DARTMOOR MUTINY

Evening Star, Issue 21099, 11 May 1932, Page 11

DARTMOOR MUTINY

DRAMATIC COURT SCENE COUNSEL AND WARDERS OUTBURSTS BY CONVICTS There was a dramatic scene toward • the close of the Proceedings at Princetown on March 23 against the thirtytwo convicts charged with noting and damage during the Dartmoor mutiny. Prisoners rose and shouted that they were “ not having a fair deal, and that “ the very magistrates were bl Mr d ’st. James, defending counsel, after one warder had declined to answer a question and after he had repeated his questions a number of times to other warders, said he did not propose to cross-examine an more prison officer witnesses. _ , . . A dramatic narrative was related by Principal Officer Hutchings. He said he saw a mob of convicts, and saw Colonel Turner being led away bv an officer and a prisoner. He saw Officer Jackson surrounded by forty or fifty prisoners. They were assaulting him, # and eventually he was felled to the CrOUUd> _ . , yy “ I made a step forward to protest, continued Mr Hutchings. “ Prisoner Hill advanced toward me in a threatening attitude, with his fists clenched, and said: ‘What do you want? “ Before the prisoner could strike me another prisoner, named Robinson, caught hold of me by the collar ot the tunic and'said to me; ‘ For God’s sake, Hutchings, get out of it, or they will kill you.’ , „ „ “I was greeted with a volley of stones,” continued Mr Hutchings, “ and thinking discretion the better part of valour I ran toward the old prison. There I saw the governor. Wo went toward the main gate. I got as far as the hospital, and could get no further.” Witness said that he was struck on the head by a stone, and had been on the sick list ever since.

BLOWS “IN SELF-DEFENCE.” Mr James asked whether, before witness became principal officer, he had spent most of his time in charge of the punishment cells. “ Yes,” Mr Hutchings replied, “ for about ten years.” Mr James: Have you often been assaulted? —I was assaulted once about twenty-five years ago in trying to prevent a prisoner from escaping. Witness added that on one or two occasions he had had to hit a prisoner in self-defence. Did ,you hit Davis in self-defence? — Yes. on the day of the mutiny. Did you batter him with your truncheon ?—No. Did you strike him at all?—Once. What was he doing?—He was acting in a violent manner when I was taking him to the separate cells. You thought it necessary to batter him?—After he assaulted me I hit him. Was he not already a severely wounded man?—Not so far as I know. Did you cut his head open?—l never hit him on the head with my stick at •11. Were you accused of kicking a man who was lying on the ground after the baton charge?—No, that is untrue. Are you on the sick list, or have you been suspended?—l have not been suspended. Are you the most unpopular officer m Dartmoor?—l could not tell you anything of the kind. OFFICERS’ MESS RAID.

Prison Officer Edward John Howell described seeing a party of prisoners carrying a wounded prisoner. When they saw him in company with another officer there was a shout of “There are two more of them. Let us have their heads off. See what they have done to one of our cloth.” A little later he saw Prison Officer Bray struggling from the ground. He was bleeding freely, and staggered toward an archway. Witness assisted him to the hospital. Replying to Mr Davis, Officer Miller said that he did not see the prisoner Dewhurst armed, except when he was at the stone house. His conduct had been very good until the day of' the mutiny, and he was very much surprised at him then.

Prison Officer Albert George Wilkins said he was in charge of the officers’ mess when the main entrance doors

were forced open. Prisoners came in and began to destroy the contents. Tobacco and cigarettes were taken, and two beer barrels were rolled outside. The till was removed, and the money scattered about. While the ' convicts were in the mess a shot was fired, and they cleared away. Prison Officer George Whatley described scenes at the separate cells during tEe mutiny. Mr Janies; Did one of the prisoners say to you; “For God’s sake do not null out your stick or you will he killed” ?—No. He said; “Do not pull out your cosh,” and then pushed me down some stairs. Mr James: Was that not for your safety?—l do not think so. PRISONER STRUCK ON THE HEAD. Later Mr James pointed to the prisoner Beadles, and, indicating a mark on the prisoner’s forehead, said: ‘ Ddi you do that? ” “ I may have done,” Officer Whatley replied. Mr James: Don’t you know if you did it or not?—That man assaulted me, and I hit him in self-defence. Did you see his head bleed immediately?—l saw blood on the ground. You struck the man probably on the head, and you saw blood on the ground, and yet did not take the trouble to look at his head?—l assisted the man to hospital. Mr James repeated his question, and asked for a considered answer. Officer Whatley: I assisted the man to hospital. Mr'James repeated his question for the third time, and Officer Whatley replied: “It was necessary to get the man to hospital, and I assisted.” “I hope,” Mr James said, “that you will make the same answers to a jury.” After a momentary pause, Mr James turned to the Bench, and said loudly: “ I don’t propose to cross-examine any warder who is put into this box.” The cries of protest from the dock then followed. The court was adjourned for a week.