CONVICT’S SHEET LADDER

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1926, Page 1

CONVICT’S SHEET LADDER

CLOTHES LEFT BEHIND. LONDON, June 22. One of the cleverest escapes ever made from Parkhurst Prison, Isle of Wight, was effected on Sunday night or early yesterday morning, when a skilled safe-breaker, a. convict named Cecil Davidson, aged 41, gained his liberty. Up to a late hour last night he was still at (large. * Davidson had apparently picked the cell door lock, also .the double locks of the door leading from the prison eorridr into the yard, both doors, however, were found forked at live o’clock. In order not to arouse the suspicion of the parolling warder who peeps through the inspection hole of cell doors Davidson had left a dummy in Lis bed, consisting of a portion of bedding rolled up and placed under the'coverlet. SHEETING AS ROPE. Once in the yard Davidson, carrying a ladder formed out of twisted lengths of torn sheeting, went to the inner main enirance gate, where, by means of ibis ladder fastened on an iron book, he reached the -top. of a high wall overlooking the outside entrance and guard-room. He walked along the top of the wall and climbed over the roof of tho adjoining prison officers’ club bouse. Descending to the bah-ony. be dropped on to the road outside the prison wall, footmarks having lieeii traced showing the .way he went. Front that time Davidson completely vanished. CLOTHES MYSTERY.

Davidson left all his prison clothing, except underwear in his cell, showing that he had either got possession of other outer clothes before leaving or was relying on getting some outside. The hack door of a small house by the roadside near Newport was found open yesterday morning, and someone had apparently entered during the night through .the back window, left unfastened. Nothing was missing.

A strict watch is being kept at all places from which Davidson might leave the island. There is plenty of woodland cover in the island. Davidson was sentenced about- two and a-half years ago at the Old Bailey tO' five years’ penal servitude, to he followed by five years’ preventive detention, for the theft of property belonging to Countess Benckendorff from a sealed room at. 18, Gloucester-place, W,. and for setting fire to the house while a woman was inside. The charges were the sequel to an explosion and fire in the house.