good will to out the rope against the iron bound edge of the truck, that before he had gone many miles his labors were crowned with Buoceaa, and after the train left Bankslde station he made his escape. Our insurance friend is very reticent as to the route taken by-Roberti and shows ■ proposal given him for £250 foy an endowment of twenty years (not th*t wo would acoept it, be naively, adds, but I could not help asking him to insure jast to keep my tongue In,) The polioa are on the alert and it Is quite possible before this meets the eyes of our readers the redoubtable Jonathan will once more ba m cDstody.