SUICIDE OF A PRISONER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3578, 4 August 1890, Page 2

SUICIDE OF A PRISONER.

Pierre Douar, the Frenoh convict who made such a sensation by - escaping _ from;. Pentridge, has succeeded in suicide iu lus cell, After his recapture he was sentenced to two years imprisonment - in irons, For greater security the A,, esoapee was ordered to bo incarcer- - ated in the "A" or Model Division. Prisoners in this portion of the gaol are under strictest discipline and most rigid supervision. Thoy are kept "in : solitary,"' being'cohfined for 28 hours" out of the 24. in their cells, and ' allowed one hour's exercise in the day. The prospict of the long term solitary confinement preyed upon Douar's mind, For some time he buoyed himself up with hopes thl%|f ■ the authorities would; remit tlaH major portion of. the' solitary, and after the expiration of six months in the jaodel, allow him to go to tho B division, where he.would have th# opportunity of mixing with the other prisoners, Several . times when tho Inspector of Penal Establishments (Mr.Brett) was on his weekly rounds, Douar, it is stated, threw himself on his knees, and begged to be sent up to the B division, In view, however, of tho dangerous character of the prisoner, and, the wonderful oscapo he had already made, the inspeotor would not grant the indulgence. Shortly after six o'clock yesterday' morning, the , , warder on duty proceeded to open V the door of the Douar's cell as customary, but was horrified to find tbe occupant lying dead on the floor, He immediately communicated with his superior offioera, and a brief examination showed that; death had 1 evk. , dently been caused by A broken leader belt used in .connection with the irons worn by the prisoner was found -buckled round his neck, while the face was discolored and the .eyes starling forward, plainly betokening the oause of death. The prisoner had committed suioido in the most determined manner, Ihora was nothing in the room to whioh he could have attached the strap with the exception of the jet which would have been too weak to bear' the weight of his body, tut the. ingenuity* ■ that enabled 'him to contrive and successfully carry out an escape from Pentridge was not to be baulked by such ai difficulty.' The small window in his b'ell : 'suggested an idea;' It - consisted simply of two pieces of : each other, leaving.; a, small' space between them, for ventilation purposes.,/ He toojc the small handbriish given'to liiri for eleaningoilt his cell, wrapped a portion.of his towel round it, and forced it into the opening between the pieces of glass. ; To the other end of the' towel he the strap whioh held up his iron? and making a running noose withk^. ; the buckle, -he placed the loop round his neck and threw himself heavily forward, so as to bring all the pressure on to his neck. Being of goodly proportions;; however, " the strain on the leather caused by the full weight of 1 his body being placed upon it resulted iii tho snapping of the strap, and the man, bent upon 'taking his life, was thrown to the : floor and suffocated, That portion of the strap affixed around his throat remained intact, and speedily caused his death,