LIBERTY IN GAOL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 920, 13 March 1930, Page 16

LIBERTY IN GAOL

MURDERER HELD BY HONOUR SYSTEM EXPERIMENT IN AUSTRALIA Escape from Long Bay Gaol, near Sydney, would be comparatively easy for a man now serving a life term for murder, says an exchange. But because he has given his word that he will never contemplate that course, the prison authorities have no misgivings. Gustav Steiner is doomed to spend the remainder of his life behind prison walls for the murder of a Chinaman in August, 1916. His case is one of the most remarkable that prison officials have encountered. They point to it in support of the theory that, once a man is placed upon his honour he rarely breaks his promise. On two occasions after his conviction he escaped from custody. The first time was after he was incarcerated in Bathurst Gaol. He was recaptured within a few days. Transferred to Maitland, Steiner made his second getaway shortly after the war. Believing that he had a mania for killing Chinese, police officers who knew him well formed the opinion that he would head toward Sydney. Their suspicions were well founded. Although every avenue of escape from Maitland was watched, Steiner succeeded in getting almost as far as Woy Woy before he was apprehended. And yet at Long Bay today, Steiner is employed as a gardener. Sometimes his work carries him almost to the outer gate of the prison. Cessation of vigilance on the part of a warder for a few moments and the prisoner could again be free. But because he has given his word that he will not escape, his guards are confident that at every roll call he will be present.