HAD BUCKLEY'S

NZ Truth, Issue 1187, 30 August 1928, Page 9

HAD BUCKLEY'S

Gave It A Fly — And Crashed (From "NZ. Truth's" Auckland Rep.). Although Frank Bailer and John Leslie Buckley pleaded . not guilty m the Magistrate's Court to the charges of escaping from Mt. Eden gaol, and subsequent burglarious exploits, they had changed their minds when they stood m the dock of the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Reed, and pleaded guilty. gALLER lounged m the dock, with another-day-to-morrow look about him, but Buckley might be said to have been "dressed to kill." Buckley, no doubt, has a very high opinion of Buckley, that is, if deportment and general demeanor prove anything. Asked if they had anything to say,, both men handed up a single sheet of statement. His honor studied these for some minutes, then said: "Yes, — well — regarding the charges of escaping, the authorities might well consider whether it is advisable to bring prisoners who escape before the Court at all. It seems'to me largely a matter of prison discipline, and the prison justices could probably deal much more effectively with escapees than I can, especially when , dealing with habitual criminals as I am m this case." " Foolish Thing" \ He went on to say that an .increase of sentences had little effect, whereas the justices had the means of dealing with escapees by ordering cells, and deprivation of food, "and that sort of thing." After referring to Buckley and the newspapers, he said that the fact he had before him was that they had escaped. , Had they any complaints 1 they should have been dealt with by. the visiting justices. "I notice that you both express regret,- and realize that you have done a very foolish thing. You have. . You had little chance of escaping from New Zealand . . . the fact that j'ou have escaped will have a serious effect on your treatment. The Prison Board, m considering your cases, will keep you m longer. It was the height of stupidity. You won't now be permitted to go to prison camps where I shoiild think life would be more pleasant than m the close confinement of the gaol." His honor then impartially donated each man with three years' imprisonment, to be cumulative, remarking as he did. so that Buckley: had had a longer spell of freedom, and had consequently com.mitted more crimes. ' Bailer took his .extra stretch philosophically, and' the Immaculate Buckley, before they were removed, asked the judge to make an order that the money found on him when arrested might he given to the servant girl whom he had robbed. "I won't make any promises," re-, joined his honor. The prisoners, having been removed, he remarked to the Crown Prosecutor: "I have not a doubt that this request of Buckley's is merely a question of vanity." But Judge Reed added that Prosecutor Meredith might see what he could do as no doubt she was the worst off of those whom Buckley had robbed. Buckley's Vanity : ■• • j, The difference between the two men m the dock was just as apparent m their attitude when' behind the prison walls. Whereas Bailer made no bones about being what he was, an habitual criminal, there for his stretch and to make the best of things while there, giving the least trouble to anyone, and observing .the, prison discipline, Buckley, on the other hand, has the reputation of not being over- popular. He 'rather prides himself on being the smart fellow, and is up to all the points of the game, and as his. conception of what, the game is rests,, principally on his personality, vanity, and a desire to show "points," he does not inspire thr> confif 1 n v " , e m his fellow-prisoners or his gaolers. , j '