CONVICT’S FIGHT

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11664, 31 October 1923, Page 11

CONVICT’S FIGHT

IN MAITLAND GAOL. GRIM BATTLE. (Auckland “Star” Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 18. Two desperate criminals serving life sentences in the Maitland Gaol, in the Newcastle district, fought a desperate battle with a ©obbler’6 knife and a stick. One of the prisoners is now in thegaol hospital with a gaping wound in his right thigh, while the other is nursing a broken head. The two prisoners, Freeman and Theorgoes, both of whom are serving their sentences for murder, have been bitter enemies, and the gaol authorities, realising the position, decided to keep the men as far apart as possible. £towever, one morning last week* Theorgces slipped away into the yard beside Freeman. The pair exchanged words, and before the other prisoners knew what had happened the two were in holts. Both are powerful, and they leapt at each other fiercely. Theorgoee* knife glistened once in tho sunlight and fell into Freeman's thigh. Freeman uttered a cry of pain, broke free, and with one quick swing of a short stick struck his aggressor on the top of the head. Blood poured from both wounds. The men fought on until other convicts and seme warders separated them and dragged them wild-eyed and desperate to their respective cells. There 19 serious trouble in the prison. Not long ago the department introduced a retrenchment scheme whereby ten men are now set to watch eighty criminals of the worst type. Tbs warders say that they cannot do the work, and that is little hope of handling the prisoners should they mutiny. One warder has resigned sines the occurrence. Eight months ago there were 201 prisoners in Maitland Gaol, and there were 12 warders to look after them at the time. Since them the staff has been reduced by two. There are six life-sentence prisoners in Maitland gaol.