PRISON REVOLT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 264, 7 November 1932, Page 7

PRISON REVOLT.

Negro Leads Vain Rising in Canadian Gaol. DAMAGE BY FIRE. MONTREAL, November 6. Nine warders' were injured on Friday in the revolt at St. Vincent de Paul penitentiary on the Isle of Jesue, in St. Lawrence River. Four of- the prisoners were injured.

A searching inquiry is to be made immediately into the revolt. The workshop which was destroyed by fire yras valued at *f 100,000.

The condition of the negro Crossley, who led the attack on the warders and stabbed himself when the outbreak failed, ie critical. Tho affair, seems, to have been carefully planned. An escape was intended, which would have let loose hundreds of prisoners to pour into Montreal.

The failure of 80 men outside the gaol to see Crossley'e signal and the quick action of the warders are believed to have saved the situation.

The trouble flared up in the tailors' shop when, it is understood, Crossley ; threw some gasoline on"' to a pile of waste and set fire to it. Warders dashed over and were set upon by 30 men who had armed, themselves with knives and hammers. Crossley had fled to a cupboard where he stabbed himself. He was rescued by the firemen who trained a hose on him. The revolt then was definitely over. Major Emil Jacques, head of the tailoring deDartment. was crowded into

Major Emil Jacques, head of the tailoring department, was crowded into a corner and, tossed into the flamee, but he was rescued when the warders rushed into the building. One warder, Aube, was stabbed in the neck. Another, Forest, was knocked down.

The flames spread rapidly as the prisoners cut the hose brought in by the wardere. The combatants "milled about" but the warders, aided by the smoke, assumed command and ushered 100 prisoners out of the building to the cells in the main gaol.

.Thirty prisoners were trapped on the fourth floor. They were thoroughly frightened, but were rescued by firemen who used hacksaws to cut through the bars.