Daring Attempt at Escape from Wellington Gaol.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 10, 12 January 1870, Page 3

Daring Attempt at Escape from Wellington Gaol.

A recent number of the Wellington In* depeiv.lent contains the following ;—A. man named George Harper, alias William Thomas, was recently convicted at tho. Resident Magistrate's Court of stealing a coat belonging to Mr B. Wallace, and. sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labor. The clay after he was taken to gaol, lie was detected stealing . lother prisoner's rations, and he also destroyed a book belonging to the Pro-, vincial Government. For these offences he was sentenced to three days' solitary confinement, While undergoing his punishment he destroyed a pair of stockings, for which offence he was again sentenced to three days' solitary confinement. That sentence having expired, he was sent out on Thursday morning to work on the roads, near Fipitea Point. At five minutes past four o'clock, as the Hutt coach was passing, the prisoner deliberately jumped into it, This being observed by overseer M'Carthy, he called out to the overseer at the other end of the gang to stop the coach, Jackson, tho other overseer, then called to the driver to stop, which ho did immedi, ately, having no idea, however, that ono of the prisoners was in the coach. Jackson thou ordered tho prisoner to come out, and oalled upon the ganger to assist in securing him. The prisoner thou broke awav, and ran off, pursued by Jackson for a consider, able distance, when, finding that the officer was gaining upon him, he ran into the sea for about a hundred yards, and remained standing there with the water up to hi* chin. Two of the other prisoners, named Morris and Cunningham, then came for, ward and volunteered to go into the water and bring the prisoner back, They were directed to do so, and immediately went after him, When Harper saw them ap, preaching, he took off his red shirt and, cap, and threw them from him. He then commenced swimming out into deep water, followed by the other two prisoners, who after an exciting race, succeeded in cap-. taring him nnd bringing him on shore. After the prisoner was secured, he said that he intended to es ane, and that he would do so again the first opportunity, Oh arriving at the gml ho was immedi, ately placed in irons by order of the War, den, The case was on Friday morning, when the prismer wis .*entmcod to three months' imprisonment, with hard li ,i our, in addition to h's former sentwra, The two prisoners Morn's f-nd Cunningham have had the remnimV' of their sentenced remitted, as a re« ft (l for their conduct on the aboyo occasion.