PRISON MUTINY

Wairarapa Daily Times, 27 January 1932, Page 5

PRISON MUTINY

DARTMOOR AFFAIR PEAR OF ESCAPE ATTEMPTS. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, Tuesday. A hundred stell-hclmcted soldiers were rushed from Plymouth to Dartmoor late last night with four machineguns, which were posted round Princetown prison, the scene of Sunday 's mutiny.

The roads were barricaded and cars stopped because of a suspicion that friends of the prisoners would be waiting with motor-cars to aid escapees. OFPICIAL STATEMENT. RUGBY, Monday. A Home Office communique regarding the Princetown disturbance says:— “While the prisoners were being march- into chapel at 9.30 a.m. over 100 out of a total prison population of about 400 broke away and the prison staff was unable for a time to obtain control. “Sonic prisoners broke into the administrative offices and burnt a number of records.- The prisoners also attempted to scale the walls, and it was necessary for the prison officers to use their firearms to prevent escape.

“Some prisoners received shot wounds and some were injured by staves used by the officers.

“It was necessary to summon the police from Plymouth and Exeter to Help the prison staff. They arrived at 10.45 and by 11 o’clock all prisoners were under complete control and the disturbance was at an end.

“No prisoners escaped. About 90 are in hospital with minor injuries. No officers were seriously hurt. A few received minor injuries, but none requered to be sent to hospital. “A largo number of prisoners took no part in the disturbance, and main helped the prison staff. “The causes of the trouble are not known. The Home Secretary will arrange for an inquiry to be made at once into all the circumstances. There will be no difficulty in obtaining from other sources such particulars as are requisite to replace the burnt records.” The Home Secretary has appointed Mr. Herbert Du Parcq, K.C., Recorder of Bristol, to hold an immediate inquiry into the whole of the circumstances connected with the disorder, lie will be assisted by Mr. Alexander Paterson, one of H.M. Prison Commissioners.

All is quiet on Dartmoor to-day. Only one convict was seriously injured. He is suffering from concussion caused by falling off a roof.