REFRACTORY PRISONERS.

Colonist, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11287, 22 March 1905, Page 4

REFRACTORY PRISONERS.

Auckland, March 21. An exciting scene occurred to day at the Police Court, when the five prisoners concerned in the disturbance at Mount Eden Gaol were brought up for trial. A prisoner named Ashton, giving evidence on behalf of one accused, made an insulting remark to the Magistrate, who ordered his removal from the witness box. One of the accused men, named Williams, thereupon used more obscene language and struck Constable Moriarty in the mouth. The policeman seized Williams, whereupon Ashton rushed to his fellow-prisoner's assistance, but was seized by a warder and removed from the Court amid a volley of oaths. The case was then proceeded with. The defence of the accused men appears to be that they had asked for water, and it was refused. In reply to this the Oraol officials state that the prisoners had had water when removed from another cell. Later. The Governor of the Gaol „said there was an organised conspiracy amongst the prisoners to terrorise 1 the warders, and thus secure an opportunity for escaping. The prisoners declared that they were placed in the cells and were given no water; that when they complained the same Justice of the Peace was always sent for, and he did not give them any justice. After taking the evidence of the warders and the prison chaplain, the Bench sentenced the men to fourteen days on bread and water, and took 2,439 marks from them, being equivalent to one year's remission of sentence.