CONVICTS SHOT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 305, 21 December 1912, Page 17

CONVICTS SHOT.

Two convicts named Bannister and Warner were shot on Thursday, November 7, whilst attempting to escape from SMneetown Prison, Dartmoor.

The men formed members of a gang of convicts known as the reclaiming party, who were at work outside the prison engaged in building a wall adjacent to a block of officers' quarters. In the afternoon a drenching shower compelled a temporary suspension of the wqirk and drove the men to shelter.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, convicts Warner and Bannister suddenly broke away from the gang and made a dash for liberty across the open moor. Their flight was immediately noticed and the alarm was given. Civil Guard Pengelly, armed with a rifle, went in pursuit, and fired a shot in the air as a warning to the fugitives to stop. As they continued to ran he took careful aim at Bannister, and shot him in the leg, close to the knee, bringing him to the ground.

Leaving Bannister to be secured by other officers who came running up, Pengelly continued in pursuit of Warner. When he was armed with an iron bar. of which he had managed to get possession. Warner made a ferocious attack on the officer with the bar. and Pengelly fired at close quarters, bringing the convict down with a gunshot wonnd in the lower part of the abdomen.

In the meantime Bannister, having risen from the ground, made a second attempt to get away, but was immediately seized by a warder. His wound Is reported to be slight, as he was able to walk back under escort to the prison. Warner's wound, however, is serious, and he had to be conveyed on a stretcher to the prison infirmary.