GAOL MYSTERY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 23 January 1936, Page 9

GAOL MYSTERY

DUMMY REVOLVER ATTEMPTED ESCAPE SYDNEY, Jan. 16. The life-sentence convict, Kenneth Aubrey Farlow, began his punishment yesterday for having attempted to break out of 'Parramalta Gaol by poking a dummy revolver between the eyes of a warder last Sal unlay night.

How he.'obtained the dummy revolver i.s a complete mystery. The sentence imposed by two magistrates, who sal- in the gaol, was that Farlow should lie given "28 days.' separate treatment.'' In effect this is a mild form of solitary confinement, but not in a dark cell, which is a form of punishment that was once administered to recalcitrant prisoners. Farlow was sentenced to imprisonment for life for filhootinjg with intent to murder Constable Ufrick in Mopetouuavenue, Yaucluse. in July, 1931. Since his sentence he has been taught a. trade in the gaol tailor's shop, and at the inquiry into his attempted escape he said that, knowing he must, spend at. least 20 years behind prison bars, he decided lo try to escape.

When he induced a warder to open his cell door by complaining that (he cistern was leaking he ran along the passage enclosed by a. grille of iron bars. A sentry, however, had locked the grille door after the warder entered, and a shot from the sentry's revolver proved that escape was hopeless. His one chance of getting through, the grille depended on whether the warder had lucked the gale, which would have admitted him to the main portion of the gaol.

The "separate treatment," which was pul into operation yesterday, means thai for the next. 28 days he will he denied the usual prison diel of porridge, meat, and vegetables. He will be confined alone in a cell with just brief periods in an exercise yard, and his food will consist/ only of bread and wafer for two periods of seven days each. During the other two week's of his sentence he will be. given only the minimum ration of vegetables ordered by the gaol medical officer as being necessary for his health. Throughout, the, whole period Fallow will not be permitted to speak to or even see his fellow prisoners. This form of punishment, mild as il is compared with the former solitary confinement, is dreaded by prisoners The inquiry is .still proceeding t.» to how Fallow came into possession of the dummy revolver.. It is a perfect, .model of a. large pistol, carved out of wood, and is about Sin. long, l-'.veu the rounded "bullets'' in' the chamber were painted silver to make tin in look real, 'the barrel was bored ami (he trigger cut to regain tion si/.e. It is obvious.thai Fallow was not. able to make such a perfect model in the. tailor's shop. There are 3CO convicts in the gaol, many of whom are regarded as the most- vicious and probably the cleverest criminals in Australia. Whether any of these men or anyone outside was responsible lias yet. to be ascertained. "PERFECT IMITATION™ A "perfect imitation'' was how the .Minister of Justice. -Mr. Martin, yesterday described the dummy revolver. When a gaol official presented it- in the direction of a high. Government official yesterday, the latter stepped' aside, shouting. "Pul that, revolver down. It might explode!' .Ml'. Martin said that an inquiry was proceeding to ascertain how Farlow became possessed of i he dummy revolver,