THE RECAPTURED PRISONER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 297, 25 May 1915, Page 7

THE RECAPTURED PRISONER.

I SICXTJiXCJiD TO SIX -MONTHS' lIABD LABOR. I'ifore Air. A. Crooke, S.M., at the .Magistrate's Court yesterday, John Kindlay, the ])risoner who succeeded in escaping from the. Xew Plymouth Gaol on .Monday, 17lh, but who was recaptured on Thursday, was charged that being an incorrigible rogue lie did escape from legal custody. Findlay pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily..

Sub-Inspector Fuuliy said prisoner was sentenced in February, |()|)7, to live years' imprisonment on a charge of burglary, theft and larceny, and was declared an habitual criminal. The live years expired in November, Bill), and since that time prisoner had been conlined as an habitual criminal. Ills case was to be considered by the Prisons Board. Prisoner had escaped' from custody by cutting the woodwork around the lock of his cell door with a knife. Prisoner made a statement referring to_ his original conviction, in which ho said: "I was charged with the murder of a schoolmaster named Ronnie at Pa-pakaio on October -2, HHW 1 was acquitted on that charge, but twenty-seven days afterwards I was charged' with breaking and catering the same man's house. On this charge the jury disagreed, but I was tried again, and this time, after four hours' deliberation, the jury found me guilty, and I was sentenced to live years' nard labor and declared an habitual criminal. .1 would like to ask what tins act means. I have been punished twice for the one oll'ence. Because I was unfortunate enough to have been in prison before, 1 am punished again. I completed my live years' sentence, with remissions for good conduct, 'hut the Prisons Board would not give me any chance to .be released. Iu the ordinary course, the average prisoner does twelve months to eighteen months as an habitual criminal. While I lmvt been here one lmuared and forty-four prisoners of the same class have been placed here, and nraetvsix released. Of. these fifty-six returned. Some nave been released a second time, and others a, third time, too. Although I put this case to the Prisons iloard, it would not give me a chance. •Vh.V. it oid not give any reason and I can only eoncludo that it is still 'hnn«isig the murder charge over me Is it righ't that I should be held to he guilty or this crime of which I was acquittedV" 'Prisoner also stated that when Ins father was dying, and his mother was very ill, he asked permission to go down and sec them. 'iV Under-Secretary said he would do all in us power to let him go. but when a telegram came, saying bis father was sinking fast, the undersecretary stated that he could not go. lie had been detained eight years and a half, and had never been given a chance, although he had, m a general sense, been a wellconducted prisoner. His parent's illness Had Jed linn to commit the offence as a protest against his treatment. The '.Magistrate said prisoner might possibly have escaped altogether, and, as prisoner was an habitual criminal it did not matter what sentence was imposed, lie would be "ivon six months' hard labor, which might act as a deterrent to others.