BOLD ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM PENTRIDGE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1151, 22 September 1883, Page 3

BOLD ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM PENTRIDGE.

The officials at Peatridge Stockade were recently thrown into a state of excitement whea it became known „that an attempt to escape from the establish/ment had been made by a long-sentence 'prisoner named George De Throer, who who is undergoing a sentence of fifteen years for robbery in., connection with the sticking up of a station at Sale. At locking up time, about 5 o'clock (says the Age), prisoner was put into his cell to have -supper. The •warder on duty followed shortly afterwards to see the supper utensils taken out of the prisoner's cell, and the door ; ' should then have been locked. When the-night muster took place the' alarm was given that a dummy occupied De - Throer's cell. The dummy was composed of a quantity of wearing apparel obtained surreptitiously from portions ot ~. the prison. Search was immediately v instituted for the escapee, who after 'some difficulty, was discovered by Warder Kennedy at the back of the ~ airing yard in the B and D division. V. De Throer had in his possession a rope made of coir yarn, with wooden rungs and leaden and iron pendants or hooks to throw over the boundary which he evidently thought would catch on the bpposite side. This however, was a great mistake, owing to the wall being •smoothly cut. The prisoner's record; is-an. extraordinary one. While at Sale gaol he attempted to hang himself, and after his reception at Pentridge he to injure himself in a most ' manner. On the matter I,'!, being reported to Superintendent * Donald, he immediately placed himself ,;'in communication with InspectorGeneral Castieau, who at once visited the prisoner. He found him calm and and taking into consideration tiie unfortunate man's previous conduct deemed it advisable to place him in the . v ,prison hospital, under special surveillance,, . _..-. , . .