TELEGRAPHIC,

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3050, 10 November 1888, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC,

Wellington, Saturday. ; A six-roomed house and grocer's shop, occupied by.; Mrs Matilda Bamsay, Courteney-place, was gutted by fire at 5 o'clock .this morning. The stock was insured in th'e Victoria Office for £225, 'and'-tie building, owned by Mr P. Coffey, in the New Zealand office for £3OO.

THE ESCAPED MAORI,

OIIRISTOIIUiIOIt, Nov, 8.

Tho Maori burglar and prison breaker, John Murray, alias Hone Mare or Tekaauia Opuruna, again mado good bis escape from confinement in Addington Gaol. Murray was again placed in the cell from which his first escape was effected. Yesterday Lieut.-Col. Hume, who was inspecting Addington Gaol, \yas shown Murray and his-cell. On being informed that that was the cell from which-the Maori had escaped, tho Inspector of Prisons is said to have remarked that be "did not see that they could have placed him in a stronger ono." Murray is a powerful, well knit, active looking man, and apparently looks do not belie him, for in extricating himself he performed a feat that would puzzle almost any trained athlete. ■_ The cell was of the usual dimensions/and was., probably about 12ft square. It was Dft high in the clear and in the roof is a skylight 2ft Gin square by about three feet in height. Murray had no clothing on at tho time, with the exception of a shirt, and his plan ap pears to have been as follows:—At 10 o'clock the cell was visited by a warder and found all right. About 2 a.m., bo rolled up his mattress and blankets and made the highest and hardest possible bundle of them. These were placed under tho. skylight, A determined jump from this pilo and lie may have been able to eutanglehis fingers in the wire netting which covers the skylight. This gave him a purchase by which to draw his body into compact form in the space beneath tho skylight. Then by supremeniuscular effort thenetting and iron grating were forced off the skylight. It is said that -above the door of the cell is a small ledge about a quarter of an inch deep, which may possibly have been used as a step toward liberty. .On gaining the slopiug roof of the building. ho had only to slide down about 12ft to the ground to be free. The time at which. the escape was made was approximately stated nt 2 o'clock as at that time a man named Clarkson, who occupied the coll next to' Murray, heard a slight noise going on, but did not think it worth while to raise the alarm, and it was not until 5 o'clock this morning that it was known by tho authorities that Murray had escaped. On receipt of the news at Lyttelton, Sergeant U'Malley and Constables Drake, Bleasal,' and McCormack at once proceeded to Eaupaki to search the hills there. There is no trace of him up to the present. Later news states that at daylight this morning the escaped Maori prisoner was seen on the Port hills, near Governor's bay by a resident in tho neighborhood. He had no clothes on but his shirt. November 9,

A man, supposed to bo the escaped Maori prisoner Murray, was seen on the Lyttelton side of the Port Hills last night. He was carrying a bundle of clothing, and it is supposed that Murray has a plant of clothing, stolen from Harvey and Palmer's shop, somowhere on the hills,. Tho police and a party of residents started in pursuit, but failed fa catch the fugitive.

Suicide,! DittfpiN, November 9. A Chinaman named Lun Clmwr, residing in a fruit shop at the corner of Hope and Staffordstreets, last evening was found strangled in a room which ho occupied. Deceasod has been in ill-health, and was under treatmeut by Dr Macdonald. He, went to his.bedroom last evening, arid another Chinaman shortly afterward found tho door locked. Ho culled in Dr Macdonald, who had the door burst in, when the body of deceased was found on a bed with a rope round his neck, At tho inquest a verdict of suicido wliilo temporarily insane was returned,

The Christchurch Cattle Show,

Cpisiciiynoii, November!),

There wag a very' good attendance at t|ie Agricultural show which ppeneil yesterday, notwithstanding |jj§ contjiingi)!} -vyet. Thp. sheep and oattlooxhibited aro good, tho former being ahead of last years show in point of numbers. Agricultural implements, buggies and general ironmongery are largely represented. There are splendid exhibits of hack, thf oughbrepj and Clydesdale horses, Bundoora pi)tait]ed fjrst prize, fqr blood entiro. J. Boag's General Gordon was placed first in tho draup entires', and W, Boag's Lwd Duuhioro second. James Austin's 2 year old draugh colt took first honors In his class. J, Boag's Mar. ohioness II was tho first' prizo winner in. the class for best mare with foal at foot, and W, Boag's Grace Darling was placed first as the best dry mare, hi hackney horsos Dr .Fraukish took first prize for his entire Hercules, and E, G. McOlelland's faiir Q'f&ifflteK was' awarded "first prize fqr the, best entire, titb|ipayriage horse division, K, Mplntosh's pony entiro Santa Olause was 'placed fira.tihhis:class.. T. Levies Wild Irishman won the leaping match. The Governor and Minister •of I) - fciico woro pWout to-day,'