The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-14 00:00:00

ESCAPE FROM OXFORD GAOL

On Monday morning, between three and four o'clock, one
of the University police, on passing the north side of the gaol,
in Gloucester-green, Oxford, observed something in the
shape of a ladder, made of strips of a blanket, hanging
down the wall. He roused the governor and turnkey, who
on examining the cells in the top range, three stories high,
on the east side of the prison, found that a convict named
Priest, under sentence of six years' penal servitude, Mai made
his escape. The window through which he escaped, consists of
a small pane of glass on the one half, and a slide•shutter on
the other, the latter when pushed aside exhibiting several
iron bars to admit air. One of these bars, an inch
square in thickness, had been cut completely in two
by some sharp instrument, thus leaving an aperture for
escape of only 101 inches by 74 inches. On the outside of
this window is a wooden contrivance, called a louvre light,
placed there to obstruct any view from the interior of
the cell. Priest had torn his bed-rug into strips, and tied it
together with thin strips of his check shirt, and having
male a good stout thick line, secured one end of it to the
iron bars of the window; he then managed to squeeze him.
self through the small aperture on to the louvre light, which
hdhieeffiletigeottyovaernd danger. Having the rope in his hand,
over;
and this must have been attended with great
himself down a depth of about 35 feet into the
day-yard, which he crossed, getting over the pailin s from
ten to twelve. feet in height, into the garden.g He
then made his. way un a stone staircase to a art of
the prison near the chapel, where were kept the long
handles of a Turk's head, or broom for sweeping ceil-
ings. Equipped with these, his next effort was to scale the
boundary wall of the gaol, and this must have puzzled
him, in
consequence of the great height of the wall. ED
first tried what he could do in an apple tree, and this wan
riot sufficiently high to enable him tot throw his rope-ladder
ov3r the top of the wall. He then went to a distant part of
chihwnoii
ignst effectingdi
cellre at hrs.
udt
escape,.
n
the garden, and finding a tub, plaood it near wall,. and
s
ag
having provided himself with a bag, made of his shirt and
blanket, and half filled with stone!, he was enabled by the
aid of the long broom handles to raise the bag. of stones and
, the rope ladder to the top of. the wall. Having secured the
bag
of
stones on the outside of the wall, he must have
ascended by means of the ladder. When (,n the top of the
wall the bag of stones and ladder were reversed, and he let
stockings on, as the remainder of his clothes,
himself down into Gloucester-green. escaped with only
ac.enpdtton of his shirt, which he tore up to assist
were found in his eel'. The bar in
Pries!, it has since transpired, bad obteined from another
two by means of a steel spring, which
The
spring belonged to a truss which Badcock wore, and he
Badcock,
expected Priest to assist him t') escape also, and was much
disappointed at his not doing so, bat Badeock's cell was too
near the governot's and turnkey's rooms to permit it. No
tidings have been beard of Priest.

A . FOR SALE, the fine Brig ROYAL WILLIAM,
44" A 126 tons 0.x., 94 tons N.M.. t•ullt at Prince Ed.verd
.r;, sit Pot, Island, hos list come out of the Graving Dock, after
receiving very largereairs,...vic, new keel kelson,

many new floors, and all new cealiog (of Pitch pine), new masts,
rigging, &c., and was thorough y caulked, and now ready for
immed ate ern: loyment, is well found in stores, and nar,iculaly
adapted for the coasting trade. Dimensions, length 63 f-tt 1-10th,
breadth 19 feet, depth 10 feet 13-10 its. Lying in Bramley Moore
dock.—apply to CUKRY & Co., Brokers f r the Purchase and
Sale of Ships, Walmer-buildings, Water•stieet.

-
,pe. FOR SALE, the well-known British built A 1
Barque HEN P.Y WINCH ; 473 tons; built at Pwllheli,
jr,,1140,.; North Wales, 1846, of the best materials, and classed
- 1 at Lloyd's for twelve years ; is copper fastened,
and s. eal heti with yellow metal; is well found in stores, and admira-
ls y adapted for the west Coast: now discharging (from Sydney) In
the Loudon Docks. Length, 116 feet; breadth, 25 feet 9.loths; depth,
19 feet 3-10ths.—For further particulars, apply to Messrs. George
Ba ley and William Ridley, Cowper's-court, Cornhill, London; or
here t CURRY & CO., Brokers for the Purchase and Sale of Ships,
Waint.r.buildines, Water-street.

r FOR SALE, the red star Schooner trZ ELLA,
kiiPs. 107 tons per register. Built at Fowey in 1839, and then
classed A 1 for ten ye is. In November. 1854, had very
large repairs, and was speclal:y surveyed, and cbssed
" red at4r" atsame time, had n, .w masts, main boom, and gaff, new
fore and main topmast, rigging, &c., and all sails overhauled, is
thoroughly copper-fastened, shifts without balLst, carries 166 tons
on 11 tett water, and can be sent to sea without any ontlay. Daily
expeeted.—Apnly to CURRY & CO., Brokers for the Purchase and
Sale of Ships, Walmer-buildings, Water-street.

FOR SALE, the well known fast sailing Brig
WINDSOR; 224 tons o at.. 208 tons register; boll of
OA the hest materials, in the Bay of Fundy; timbers are
chiefly of heckmatac, and has always be en kept in first-
rate order. In 1854, owing .o a collision in the Mersey, she was
all opened, and had new bows, masts, spars, and part new decks,
at a:cost of .sel 40, when she was specially purveyed,
cars ; Is copper fastened, and sheathed with heavy
Dimensions Length 83 feet B.loths, breadth 21
.5, depth 14 feet 2-10th s: in Prince's Dock.—For further
rs apply to C U RRY and CO., Brokers fur the Purchase and
Ulna. Walmer-buildings, Water-street, Liverpoo'.

yellow meta.
feet,3

For SALE.
FOUR____ SIXTY FOURTHS SHARES or
;:$4
4\, Po
.Amtt.
.70
ttoh e Ship HELEN HEILGERS; 950 tons
tornase; built at J r ey, in 1854,
LS,a4,,A, and classed ryteyowelemveent2;ears; copper fastened, and
sheathed with

-Oa

FOUR SIXTY FOURTHS SHARES or
PARTS of the Ship MA'IILDA WATTENBACH ;
1.300 tons 0.m., 1,058 tons Ihte measurement; built
jeersey, in 1853, and c assed A 1 for ten
alyears ;
at
'tut r to and sheathed with yellow met.
• - eCPP-

EIGHTH SIXTY FOURTHS SHARES 0
itAlk, PARTS of the Barque JANE PRATT ; 72) tons per
if 7" register; bo
ot at Jersey, In 1851, and classed A ffore
ten years; copper fastened, and sheathedwith yellow
metal,

---
,Y, EIGHT SIXTY • FOTIRTIIS SHARES or
t,.: PARTs of the Barque ANN HOLSBERG ; 684 tons
4,
6-a, , , 0.m., 741 tons late tonnage • built at .lersey, in 1853,
wand classed A 1 t:r thirteen' rears; copper fastened,
third with yellow metal.—Apply to CURRY /4 CO.,
r the Purchase and Sale of skips, Waliner-buildings,

FOR SALE, by private treaty, abeautifal new
IN Iron PADDLE STEAM s nor the following dimen-
sions, viz :—Length, over all, 143 feet; breadth, 20
feet; depth, 9 feet 6 lathes; measurement tonnage,
263 to, a. i'h,s vessel is propelled by a pair of side lever condensing
wish ample boiler space fore and
steam engines of 8 horse-power,
aft; and her bunkers will contain forty tons f coals. She will have
hnth cabin and deck passengers, and

th in 5 feet 6 inches of Water.
vPly to Ar. GEORGE S. SANDERSON,

a. will not dra•v rno

urea-str

To the consignment of Messrs. He RYEY. SMITH and Co., and under
Contract to Sail en the 20th September,
FOR WELLINGTON,
(Forwarding passengers to NELSON, CANTILREUHRY and Haw
PLYMOUTH, at :hip's expense.)
The well-known Australian Mail Ship
OLIVER L ANG,
. MUNDLS, Commander,
12gg tons register, A 1 for seven years, coppered and copper fast-
ened, sails very fast, and has magn ficent accommodation for all
classes of passengers.— F,r freight and passage apply to the owners,
JAMES BAINES & CO., 6, Cook-street.