AN ESCAPED CONVICT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2432, 10 April 1915, Page 8

AN ESCAPED CONVICT

SAWS THROUGH THE FLOOR OF HIS'CELL. , ••••• A powerfully built, well-dressed man. tamed Henry Frauois Smith, appeared in the S.M. Court yesterday oil a charge of being an incorrigible rogue, in that oil -February 24 he escaped from the Koto Airo Prison. Accused pleaded guilty. On June 26, 1913, said Chief-Detec-tivo Boddam, the prisoner bad been declared an habitual criminal, and sentenced to twelve months' hard labour. Later be had been removed to the prison camp at Roto Airo Island. On the evening of February 23 last he had been placed as usual in the cell or hut at the camp. On the following morning, when the' warder came to make bis rounds, ho found the cell empty. A hole sawn in the' floor of tho cell told its own stery. Smith had escaped.' He remained at largo until llarch 25 last, and on the evehing of that date Detectives Bailey and Uempsey arrested the escaped prisoner in Lambton Quay. The .Chief detective asked the Court to imposo a severe penalty as a warning to other prisoners confined in prison camps that they cannot escape indiscriminately without incurring a severe penalty. The Magistrate remarked that probably any sentence he imposed would bo concurrent with bis present one.

"Pardon me," interposed acoused; "but any sentence you may impose will have a detrimental effect on my present one. That's what I call a 'double header.'"

"May I explain," continued the prisoner, adjusting a pair of pinc-nez. "prior to going to Roto Airo my conduct, as my warder will fully substantiate, was of the best, and 1 kept this up until the time I escaped." Accused went on to inform tho Magistrate "that any sentence His Worship would impose would only be the forerunner of that imposed by the Justice Department." His Worship sentenced accused to one year's imprisonment.