The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-10-25 00:00:00

THE EBCAPE FROM DORCHEBTER GAOL.

AN IXTRAORDINARY CAREER Of CRIME.

The man Haynes, Weiser, or whatever his correct
name may be, is • criminal of extraordinary character.
From a very early age he hail dabbled in crime, and,
although now, according to his own showing, only 29
years of age, ha ha more convictions against hia name
than many an old criminal. On the 29th of May,
1871, at Shepton-ou-Storr, when only 12 years old, he
was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment and five years
at the reformatory. The course of moral training and
the salutary advice given at the school appears to have
had !ltd. effect on the young fellow, for shortly alter his
Weems from the sahool, which was before the five years
had 6:pink!, he was again in trouble, and in January,
1875, at the Warwick Unions he was sentenced to six
calendar months' imprisonment with bard laoonr for
stealing money. The more severe treatment [aside
the prison walls had no more affect for hie good than
did the Reformatory School, for within • few months
after he had obtained his liberty he was convicted at
the Hereford Sessions of housebreaking and larceny,
and was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude and
five years' police supervision. By We aro duct he
earned • ticket of leave, but on once more stepping
out into the world the old criminal spirit re-asserted
Itself, and for housebreaking committed at Glonaes-
ter and Stratford-on-Aron he Is now "wanted." At
the former pleas the police describe him as • "terror
to the neighbourhood."
We are informed that H. M. Commiadoners of
Prisons have, on the recommend•tiou of Captain
Frith, the Governor, greeted • reward of £3 to P.O,
Collins for apprehending the prisoner.

William Haines, alias Waters, was brought before the
Worshipful the Mayor, on Friday, on two charges of
tbeft—viz., a number of articles from Thomas Lovett,
groom to Colonel Wilkinson, and others belonging to
Mark Styles, groom to Major Berkeley. The articles
were stolen by him from the stables at the
Barracks on the night of the escape. The
prisoner, who was attired in prison dress, maintained •
stolid and indifferent demeanour during the hearing.
Thomas Lovett said be belonged to the 39th Brigade,
and was a servant to Catonal Wilkinson. the command-
ing officer. He was the colonel's groom and bad
charge of his stables. He wai in the stables last
Sunday night, and closed them about six o'clock. He
locked the door and put the key under the doer of the
stable-yard, where he was accustomed to put it. The
key was put there for the convenience of other grooms
who had horses in the same stables. When he left the
stables he left there a macintosh, silver breast pin,
two collars, •belt. pair of leggingia:ipiair of trousers, •
waistcoat, pear of gloves, and • et handkerchief.
Some of the articles were in • x, and the others
ht up in the saddle room. (The articles were
rio.li
mood by P.C. Collins, and identified by the witnesi.)
a went to the .tables again at half-past six on
Monday morning, and he then found all the articles
gone. The box in which he had placed some of the
things was locked when he left the stable on the
previous evening, and he had the key; but on Mon-
day morning it was broken open. He did not know
the prisoner.
P.C. Collins said he was one of the Dorset Con-
stabulary, stationed at Toiler. On Monday, October
17th, he received • description of the prisener who had
',coped from M. Prison at Dorchester, named
William Haynie, a/iaa Waters, also a description of
part of the property stolen from the Barracks' On
making enquiries he went to the Old Swan Inn, Great
Toiler, at half-past one, and there he found the
prisoner with part of the stolen property on him.
Witham asked him if he had not seen him before in

Dorchester, and he saki No. I think not; I am a
stranger about these parts." lie further said he had
walked from Yeovil to Hook to the Talbot Arms on
badness for MY. Bailey. He then charged him with
escaping from aid. Prison, Dorchester, on the night
before. He at first said "I am not the one," but
he detained him notwithstanding, and about half-an-
hour afterwards he admitted he was. He was wearing
most of the stolen articles. When he first saw him he
bad the macintosh on his arm, but afterwards put it
on. lie removed him to Dorchester.
Warder Nicholls, of H.M. Price at Dor.
cheater, said he knew the prisoner by the IMMO of
Haynes. He was in oustody for trial. Last Sunday
night he wee in seen in " ' Hail. Witness was on
duty as warder that night. Prisoner was shut up for
the night at half-past five. Witness went on duty at
sight o'clock. He tried all the doors in the prison,
and found them all fastened, but saw nothing of the
prisoner. He found everything in his round all right
up to three minutes to one o'clock, when be found one
of the scaffold poles in the prison yard bad been moved
since he went by there about twenty minutes
previous. He looked well about to see if he could see
anyone, and, seeing nobody there, he Immediately went
to the orderly °doer for the night and reported
the circumstaace to him. When he came back
with the night officer to the spot, he band that
the scaffold pole had been stain moved; one end was
placed against the old tread-wheel, and the other to
the top of the wall. They called another officer, Mr.
Hart, and then searched the cella to see who was gone.
The second cell they went to was the one where the
prisoner had been placed, and they foiled ft enslAy.
There was • hole in the outer cell wall big enough for
a man to get through. They than gave the alarm.
Edwin Hart said he was a warder in charge of the
wing in which the prisoner's cell was. It was called
"A flail. Hall. He came on duty at seven o'clock
on Sunday morning, and remained on duty till 10
o'clock at night, when he went to bed. He locked the
prisoner up at • quarter to six for the night. Hs
again saw the prisoner about seven o'clock. It was
his duty to go the rounds of the call. He saw the
prisoner at half-pest seven and • quarter to eight
but he did not see him after that. Prisoner was not
In bed when he last saw him. Witness did not speak
to him. fis beard no more of him till he WlB aroused
on Monday mash:3g about one o'clock. The night
watchman and the orderly officer came to him, and,
in consequence of what they told him, he went to the
cells, and when they came to the prisoner's they found
he was gone. A hole had been ma& in the outside wall.
This concluded the evidence on the first charge of
theft, and the prisoner was charred in the usual way.
The Mayor Have you anything to say to the
chgroner : No, sir.
The Mayor: Than you will be committed for trial
at the Asidzae,

Prisoner : Yes, sir.
The second charge was then proceeded with.
Mark Styles said he was • private soldier In the 39th
Brigistle Deptt, and was a servant to Major Sea beley.
He had the charge of his horse, which was kept in the
stable where the colonel's horse wee kept. Ile was in
the stable on Sunday evening last, and looked it up
for the night about six o'clock. He locked ell the
doors and put the key under the door, where it w
usually kept for the aooommodation of himself and tha:
other grooms. When he locked up, he left there a pair
of boots, • diver watch, a chain, shirt, muffler, cap,
book, knife, • sock, a pencil and holder, and El 2s. in
money. All the things, with the exception of the
muffler, and cap, and the boots, wen locked up In •
box. Witness had the key in his pocket. He went
to the stables again at half-past six on Monday morn-
ing. He found the key of the yard door in the same
plan as he had put it the previous night, and the
stable-door was locked. He went into the stable
and found the key of the saddle-Ts= door in I
the tarspet. He had left it In a tin close by.
He went into the saddle-room and found his box
turned about but still locked. He unlocked it, and
thee foaled the things that he had left there the night
before were gone. The boffloos of the box was broken
out. Wham called Lovett, and they lurched the
place, sod he then atiesed the bode, cap, end muffler
that he had left outside the box. ( Witnev idepthkd
the articles produced as Ids property.) /de had left
the money in a pocket book. Be identified the pocket
book wh.. was produced. (It emplaced the came"
Haynes ' had been w tten in it, and
other writing which the witness said wee not bia.)
The money was composed of two half-sovereigns and
two shillings. There was only one half•sovereign left
ia the pocket-book. The prisoner was a groom with
him for • fortnight, and was known by the name of
Haynes. He knew when the key of the stable-door
was kept. He wee employed ma • groom while one of
the grooms was in hospital.
P.C. Collins repeated the evlienee es to the
prisoner's apprehension at Toiler. He added that
when be took him in custody he searched him, and
found the pair of boots, watch and chain, shirt, muffler,
book, knife, socks, quail and holder, and 17.. hd. in
money. It vu in the poeket-book. Be gave no
account of bow he came by the things.
The charge was read over, sad on his being ethed if
he wished to say anything, be said, "I only took El Is.
In money that was all that was there—two half-
sovereigns sad one shilling."
The prisoner was then removed.