SENSATIONAL ESCAPE

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1946, Page 5

SENSATIONAL ESCAPE

PRISONERS' LIBERTY BID HOLE CUT THROUGH TOP OF VEHICLE Receiffed Monday, 10.20 p.m. SYDNEY, March 4. Cutting their way through the coachwork top of a prison tram on the way to Darlinghurst police station, two men made a sensational escape into Centennial Park, Sydney, this morning. One of them, Dary Ezekiel Dugan, aged 25, known as "Houdinj," made a break from a "Black Maria"' in similar circumstances on January 25 and was not reeaptured until February 18. Twentyeight prisoners were travelling in the tram, which is specially jonstructed; with six cornpartments. Dugan and Robert Porter Lewis, aged 18, cut a hole 12 inches by 10 in the roof and clambered through in full view of hundreds of people on the way to work. They climbed down the side oi the tram and ran into Centennial Park A cordon of 200 uniformed and plain ciothes poiice, including patrol cars and motor-cycles, was thrown round centennial Para and Moore Park. Mthough the escapees had only 10U yards start on the warders a'nd con sta.jles on the tram, they have not yet Deen caught. The police who combed tne area drew blank and it is thought that the men douoied back and boarded another tram. * in t.n^une- -compurtment of the prison tram. was Darry James Mitchell, aged j 25, Dugan 's companion in his previous i exploit. In Dugan 's compartment the police found a hreadknife, the blade of 1 which had been filed to convert it into a saw. i Both men, as prisoners on remand, ; were wearing street clothing. Dugan was to appear on a charge of the armed nold-up of a night porter, and others, mvolving house oreaking and safe rohuery. Lewis faced a house oreaking charge.