A COLONIAL JACK SHEPPARD.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1834, 22 June 1874, Page 2

A COLONIAL JACK SHEPPARD.

[PROM THE WELLINGTON .POST. JUNE 2] Last Friday one of the most notorious rascals in New Zealand was arrested (for about the one thousand andfir&ttime) for robbery atGreytown. The name of this worthy is John Riley, and the following is a brief sketch of his history during the last few years:— About the i ifiiddle ' of 1865 he was in Picton Gaol' waiting 'to be forwarded to Dunedin, where he had' one arm in a sling, pretending that it was broken. He was therefore less . carefully watched, and an opportunity occdrringhe escaped by climbing the palisading round the gaol. He next was heard of j at Taranaki, where he started business as a painter, and appeared to get on very well with the settlers. He even was made secretary of one of the friendly societies, and generally respected. Robberies, however, became frequent occurrences in Taranaki at that time. At last suspicion fell on Riley, and a warrant was issued for his apprehension; he, nevertheless, eluded capture, and went into the interior, where he was taken by some of Captain Page's company ; he, however, did not choose to remain a prisoner, and again made hisescape, taking with, him. a valuable watch, and other property' belonging fo ; Captain Page. He was; caught a second time, either by the Imperial troops or the Colonial forces, and again escaped. This was during the period that the ceuntry between; Wanganui and Taranaki was in a state of disturbance. He next turned up in Wanganui, and while attending a circus; performance, was arrested ■on'stisp^ciou i of being concerned in a burglary recently committed there. On his person was found Captain Page's watch; and "sundry other articles, the proceeds of various robberies. At Wanganui, he 'was committed to take his trial at Wellington., 'While waiting there to be forwarded to Wellington, and on the night previous, to the day appointed for his going on board the steamer, he again managed to break ont of gaol by picking or loosening the bars of the cell window. Soon afterwards he^ turned up at the Hntt, and at once stolfe a cash box from Mr Oleland's shop ; the box contained a sum of money and several .cheques. At last, However, ' he 'was' su<£ eessfully captured and kept. In the beginning of 1866, the constable oh duty on the beach observed a man trying the lock of Mr Burne's door at 1 o'clock in the morning, and ongoing towards him he dropped on the ground, and pretended he was drunk. On the constable lifting him, up, he was noticed to make a grasp at something at his side, which turned out to be a sharp dagger, and then made a violent attempt to stab the constable: he was overpowered, and lodged in the gaol, where, while awaiting trial," he attempted to escape by concealing himself in a large copper. This earned for .him the privilege of wearing leg-irons.' On the Ist March, 1866, he was tried 'at the Supreme Court, and received 10 years^xpenal servitude. While undergoing sentence, he with conspired to escape, for which of-, fence he was ordered, to be flogged/ forty lashes being administered "and well ;laid on." He was discharged from gaol at the latter rend of last n year. After a Itemporary retirement from active life, . he |was arrested 1 on warrant by Constables Byrn and Hargood, on Friday last, at Long Bush, 30 miles from. Greytown, charged with stealing L 35 from a maii named King, a pedler, while the latter;was asleep in a Maori hut,