MT EDEN ESCAPEE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1928, Page 1

MT EDEN ESCAPEE

PRISONER’S STORY. By Telegraph—Press Assn., Copyright. AUCKLAND, Feb. 7. As sequel to his escape from Alt. Eden gaol, on December >tl 1 ., \\ m. Henry Grant was charged with assaulting Warder John Booth. Prisoner was engaged in the bakehouse, and it was alleged that he struck the warder on the head with a trestle of wood, rendering him unconscious. .las 'Dickinson, Superintendent of the Prison, who gave evidence, was questioned by prisoner whether sufficient measures wore taken to prevent his escape from the bakehouse. The Superintendent said there were no bars across the window of the bakehouse, hut lie considered stiff wire was sufficient. E'en a bird will pick at 1 1 10 wires of its cage, commented (Irani.

Prisoner, in addressing the Jury sought to show that ii was not feasible that he .should assault a warder who made hi- round every half hour, when lie had every facility to escape when the warder was absent from the locality, as there was only thin "ire between hint and tile yards. Giving what he. described as a true version of the affair Grant said that while another prisoner engaged in the bakehouse was asleep he climbed up to the window with a view to .surmounting an intervening wall. AYliile on the point of liberty. Booth arrived and said: ‘‘Who is up there?” Prisoner said lie did not reply until Booth threatened to shoot. When prisoner fell on him, he. then escaped, knowing that Booth would raise the alarm.

In summing up His Honour remarked that with some criminals, vanity and a desire for publicity prompted them into the telling of fantastic stories. In any ease accused had admitted he was the cause of the injuries to the Warder and what hap-p-oned could scarcely be accidental. The Jury returned a verdict of guilty, but without malice. Sentence was post {Killed until Saturday.