French Escaped Convicts in Brisbane.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 224, 15 October 1887, Page 2

French Escaped Convicts in Brisbane.

The "Courier" reports that the 12 escaped convicts from the penal settlement at New Caledonia, some of whom have been* in custody for some weeks awaiting extradition, were broiight up at the police court. Two. of the prisoners had before escaped to Queensland and were returned to Noumea. The 12 were rangod across the floor of the court, and each Was dealt with' separately. They bore themselves quietly and respectfully during' the proceedings. The Hon. E. B. Forrest, M.L.C., French vice-consul, occupied a seat on the bench. Inspector Lewis conducted tho i

prosecution, M. PanSs acting as interpreter. On behalf of the French Government there appeared M. Focachon, surveillant-en-chef at Noumea. M. Focachon said the prisoner Francois Doyat, who was sentenced to hard labour for parricide, escaped from Caledonia on •*» 2,2 nd May, 1887, and had been illegally at large. Doyat' answers the • , description . pi the • man in the warrant/ 3)oyafc was then committed to the Brisbane gaol for 15 days i till handed over to the Fiench officer. AH tho other prisoners were dealt with in the ! same" manner. Mr Pinnock tokl them all that they might make an application to the Supremo Court to quash these proceedings. Tho following are the sentences and crimes .to which and for which they were committed : — Bono, hard labour for life for highway robbery and embezzlement. Mares Jean Blanc, various robberies, imprisonment for 20 years. Jean -Pierre Fleurentin, 15 years' hard labour for robbery. Henri Cassagne, hard labour for life for murder. Tibaldi, 15 years' hard labour for murder. Joseph Rey, eight years' hard labour for robbery, and 20 years' hard labour while at Noumea, and 20 years' police surveillance for housebreaking. James Castillon, 10 years' hard iabour for x*obbery, and 10 years' police surveillance. Pierre Michel, 15 years' hard labour and five years' police surveillance for robbery. Joseph Kissler, 10 years' hard labour and 20 years' police surveillance for robbery. Balbi, 10 years' hard labour and 10 years' police surveillance for murder. Eugene Cosson, 20 years' hard labour for robbery, and other sentences, amounting in all to 6o years.