DREADFUL TRAGEDY AT THE NELSON GAOL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XIX, Issue 165, 28 July 1883, Page 2

DREADFUL TRAGEDY AT THE NELSON GAOL.

MURDER OF A WARDER BY A PRISONER.

SUICIDE OF THE ASSASSIN,

PLUCKY CONDUCT of the GAOLER AND HIS WIFE.

[united tkess association.} Nelson, July 28. i Between C and 7 o'clock this morning, a most dre'adfnl trag'ody was enaoted at Nelson Gaol. At present it is impossible to gather all particulars, but it appears that the only warder m charge, John Adams, must have allowed John Davidson, a prisoner serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Denis Quinlan, Lyell, to leave his cell, probably to enable him to go to work m thekitehen. Davidson appears to have been looked on as a very quiet man, for though special precautions were taken with him since he was sentenced, he seems to have been so dooile as to have averted any apprehensions of his becoming violent. Adams, after liberating the prisoner, went into the yard, and then came the dreadful deed. Frisoner was left without control, and probably seized ■ with a : desire to ■ esoape, he seems to have taken a tonuhawk and smashed m the guard room door; that done he seized a couple of loaded revolvera, and with one hastened to the yatd where poor Adams was, and to have shut him through the head, Of course the deed. waa unwitnessed, but from the surrounding circumstances it would appear to be the course pursued. The. noise of the revolver awakened Mr Shallcrass, tha gaoler, and Mrs Sballoraaa, and both having an iudistiaot idea that there there waß something wrong, hastened into. the gaol. In the corridor they were met by Davidson with two revolvers, which he was presenting. The gaoler spoke to the man firmly but kindly to iaduce him to letire. Mrs Shallorass asked him where Adams was, to this the prisoner said, " Oh, yes, he's iv the yard all right." Mrs Shallcraas then entreated him to lay aside the weapons, and he parlayed for a considerable time, and appeared 10 be somewhat pacified. He then demand j I of Mr Shalloross that he should let lv.ii pass, to escape from the gaol, and th mgh unarme-i, the gaoler oppose.! him. Davidaon then spoke of the Ly :11 murder, making a oharge agiinst the wmn ii concerned therein, and asserting his own innocence, and while Mr and Mrs Shalloross were doing all they cauld to pacify him, the man put one oF tbe revolvers io his mouth," and m an instant fired and was dead. Adams 1 came here from Wellington recently, and had a wife ami 4 children, the youngost two months old.