DEVIL'S ISLAND
MANY CONVICTS ESCAPE. An alarming increase in the number of escapes from the terrible French penal colony at Guiana and on Devil’s Island has unexpectedly forced the French Government to consider its abolition. Eighteen prisoners, tormented to desperation by the conditions in the colony, have evaded their guards in a seemingly hopeless attempt to reach sanctuary in British territory at Trinidad. Braving a shark-infested sea, the men set sail in open boats, according to reports received in France by the authorities. They eluded their warders while at work on the fringe of the jungle, and made their way through to the coast, where the boats awaited them on a deserted stretch of beach. The authorities are satisfied that they were assisted by some outside person whose identity is not known. The menace of poisonous snakes, the fear of certain hunger, thirst, and the tropical sun, did not daunt the desperadoes, who preferred to run these risks rather than endure longer the terrors of Guiana.
Their escapes increase to a total of 100 the number of escapes made in the last twelve months. They have also intensified the campaign prompted by humanitarians throughout France for the abolition of the colony.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KCC19331021.2.48
Bibliographic details
King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4460, 21 October 1933, Page 6
Word Count
201DEVIL'S ISLAND King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4460, 21 October 1933, Page 6
Using This Item
Waitomo Investments is the copyright owner for the King Country Chronicle. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Waitomo Investments. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in