UNKNOWN

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3990, 16 December 1891, Page 3

UNKNOWN

" What shall we do with our boy?" was a question plaintively put to the magistrate of the North London Police Court by the authorities of the North London Police Court by the authorities of the local workhouse, who are charged with the safe keeping of a lad named Arthur Hastings until his presence is required in a court of justice to answer a charge oi stealing and maiming pigeons. Arthur is a complete problem in himself, although he is only nine years of age. Over the affairs of the pigeons he boldly swam the river Lea in the vain attempt to' escape arrest. Locked up in a workhouse room 40ft from the ground he utilised the bedclothes as a rope, climbed out of the window, and got away. Recapture followed. He was next put into a chamber of which the window was nailed up, but with patience and ingenuity that prove how strongly the love of liberty is implanted in his yonthful breast, he managed to pick out the nails with his fingers. Onc6 more using an extemporised bedclothes rope, he descended the 40ft intervening between him and freedom and escaped. With some trouble he was again captured Thiß time the workhouse authorities deprived him of his clothing, placed him in a cell, also 40ft above the ground, of which the window was guarded with iron bars only 6in apart. But between the stanchions he managed to squeeze his body, orce more made the bed-sheets into a rope, and get away. An eclipse is thus threatened to the frame of Jack The workhouse authorities asked the magistrate to relieve them of their difficult charge, and to send him to prison instead. Mr Bros declined the application ; they were responsible for him and must keep him safe.