The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-01-22 00:00:00

OUTBREAK AMONG TIIE CONVICTS AT

CHATHAM.

A considerable degree of uneasiness, amounting
almost to alarm, hast been occasioned to the officials of
the convict prison, St. Mary's, Chathain, during the
last few days, in consequence of she disaffection and
mutinous conduct of the convicts confined in that
establehment. The firOt symptom of anything like au
outbreak among the inmates of the prison uccurred on
Sunday week, and was intiinately connected with the
attempted emape of two notorious convicts oil the
previous day. From what has transpire.' it M 0,114 that
a plan of escape from the establialimeut Wel been ar.
ranged by • convict named Peters, who is under 'sen-
tence of 10 years' penal servitude, and who had taken
some of the others into hid confidence by proinioing iii
release them from their cello. Peters although etn•
ployed in what is termed the light labour depart.
mint of the prisms, had managed to become possessed
el • ekeletun key. but how it Collie into hie pos-
session cannot be iuseertaived, though it oppeare
probable it wait given him by one of the convicts ein•
pluyed in the dockyard and (subside the pi hon. Itetween
land 7 o'clock on Saturday anorniog Ktors and oiine
other convicts were in the ball if the misem awaiting
their periodical medical examination, when Peteni took
the opportunity to escape from the Hall by inducking
the door with his skeleton key. He then crossed the
parade ground to one of the cells occupied by a notorious
character, named Bennett, who in under *entente, of
penal fortitude for life for numerous burglaries in
Loudon, end warn in the act of uulecking tim, cell door,
when he was mised by a wenler, and secured before he
could accomplish his inteutiono, the key being theism'
on the ground. From information receimel by the •
prison officiele it was kuown that • large skeleton key
for unlocking the outer doors of the prison. a. well . a
reser, was tu the possessiou of one of the convicts, and
after Peters had been scored, Captain Powell, the
governor, directed a minute march to be made of all the
convicts and eells with the hope of ilimovering them.
The search, however, was fruitless, and up to
the present time neither the suspected skeleton
key nor the rimer has *been discovered. On
Sunday morning, the convicta, of whom there are
upwatds of 1,000 in the prison, comineneed disturbing
the minister during the service in chapel by hooting,
yelling, cheering, and other inarks of disapprobation,
although no act of violence WILY resorted to. The out-
break, it appears, was led by a few moat deaperato men
who have recently been ealmitteil under sentences of
penal servitude for life. Immediately on the sytnploius
of mutinesis conduct developing thentaelvee, this
glivrruor. Mr. Messer, deputy governor, and the
officials used prompt inea.unsa to suppress the out.
break. Several of the ringleaders were removed, and
libseed in the pitushmetit cello to await an investigation
into their conduct. On Ilonilay and following days
extra ward, r., of whom there are always about 150 m.
pluyed in the eetablishment, all heavily armed, were
plarred in the chapel, but this did not prevent further
diaturbances being made by yelling, else-ring, and other
disorderly sounds. While in their cells the moot slimier
lent noises were made, and in a few inatances ...meet the
convicts on ttttt enced smashing their cell window* and
breaking the cell furniture. Notwithstanding that
several iif the conviets discovered to be the lenders
the outbreak were mixed and drugged out of the -Impel,
tido del not prevent those remaining in indulging In
the mine mutinous behaviour. About 30 of the prin.
cipel convict. who have made themselves conapiciouo
on them occaeions of insubordination are now in
separate CUSIfiIICIIIi Ilt awaiting the iiunisiiiw•nt which
will be •wardel them ; but nearly all the.c are under
aentence of peach servitude f.ir life, and knowing that
their term of imprisonment Cilllllll{ be extended make
them reckless in their conduct. An official report of the
circumstances has been made by Captain Powell to the
Home Secretary, who hast directed Captain Gambier,
the director of convict establialituent, to institute an
immediate investigation. On Friday the inmates' of
the prison manifested scarcely any aymptoces of
iusubonlinatiou, and comparative order had been
established. l'aptoie Gambier we. expected at the
cunviet prison to commence an official inquiry.