WELLINGTON GAOL MYSTERY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2963, 17 November 1925, Page 2

WELLINGTON GAOL MYSTERY.

PRISONER KILLS HIMSELF. WHILE HANDCUFFED AND PINIONED.

What is thought to be an amazing suicide surrounded bv inexplicable mystery as to how a man under the circumstances could possible take his own life, occurred at the Terrace Prison, Wellington, on Saturday afternoon, when William Hayden was found dead, while handcuffed and in a strait-jacket, with a strap around his neck. Medical authorities are of the opinion (lie prisoner died of suffocation, but how he managed to free his hands and place them back again is a mystery that will probably remain unsolved for all time. Hayden was serving three years for indecency and had frequently been in gaol. He became very violent during the week, asserting that the gaol authorities were going to kill him. He made a savage attack on a warder and destroyed some of the furniture. It was decided to remove him to Porirua and for his own safety he was placed in a strait-jacket. His legs were strapped and handcuffs were placed on his wrists. Then a mattress was placed on the floor of the cell and Hayden was forced on his back, lying absolutely powerless and unable to rise. The van which was to take him to Porirua was summoned. At 1 o’clock, Warder Gibson who had been in attendance outside the cell all the morning, was summoned to answer the front door hell. He left Hayden lying on his back and unable to move. When he returned at 1.15, however, the man was still in the same position, but the strap had been taken from his legs and was fastened around his throat Hayden was dead. How he died is a complete mystery to all the police and prison officials. The Governor of the gaol said: It seems absolutely impossible to believe that Hayden could kill himself under the circumstances, when his arms.besides being pinioned to his waist, were secured by the jacket, and yet he must have done so. All the day he was closely watched, and no opportunity was given except for (he few minutes the warder was away. Yet, how lie managed to lake the strap of his legs and kill himself, leaving the handcuffs and strait-jacket undisturbed is the amazing part about it.

The police arc investigating' the Terrace Goal mystery. A postmortem was conducted yesterday afternoon. The inquest will probably be held to-day.