A MAD PRISONER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1936, Page 13

A MAD PRISONER.

ALARMS ALL ATHENS. DEPUTY'S TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. ' ATHENS. A prisoner named Marinos in thft State prison at Synagros, near Athens, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, recently alarmed the whole Greek capital for more than half a day and even caused a special meeting of .the Cabinet before he was killed by a prison guard. Marinos had applied several times for a pardon and had succeeded in gettin? the Deputy Eftaxias, who is a millionaire, interested in his case. The deputy made a plea for mercy to the Minister of. Justice, but .was informed yesterday that a- pardon; would jtpfc be granted. He went to see Marinos in his cell, and told. Kim the ead news. • .. Oif hearing it, the prisoner went raving mad, overpowered the deputy, tieci his hands aijd legs! w.ith rope and barricaded., the entrance to the cell.- He shouted threats to kill Mr. Eftaxias unless ■ he himself was immediately released. The warden tried to persuade him to let the deputy leave the cell. ": A Cabinet Council was hastily called apd it was" decided to offer £40 to the warden, or a: guard if he would shoot Marinos without injuring Mr. Eftaxias, but this "proved to. be, impossible as the prisoner lcept continually close to the terrified and helpless.deputy. The State prosecutor rushed to the prison and attempted, to persuade the prisoner, but Marinos remained firm in his threats. After .a proposal to release Marinoa and attempt to recapture him after the deputy was safe had been rejected by the,,; Cabinet.-; early this morning, a eoldier. guard jof the prison finally succeeded- in killing Marines with a rifle shot, through the window of the cell, but the dying prisoner had strength enough to wound the deputy, seriously in the head before guards could come to his rescue. The deputy's life was in peril for 18 hours.