A BOLT FROM CUSTODY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 331, 25 January 1909, Page 2

A BOLT FROM CUSTODY

McNeill makes good his boast. Hy Telegraph.—l'rcss Association. Wellington, Lust Might. Archibald John McNeil, who was serving a sentence in Terrace Uao] on charges of obtaining money on false pretences, escaped yesterday morning. At about M o'clock he was in the yard in charge of a warder, when he bolted ilowu llie hill and 'escaped attention. Ik' w.is seen making for tile gully at the hack of the gaol, and evidently hid himself amongst the scrub there with the intention of getting clear away from the prison. McNeil has broken bounds be-

fore, at the time when 1h» was deemed to be an habitual criminal, and was on probation on a farm in Taranaki. Ho then got clear away and reached "Wellington, where lie was alleged to have committed his further oU'ence of procuring money by falsfc pvetv-.jm. Sub* I .siMpientlv he was arrested and sent to I gaol on the sentence which he has been

serving. TJic following description of .McNeil is given by the polite authori-ties:—Thirty-five years of ago, sft. 3 1 /, in. in height, medium build, fair complexion, dose shaven, brown "hair, anil brown eyes. J It* has a slight star on

tli? bridge of the nose, and the first .linger of the right hand is crooked at the lirst joint. ' Up to this afternoon the escapee luid not been recaptured, lb was seen in Woolcoinbe street, not f:»r from the gaol, at 10 o'clock last ni.rht