BREAKING FROM GAOL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 547, 17 October 1902, Page 2

BREAKING FROM GAOL.

By Telegraph—Press Association— LYTTELTON, last night. About midnight an attempt to escape was made at Lyttelton gaol, but was frustrated. A prisoner named Power got out of his cell and knocked the padlock off the cell of a prisoner named Burns. Warder Parker raised the alarm, and Governor Cleary and six officers were promptly on the spot. Burns and Power were crouching in a corner. A search revealed several skeleton keys opening ihe cell doors and gate. Prisoners, James Burns, Michael Power, Roderick McKenzie, and Charles Watson, who are implicated, will lie brought before the visiting Justices. They are in the meantime in separate confinement. FURTHER PARTICULARS. A CLEVERLY-PLANNED ATTEMPT “ DUMMY ” MADE OF WAX. [By Telegraph—Press Association.] Christchurch, last night.

Another determined, but unsuccessful, attempt to break out of Lyttelton gaol was made last night, the prisoners concerned being Michael Power, Charles Watson, Roderick McKenzie, and James Burns.

Shortly before midnight, Watson, who occupied a cell in the north wing, called out that ho wanted Warder Parker, who was on duty in the yard towards his coll, but on entering the north wing he heard a noise apparently in the yard. He at once ran back, and saw a man run across in front of the lower range of cells on tho south ring and break the padlock on tho door of the cell occupied by Burns. The warder promptly covered tho man with his revolver, and rang the alarmbell. Cleary, Governor of the Gaol, and half-a-dozen officers were quickly on tho spot, and the man, who proved to bo Power, was seized. A search was made for the skeleton keys which he must have used in getting out of his cell, and one for opening the cell-door, and another for opening the gate were discovered in McKenzie’s cell.

Tho pieco of iron with which Power broke tho padlock on the door of Burns’ cell and the skoleton-koy with which he bad unfastened that of his own, wore afterwards picked up in a recess near Burns’ cell, where he must have thrown them on being detected. Great cunning and careful preparation were manifested in the manner in which Power contrived to liberate himself. In the door of tho cell is a small trap-door fustened on the outside by an iron bar, placed across and hold in position by a ataplo and iron pin at each end. One of the pins was found to have been removed and replaced by a “ dummy ” of wax, shaped and colored so as to exactly resemble the genuine article. A blow or hard push on the inside of the trap broke the sham pin, and causod tho bar to swing a'nd tho trap-door to fall. A piece of thread colored like iron was attached to tho bar, perhaps with tho object of rendering its fall noiseless.

Power was sentenced to 18 months for theft and three months for perjury at Wellington in April last. McKenzie is serving sovon years for indecent assault at Masterton.

Watson,, is an ex-Burnham boy. 110 was serving two years for breaking and entering at Dunedin, and Burns is undergoing a sontence of 14 years for attempted robbery under arms at Wanganui.

WANGANUI’S POST OFFICE.

OPENED BY POSTMASTER. GENERAL.

By Telegraph—Press Association Wanganui, last night. The now Poet and Telegraph Offices were opened to-day by Sir Joseph Ward. Tho ceremony was witnessed by a very largo number of people. Prior to tho opening of tho building, Sir Joseph was entertained by tho Borough Council. He left by tho express for Auckland.