DARTMOOR PRISON
NO FURTHER TROUBLE, PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TAKEN. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.— Copyright.; LONDON, January 26. The Home Ulnce, m a statement, says that no further trouble has occurred at Dartmoor Prison. Although the tioi.ps were withdrawn this mor.ung, two companies of the Wiltshire Jtegiment including the machine-gunners, were stationed «n Crown Hill all day, in readiness for any recurrence, and Army Luries are provided to hurry them to Dartmoor if necessary.
Such precautions are regarded as being essential. Owing to the heavy Dartmoor log, the police are patrolling the barricaded approaches to the prison to-night. The prison is again being ilood-iight-ed to-night. The prison warders are sti.l attending to the Dartmoor livestock and other farm duties. GRIM PICTURE PAINTED. OFFICIAL TELLS OF ORDEAL. LONDON, January 2G. A grim picture of the interior of Dartmoor Gaol is provided by a police official, who has been relieved after doing a, forty-eight hours’ duty there. He says that the conditions have been terrible. Apparently every one of tlm convicts in the two five-storey build* ings that are lined with cells, lias in* cessnntly been either banging on the door or stamping on the floor. There was a handful of the warders, anxiously pacing the corridors, and realising that they had to deal with “the scum of rthe earth.” The police official says that the ring-leaders were rounded up by the police after the outbreak, and were placed in punish* j meiit cells. “They included a dozen of the worst desperadoes I have ever seen,” he said. “There were terrible possibilities. The mutiny proved that j weapons, including ten butchers’ ■ knives, pick handles, and fire bars, ! had been hidden under the flagstones j of the buildings allotted to those prisoners who are classed as dangerous.” He continued: ‘“The experience of Sunday, when forty policemen scattered three hundred, shows that the convicts are abject cowards.” The officer continued'. “Nevertheless there was a tense atmosphere last ' night, when we. heard that one hun- \ died Tags,’ from London’s underworld, I had gathered in the neighbourhood of I Dartmoor, and that they were planning ' a rescue. We saw that the convicts were signalling to each other from the windows, and all night we heard an uncanny, hoarse whispering and muttering, with which tho whole prison was rumbling; but, because tho convicts were talking so guardedly, it was imp ssible to detect the offenders. 1 “The twenty police who were on duty in the prison were given loaded revolvers, and they assisted in patrolling the cells. The presence of the troops greatly eased the situation, I believe that the worst is over.” AN INQUIRY OPENED, LONDON, January 2G. Sir P. De Parcq has arrived at Dartmoor, and has opened an inquiry. The convicts expect to be permitted to give evidence at the inquiry. SCOTLAND YARD’S SEARCH. , LONDON, January 27. Scotland Yard has begun a search of London’s underworld to discover the extent to which well known criminals were implicated in the raid at Dartmoor. It has been ascertained that several criminals are missing from their usual haunts. PREPARATIONS TO ESCAPE. LONDON, January 27. Tho discoveries made in the colls at Dartmoor included grappling irons that, ' were attached to ropes, so as to assist in escapes. j One prison official says that he does ! not onticipate any further trouble in- j side of Dartmoor, but the officials are 1 not taking any chances. I
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Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1932, Page 5
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566DARTMOOR PRISON Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1932, Page 5
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