PRISONERS’ FRENZY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1411, 23 March 1905, Page 4

PRISONERS’ FRENZY.

A REMARKABLE AFFAIR. The Auckland Herald states :—“ A mutinous outbreak is reported as haviDg occurred amongst the prisoners at Mount Eden gaol on Saturday last. It .'appears that fivo of the prisoners who were suspoctcd of being in leaguo with W. Cameron, who was charged at the Police Court last Saturday with attacking ono of the prison warders, were placed in separate cells with the idea of miuimisiog the risk of any harm they might do. Deprived of this opportunity of acting in concert, however, they commenced individually to create a disturbance, the like of which the gaol records aro completely devoid of, and which disturbed the peace and guietuess of the neighborhood for some distance around throughout practically the whole of Saturday, night. The fractious prisoners yelled to the extent of causing crowds to gather in the vicinity of the gaol, thoy fell upon and smashed the tables, stools, utensils aud everything breakable in their colls; they des'royed the glass ia the observatory boles and in the lamps. When their fronzy of destruction found nothing more upon, which to vent itself they commenced to pollute the . air with obscene and biasphemouß oaths, one man in particular behaving like a very fury. The pandemonium, which continued from about three o’olock in the afternoon until three o’clock the next morning, was oontinuod in all sorts of ways, the prisoners scraping, their enamelled dishes, etc., against ibo walls of their colls, crashing the broken furniture upon the doors, and waving utensils through the gratings. One shouted to other prisoners in the exorcise yard that it was time to start, probably meaning a mutiny. The prison officials, deeming it wiser to allow the men's extraordinary frenzy to wear itself our, waited until early on Sunday morning, and then re-

moved them. In the meantimo grave anxiety was experienced. Mr Sovorne, the chief gaoler, states that for several mootba past some of the prisoners have been giv-

ing trouble, including attempts to eseape and assaults on warders. One man, who

is believed to be the instigator of the disturbance, is a long-sentence prisoner, who has not oDly oreated similar trouble, but has broken gaol in the South. He appears to have exercised a bad influence in Mount Eden. Of the attack by William Cameron the Herald reports:—On Wednesday last a rather serious assault was made on a warder by a prisoner at Mount Eden Gaol, and in consequence a oolored man namod William Cameron, who is serving a Bentenoe of two years for assault and robbery at Gisborne, was charged with assaulting a warder named Bethune. Warder Bethune, who appeared in Court with, a black eyo, said he was in oharge of the stone work at the Mount Eden Gaol last Wednesday at about four o’clock. He stooped to examine some tools, and was then; set upon by the accused,who punched him in the oyo and dealt rather severely with him while on the ground. He was dazed by the blow,and acoused pummelled him on the face and head. Warder Bell, said he was just on his way to take up his duty at the stone work when he heard a whistle, and somebody “ singing out.’’ He rushed forward and saw • the prisoner on top of Warder Bethune. The prisoner was acting “ more like - a wild beast Ijhan anything else.” Witness got his baton ready for action, and went to strike the accused, but it was

knocked out of his hand by other priso-

ners.who were standing around. He'thon dosed with Cameron, but the other prisoners, crowded round him and began to punoh him. Other warders then came to his assistance, and the prisoner was removed.'*

Warder Arnold gave corroborative evidence. / The prisoner’s vorsion of the affair was

ihatj he was going to sharpen his blun

tools; when Warder Bethune rushed at him . from behind and hit him with a baton. He only put out his fist to shove the warder away. The Magistrate said he thought it was not jonly an unprovoked assault, but a premeditated one. Prisoner : The warders “ dog me down ” all the time, and I can bring evidence to prove it. " • : ’

Magistrate : It is of no use flattering yourself that you are being dogged. If you obey the orders of the warders you will be all right. I notice you have a long list of complaints against you. The Bench ordered tho prisoner to forfeit 1000 marks,.and sentenced him to ten days on bread and water.