GAOL PLOT UNMASKED.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1924, Page 1

GAOL PLOT UNMASKED.

A WARDER’S EXPOSURE. \CSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION MELBOURNE, Jan. 31. Squizzy Taylor, Costello, Arms, Tobin. and Thomas Taylor, whose arrest was cabled on January 23, were again before the court to-day. The Crown Prosecutor, in outlining the case, said that on January 3. Costello approached another warder, named Olccmiii, ami said that if ho would arrange to go viol, on tlii- following Saturday, he would give him leu pound- sterling. Glceson neither agreed nor declined, lint arrived a few minutes late on the Saturday. Nothing occurred, but on the following Wednesday, Costello asked him to go to a hotel where lie wool*l bear sonieihing to Ids advantage. He went there, and met till the accused. Before this meeting, lie bad informed tin. Chief \\ anler of w hat had occurred. T.ivn;: Costello told him there a plot to release Angle Murray and lie (Costello) would “go Glceson halves” in what he received At the hotel, plans were arranged for escape. The two men were to throw a rone ladder over the gaol wall, and secure Glceson and Costello, neither of whom would resist. Then Costello wa.v to show where the keys wore hung, and then show them the position of Murray’s cell, after which he would he locked up. Another temporary warder was prevailed upon by Costello to change shifts, but the Governor of the prison refused to have two temporary warders on duty at the same time. This threw the plans into confusion. The plans were again altered, the escape then being timed for early on Sunday morning. Glceson till tbe fime was keeping the gaol authorities appraised of everything going on.

“Squizzy” Taylor had also arranged for three prisoners in flic gaol to help in the escape. One of them wars Kelly, who was tried in the Oversall ease. Another was an indeterminate prisoner. When the motor-ear arrived outside the gaol, as arranged, the police arrested the driver and another man. while at the same Lime Murray was taken from the exercise ward to his cell.