PRISONER LEAPS FROM TRAIN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24914, 29 June 1946, Page 8

PRISONER LEAPS FROM TRAIN

POLICE SEARCH BEGUN

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, June 28. Believed to have leaped from the Rotorua express as it approached the Purewa tunnel shortly before 4 o’clock this afternoon, a man, who was on his way to the Auckland prison under escort, made a successful getaway and was still at large at a late hour tonight A police party searched along the railway track near Purewa soon after the train reached Auckland, but there .was no sign of the prisoner. An extensive patrol by police cars was begun and continued during the night The prisoner, Harry Martin, sged 24, had pleaded guilty at Rotorua to a charge of breaking and entering and was committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence. In company with another prisoner, he was taken on to the Rotorua express and escorted by a constable. He was to have been placed in the Auckland prison to await his appearance in the Supreme Court. It is considered that Martin had a lucky escape from death, as it is believed the train was travelling fast when he made his jump.