The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-11-01 00:00:00

THE ESCAPE FROM H.M. PRISON.

William Haynes, alias Frederick Waters, wee charged
at the Prison, on Saturday, before the Mayor W.
Darden, Fag.), and J. Peard-Jillard, Paq., with
unlawfully breaking the prison, and escaping from the
same, he being a prisoner on • warrant of commitment
for burglary.
Mr. F.d win Burnett appeared to prosecute on behalf
of the Treasury authorities.
The prisoner appeared to take very little interest in
the proceedinga. and preserved the same indifferent
demeanour that has characterised him throughout.
The following formal evidence was adduced
Mr. J. B. Braithwaite said he was assistant in the
office of the Clerk to the Justices. He was present on
the 10th October at the hearing and preliminary
enquiry as to the charge against the prisoner for
burglary at the house of Samuel Warren, on the night
of the la October. He wee committed for trial at the
next sedges at Winchester. Witness produced the
commitment, which was in his handwriting. The
warrant was placed in the hands of the police for
execution.—P.C. Stone, of the borough police,
received the warrant from Supt. Coward. He was
present at the hearing, when the prisoner was brought
op on the charge of burglary, and was a witness in the
came. He conveyed the prisoner to gaol on the
warrant received from the superintendent. He pro-
duoed the reesiot, signed by Mr. Blewett
Mr. Edward B. C. Blewett, clerk to the Governor of
H.M. Prison, said on October 10th he reoeived the
prisoner from P.C. Stone on the warrant produced.
He wee committed for trial on the charge of 'burglary.
Witness gave P.C. Stone • receipt, and handed the
prisoner over to the reception warder.
Assistant-Warder Hart said he was in charge of
"A" Hall on the night of the 16th. The "A" Ball
at the time was the ward in which all prisoners com-
mitted for trial were coo Sited. He remised the
prisoner in custody on the 10th. On the 16th be saw
the prisoner in his cell about eight o'clock. At that
time the night watchman came on duty. About one
o'clock he was aroused by the orderly officer and the
night watchman, who told him there was • scaffold
pole against the boundary well. Witness at once got
up, and, with the orderly officer and night watchman,
they examined the cells, and when they came to the
one where the prisoner had been confined, they found
him gone. The alarm wasnimenediately given, and
some time afterwards vitals went back to the cell
and found • hole in the outer wall, and the sheets,
which were hanging out of the hole, were tied together
and fastened to time bedstead. Then were nen bricks
oaths bed and about the cell.

"—igeder Pearce said be was orderly °Meer in rugs
on the night of Sunday, the 16th. The night
man came on duty at eight o'clock. They went to
the prisoner's oat about that time and found him
there. Ho was called by the night watchman about
one o'clock, and, in consequence of what be said, be
went to examine the cells of the trial ward, On
°peplos the prisoner's cell he found he was gone. A
hole had been made in the outer wall, 12in by 13In.
The wall was 14in. thick. Some of the loose briclie
bad been put in the mattress of the bed, and some
bricks and rubbish were under the bed. The sheets
were fastened to the bedstead, and hung out of the
wall about tan feet. He found a small piece of iron
on the bed. It was • etay from a bod.
Oaptaln F. O. Frith, governor of H.M. Prison at
Dorchester , produced the warrant signed by the
Mayor of Dorchester and Mr. Peard4illard, in which
the prisoner was oommitted for trial on the charge of
burglary. He saw the prisoner on the 11th and on the
16th. He was reported safe at s')ont eight o'clock on
the night of the 16th. About a quarter to two, on the
morning on the 17th, he received information that the
prisoner had escaped. There was a scaffold pole
against the wall, and, on going to the cell, be found
a bole in the wall, and the sheets fastened to the
bedstead and hanging through the hole.
The prisoner had nothing to say to the charge, and
was formerly committed for trial at the amine.