PRISONERS AT THE TOWER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LII, Issue 187, 11 September 1909, Page 5

PRISONERS AT THE TOWER.

ADVENTURE OF 300 VISITORS.

Something went wrong at the Tower of London on a recent Saturday afterr.oon. Officials of the Tower said that the "electric bell got out of order." and suggested that atmospheric conditions caused the difficulty. However that may bo, th.'» is what happened: — About 300 visitors were in the Tower. Without any warning they found themselves prisoners. Every door was closed; there was no entrance or exit for anyone.

Tho visitors, among whom many Americans, had visions of dreadful things to happen. They expected tc be searched, at least, and wondered if they would be put in one of the duntreons'until they could prove their identity. The minutes went by, snd still the doors were closed. Beefeaters, solaiers, and policemen who stood before them had no explanatioa to offer, except that they bad been ordered by signal to close all exits md entrances. The imprisonment continued for at least ten minutes, which, of course, seemed an hour to the people who were detained. Then the doors wero opened and the visitors were allowed to* dei;nrt; but t till no' information regarding the- reason for the detention was vouchsafe 1.

In some mysterious manner the rumour that something was wrong seems to have reached persoiw outside the Tower, as those who had been imprisoned found a Inrge crowd there. It appears that ±\i<s attendants in rhe Tower have instructions to close all doors when a certain alarm bell rings, and to keen them dosed until further notice. This bell, it is stated, rang on the Saturday afternoon.