A CONVICT'S STORY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 17 July 1913, Page 7

A CONVICT'S STORY.

"HQCNDED DOWN BY POLICE." PREVENTED FROM GOING STRAIGHT. ADELAIDE. July 6. The story told by "Curly" Roberts, ex-prisoner, 'who in his career has experienced many vicissitudes, is a pathetic human document. Known to the police as "Only," his name is William T. Roberts. According to his statement he determined to .go straight; but in his efforts to gain an honest livelihood he was hounded down by the police in a shameful way. "With God's help I am going to try to climb the ladder again," he remarked fervently. "I want to prove to the public that 1 am not as bad as some of the police would have them believe. I have worked hard on nearly every mine on the line of lode in Broken Hill for the la<st 26 years and for several firms in Adelaide, West Australia, and Port Pirie. The only times that I l'-'.ve heen discharged from any j..».s;tion were through the police warning my employers that I am dishonest. I have done my level best to do the right thing, but they have blocked me every time. So far as Broken Hill is concerned I can prove that the police were sent to the different firms I was doing biisiness with to tell them not to have anything to do with me, as Iwasa 'crook' man.

"I have often been on the point of making good deals in the way of buying timber and old machinery when somehow the police would get wind of it, and,block me. 1 have hawked fish, taken orders, and sold hundreds of tons of wood and several business men told me they would give me a. start, but they were afraid'to because the police had me marked. One mine manager refused to give me work because the police told him it was not safe to allow me on the lease. I applied for a license to do a bit of dealing, but the police objected to it. ''l admit that I did wrong years ago, but I served my time for that. I got married about 13 years ago and was in trouble shortly afterwards. My poor little wife stuck to me until I came out. T deserved the sentence I got them. Since that time, however, my life has been almost unbearable. I loved by wife and little kids, but when the police deprived me of getting an honest crust for those. I loved I got it otherwise. I gambled and tried every way to get a home and provide for them. I'd have died for them. 1 have been in Adelaide now about seven months, and the police are a little different to what they are in Broken Hill. I broke away from the Adelaide gaol twice, and gave myself up on'Uoth occasions." Roberts, in conclusion, said the last time he got away he went to Broken Hill, got his wife and child, and took them to Melbourne, where he joined the -Salvation Army. He gave himself up and was brought to Adelaide, and promised to go straight. Then he went to Broken Hill with his wife and was happy for a few weeks, when the nolice arrested him. He was then in the Salvation Army,and it broke his heart. He was innocent,' but it hurt him, and he left the Army. "These people, however, were good to me," he added. "They helped me and spent a lot of money over me, and if I am given a fair chance I'll try once more to get on. my and then pay hack what I oAve to those who stuck to me."