LETTERS TO PRISONER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21733, 26 August 1932, Page 9

LETTERS TO PRISONER

USE OF INVISIBLE INK SECRET AT LAST DISCOVERED (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 25. For many months the Mount Eden prison officials and two detectives have been trying to discover the secret of letters which it was known were passing to and from the prison, and, also, how prisoners obtained supplies of tobacco, postage stamps, writing paper, and chewing gum. Last evening, near the prison, the detectives arrested a young man after he had dropped a broken tin over the prison wall, and to-day Alfred Arnold Carey, aged 19, and Olive Mary Carter, aged 44, pleaded guilty to a charge of introducing tobacco, stamps, and gum to the prison. Detective Sergeant Kelly said the prison officials had been much perturbed by clandestine correspondence. One of the chief offenders was John Charles Carter, who wrote letters to his wife in invisible ink by writing in sodium bicarbonate on the back of the ordinary letter allowed by the prison authorities. By the rubbing of a warm iron over the letter the ink became visible. His wife replied in the same way. Carey admitted that he had been sent by Mrs Carter to leave a parcel. This was a very serious matter, as it undermined discipline, and might encourage outsiders of a lawless nature to introduce to the prison articles far more harmful than tobacco and writing material. Mrs Carter was in poor circumstances, and was endeavouring to support two unemployed daughters. Thu police were satisfied . that her husband was the instigator of the whole thing. The magistrate said the case would be a warning to others. Both offenders were liable to prison. Each would be convicted and ordered to come up for, sentence within six months. If there were any more complaints both could be dealt with on the present charge.