PRISON MUTINY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20892, 23 November 1937, Page 8

PRISON MUTINY

REFORMATORY SET ON FIRE Ninety youth imprisoned in the French reformatory school at Aniane, near Montpellier, mutinied at night as they were about to leave the ihessroom after supper, overpowered their guards, none of whom was armed, put the telephone and electric lighting systems out of action, and set fire to a part of the premises. Then, seizing hammers and axes from the school workshops, they made a mass attempt to escape, but, although the rising had come as a complete surprise, warning of it had been communicated to the police at Montpellier. The rebels were met by a strong force of gendarmes and mobile guards, who forced the majority of them to surrender. Nevertheless, in the darkness and confusion twenty-five prisoners escaped into the surrounding countryside. Guards searched throughout the night, and next day twelve of the youths were captured. The remaining thirteen are still at large.

Tl.e mutiny was confined to the members of one dormitory, whose appeal to thp other inmates of the institution to join the movement had met with no success. The fire started by the rioters set the workshops alight, but by working throughout the night firemen from Montpellier prevented the flames from spreading to nearby buildings, which at one time appeared to be threatened. Damage is estimated at £3OOO. The rising is now stated to have marked the culmination of several weeks of unrest among the prisoners. Their complaints of maladministration of the institution are likely to be the subject of an Inquiry.