PATIENT ESCAPES IN PYJAMAS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 60, 2 November 1931, Page 3

PATIENT ESCAPES IN PYJAMAS

CAPTURED IN SCRUB JUMPS FENCE AND ELUDES HUE AND CRY ALLEGED ATTEMPT ON LIFE While undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in an alleged attempt made upon his own life, a powerfully built foreigner escaped from King George V. Hospital last evening and eluding a hue and cry which was raised, jumped a .fence in the boundary of the hospital grounds and made off in the direction of the Kuirau reserve. The man who was clad only in pyjamas eluded capture for the best part of two hours, until he was finally discovered iby Constable Kelly, hiding in some scrub on the lake shore near Kawaha Point, and brought back to the hospital. The man, who was clad only in pyjamas, eluded capture for the best part of two hours, until he was finally discovered by Constable Kelly, hiding in some scrub on the lake-shore near Kawaha Point and brought back to the hospital. The man, who is a Russian and speaks only broken English, was arrested at Putaruru where he is stated to have attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself over a bank and later slashing himself across the throat with a knife. On being admitted to the hospital for attention to his injuries, he was placed under surveillance, but made a sensational escape, by eluding his attendant and escaping into the grounds. Search parties were hurriedly organised/, but despite an immediate pursuit, the man eluded capture for some time. When discovered by the constable the man was wearing only a portion of his pyjama suit.